Distance Between Us
Jana Jacuka
Choreography: Jana Jacuka
Performed by: Jana Jacuka and Marģers Vanags
Sound design: Normunds Balodis
Light design: Dina Beināre
Stage design: Sandijs Ruļuks
Costumes, poster: Estere Betija Grāvere
Producer: Theatre Ģertrūdes ielas teātris
Duration: 55 min
Premiere: 30/05/2022
Created with the financial support of the State Culture Capital Foundation.
Performance without text. Language is no problem.
Performance on the 24th of October will be followed by an artist talk with Jana Jacuka
In her latest work “Distance Between Us” choreographer Jana Jacuka focuses on the fragility of relationships and on the euphoria and codependency created by feelings. Text, alongside movement, has played an important role in her previous works, but this time the body is the main medium. A carousel of emotions weaves throughout the performance, as two people seek closeness and then withdraw once again.
“Distance Between Us” received three nominations of Latvian National Dance Awards: Jana Jacuka was nominated as a ‘Choreographer of the Year’ and both performers – Jana Jacuka and Marģers Vanags – received a nomination as ‘Performers of the Year’. The performance itself received the reward as ‘Best Contemporary Dance Performance of the Year’.
“Distance Between Us” invites the spectator into a series of wonderfully choreographed images and exercises that foreground the relationship between the two performers. Masterfully combining a display of poise and endurance with intimacy, the work gives the audience the tools to feel the emotions, not just to observe them from the sidelines.” – The Jury of the National Dance Awards 2021-2022
Jana Jacuka is a choreographer and performer who, through sharing her own intimate experiences, manages to illuminate human relationship-issues that are acutely relevant within society. Graduated contemporary dance art bachelor programme at Latvian Academy of Culture (2018) she is now actively working in performance art and theater field, creating works as well as collaborating with other artists and working as movement director in Latvian theaters.
In her works she is interested in fragility of personal experience – in “Everything will be ok” (2019) and “Routine of Fear” (2020) she explored domestic violence and has continued this research together with the dramaturg Laura Stašāne in the project “Physical Evidence Museum” (2020).
For her works Jana has received international and professional recognition. She has been awarded and nominated for National Theatre Awards (2019, 2021) and National Dance Awards (2018-2020, 2021-2022) as a choreographer of the year, a performer of the year and two of her performances have received a nomination as ‘Best performance of the year’.
In the media:
“Sõltumatu Tantsu laval näeb eelmise aasta parimat Läti kaasaegse tantsu lavastust” – ERR kultuuriportaal, 24.10.2023
“JANA JACUKA: MIND KÕNETAVAD ISIKLIKUD KOGEMUSLOOD” – Pille-Triinu Maiste, Koreokohvik, 25.10.2023
