Veľký nádych

Thirty women, one place, and one shared breath - a unique Ostrava version of participatory performance in the spaces of the former Ostravica-Textilia department store.

Veľký nádych connects contemporary dance with community, and for each performance it is created anew together with women from the place where it arrives. On stage, professional performers meet women who may have never danced in front of an audience before - of different ages, different experiences, one shared space, movement, and breath.

This movement-music-visual project by the Slovak ensemble Debris Company was originally created in collaboration with the Bratislava v pohybe festival. At its first performance in Bratislava, 36 women from an open call participated alongside professional performers, ranging in age from 18 to 78 years old. For many of them, it was their first experience with a professional creative process.

The inspiration comes from the poetry of Slovak poet Ivan Štrpka, particularly the collection Veľký dych: Psychopolis, tenký ľad - its fragments enter the movement and musical components, shaping a sequence of images and gestures. A significant part is also the visual work of the costume designer, who works with upcycled clothing and gives it new form and function.