Dance Comes to YOU

“Dance Comes to You” comprises a series of 6 versatile two-day cultural events designed for young people from various social backgrounds. These events cater to refugees from the Middle East and Ukraine, children without parental care, individuals of Roma or mixed ethnic origin, as well as teenagers from smaller towns and villages in Bulgaria. Each event features two interactive dance miniatures and a discussion with the audience focusing on the social issues depicted in the miniatures on the first day, followed by a specialized dance workshop targeting the identified groups on the second day.

Miniatures

The miniatures explore themes such as the environmental crisis and the different types of discrimination prevalent in our society. These topics hold significant relevance for the targeted youth demographic.

Discussion and Workshop

Both the discussion and the workshop directly address these themes, aiming to deepen the impact of the artistic encounter and support the development of young people. They provide a safe space for expressing thoughts, feelings, and experiences, fostering creativity among participants.

The primary objectives of Dance Comes to You include providing access to contemporary dance works for young people, stimulating further interest and appreciation for culture and art, drawing attention to two current and significant social issues, facilitating dialogue among participants, and conducting specialized creative workshops to enhance their awareness, tolerance, self-esteem, and emotional intelligence.

The miniatures were performed on the streets, making them accessible not only to invited groups of young people but also to a broader audience in settlements outside the capital, some of whom have limited access to culture.

In 2023, Dance Comes to You visited the villages of Dren and Dragichevo, as well as the cities of Troyan, Zlatograd, Varshets, and Sofia.

Dren

Drаgichevo

Troyan

Zlatograd

Dance comes to you workshop

To conclude the project, the Muzotanz Dance Company organized an additional event—a dance workshop with live music, open to both amateurs and professionals.

Hosted by HOD Movement Lab, this event served as a fitting conclusion to Dance Comes to You.

Producers: Dance company Muzotanz, BB Soundscapers and Storycatchers

Choreography, Direction, and Dramaturgy: Ina Gerginova

Music: Alexander Evtimov-Shamancheto

Costumes: Velika Prahova (Plast-tonia: Travelers) and Constantin Valkov (Differsonalities: Closer)

Dancers: Ina Gerginova, Mariana Kapoustyanova, Mihail Bonev, Nikolay Raychev, and Silvia Cherneva

Video: Silvia Cherneva and Alexander Evtimov-Shamancheto

Photographer: Nikolay Raychev

Graphic Design: Alexander Evtimov-Shamancheto

Partners:

SDZ, IOM-Bulgaria , SOS Children’s Village – Dren, Skrin Traveling Theater, Probuda-1922 Primary School – Dragichevo Village, Nuance Theater – Troyan, CPLR Zlatograd, Izgrev 2019 School – Gorna Bela Rechka Village

The project received financial support from the National “Culture” Fund, program “Socially Engaged Arts” 2022.

Ina Gerginova

Idea and realization

Ina Gerginova is a choreographer, dancer, actress, and teacher. She is interested in interdisciplinary and experimental art forms. Ina is the founder of Muzotanz Dance Company, which focuses on social engagement in the arts. The main tool of expression in her work as a choreographer is contemporary dance. In her last two performances (“Plast-tonia” and “Differsonalities”), she explores the use of dance dramaturgy, large-scale scenography, and cinematic approaches in theatre. Ina also practices playback theatre and works as a voice-over artist.

In 2022, she directed her first short dance film, “Inner Room,” which received a nomination for IMPULS (Annual awards of the professional dance community in Bulgaria). Ina Gerginova graduated from NATFA “Krastyo Sarafov” with a BA in Dance Theatre in 2013. Since then, she has worked with many Bulgarian and foreign choreographers and participated in numerous workshops with world-renowned teachers such as David Zambrano, Francisco Cordova, Rob Hayden, Marion Sparber, Alan Fuentes-Guerra, and Fighting Monkey, among others. She takes part in prestigious international forums and festivals. In 2022, she received a scholarship for the largest international dance festival, ImPulsTanz, in a training program for choreographers – ATLAS.

Ina created the platforms Muzotanz: Live (a series of improvised dance performances with live music), M.U.T.E (laboratories for experimental collaboration between artists from different fields), and the online platform for socially engaged contemporary arts – Move for Change. In 2022, Ina also created the interactive dance format Danceperimental.

Ina has been involved in playback theater for 10 years (as an actress and a conductor). She is the co-founder of the Storycatchers Association. Her master’s degree in Artistic Psycho-Social Practices and Psychodrama enriches her creative vision, knowledge of group dynamics, and management of artistic processes, and develops her interest in psycho-social work with art. She creates and conducts various seminars for professional artists, amateurs, people interested in theater and dance, and groups with different needs. Ina is inspired, motivated, and driven by the belief that art is for the people, it should be accessible, and it should “speak” about things that usually remain unspoken.