Summary of Krakow Choreographic Centre activities in 2024
The year 2024 was a time of celebration and change for the Krakow Choreographic Centre. We spoke a lot about collectivity, a concept we continue to experiment with, exploring its boundaries and forms. This year, KCC celebrated its 10th anniversary [ https://nck.krakow.pl/kcc/en/10th-anniversary-of-krakow-choreographic-centre/ ] , culminating in a birthday picnic held during the 4th edition of the Krakow Dance Festival.
To mark the occasion, we also published a special anniversary catalog, where we share our strategies and initiatives, express our gratitude, and dream about the future.
The changes we mentioned relate to staffing. At the beginning of the year, Marta Wołowiec, after 10 years of work at KCC, decided to take a year-long break, and in early October, we announced her decision to conclude her work with the Krakow Choreographic Centre. During this time, Monika Szpunar joined our team.
Currently, the managerial role is held by Aleksandra Honza, with Agnieszka Barańska-Kozik serving as her deputy.
Throughout the year, other events—both smaller and larger—also took place.
The Mothers in Motion initiative found its place within KCC’s activities and continued to grow throughout the year. On May 26, 2024, we gathered for the performance “Where is the Mother?”, and on November 28, during the 4th edition of Dance Shorts at Kino Paradox, the premiere of a film with the same title took place.
Additionally, the Mothers in Motion initiative can be heard in. They discuss motherhood, their experiences, and the choreographic exploration of this theme.
Staying on the topic of parenting, Monika Węgrzynowicz began developing the Dancing Families project at KCC this year. In the fall, a series of workshops for parents and children of various ages took place. We look forward to more movement-focused and connection-building meetings in the new year!
In September, the KCC studio hosted the tYhle collective as part of a research residency. Blurrylingualism: Encounter Between Languages [ https://nck.krakow.pl/kcc/en/blurrylingualism-encounter-in-between-languages-kcc-residency/ ] is a project developed by Bartosz Baxi Ostrowski, Michaela Dašková, and Florent Golfier (tYhle collective). During their residency in Kraków, their goal was to summarize the project and develop a set of tools to help share the knowledge they gained with a broader audience. Another residency was hosted by mayfield brooks [ https://nck.krakow.pl/kcc/en/mayfield-brooks-residency-is-behind-us-wrapping-up-the-gps-movement-research-project/ ] in Kraków. Mayfield conducted an open class, a two-day laboratory, and open practices—somatic walks in various spaces of Nowa Huta. The residency was a partnership collaboration with the American organization Movement Research. We look forward to continuing this partnership in the future!
We also managed to travel a bit around the world and Poland!
In January, Agnieszka Barańska-Kozik participated in a meeting of partners for the Global Practice Sharingprogram, organized by Movement Research from New York, with support from Trust for Mutual Understanding.
In February, Monika Węgrzynowicz took part in the EDN Encounter, invited by the European Dance Development Network in Oslo. During this multi-day stay, she had the opportunity to watch performances selected for this year’s Ice Hot Nordic Dance Platform at Dansens Hus, Oslo.
Karolina Graca represented KCC during the Czech Dance Platform in Prague in April.
We were also present at the Polish Dance Platform, where KCC was represented by Aleksandra Honzaand Agnieszka Barańska, and Dominika Wiak presented her performance “MISSPIECE”.
This year, there was also some room for guest performances. In our studio, we hosted Wojtek Klimczyk with his performance “The Idiot” and Barbara Bujakowska with her performance “Forty.”
Our productions also traveled, including to Osnabrück, where Dominika Wiak presented MISSPIECE [ https://nck.krakow.pl/kcc/en/misspiece/ ] and Marta Wołowiec showcased Tens [ https://nck.krakow.pl/kcc/en/tens/ ].
This year was also marked by the production of a new performance, Rooms by the Sea. Exercises in Listening [ https://nck.krakow.pl/kcc/en/the-premiere-of-the-latest-kcc-production-rooms-by-the-sea-is-behind-us/ ], directed by Joanna Leśnierowska, which premiered at the 4th Krakow Dance Festival.
And speaking of Krakow Dance Festival and celebration, the highlight of the year was definitely the birthday picnic for KCC’s 10th anniversary [ https://nck.krakow.pl/kcc/en/10th-anniversary-of-krakow-choreographic-centre/ ], which we will fondly remember for a long time!
The picnic was part of the Krakow Dance Festival [ www.krakowskifestiwaltanca.pl ] , which this year was held under the theme “VIEW FROM CLOSE.” The program invited participants to take a closer look at the personal narratives of artists and engage with the moving images they create. We experienced 4 performances from Poland, 4 performances from abroad, 5 days of movement workshops with various teachers, and many other attractions.
During the Festival, as part of the critique workshops, texts were written – reviews of the performances. Additionally, the festival report – an affective journal – was written for us by Anna Majewska.
In April, together with the Theater Academy, we organized the workshop “Safe Space: Good Practices and Tools for Transforming the Polish Theater System,” during which topics such as anti-violence actions, writing contracts, and intimacy coordination were discussed.
During the Dance Night in June, we organized a dance jam with live music by Eta Hox.
This year, like every other, was full of challenges, novelties, and the process of adapting to them. It was also a time of fulfilling tasks, goals, and dreams, and we wish the same for ourselves and for you in the new year, 2025!
Captions on the collages (from left):
Fluid Women in Hunger
KCC Wonder Will Fight for More
Photo: Klaudyna Schubert, Magda Rymarz, Beatrycze Bem
