The Critique of Pure Joy, Dance Performance

Skrabe’s performance “Everything Is Fine” explores what sustains movement in life — individual effort or collective cooperation; play or obligation? The work reflects on joy as a practice in conditions of uncertainty and anxiety, where authentic experience competes with the illusions produced by consumer culture.

Meanwhile, Čornaja’s performance “Entwined” focuses on gender roles in romantic relationships and asks: what shapes our behavior in partnership — genuine desire or learned patterns? The piece invites a critical re-examination of stereotypes surrounding initiative, care, and “proper” love, revealing how the younger generation seeks to build a more equal and conscious model of relationships.

Together, both performances speak about contemporary individuals’ efforts to find balance between social norms and personal freedom, tradition and present-day experience, offering the audience an emotionally resonant and recognizable portrait of our time.

The project was created with the financial support of the State Culture Capital Foundation (SCCF)