A barrier hangs between Agnietė Lisičkinaitė and Igor Shugaleev. The object separates the Lithuanian dancer and the Belarusian dancer, but it also connects them: one can lean into it for support, or stand it upright and climb it. The border between Lithuania and Belarus is approximately 680 kilometers long; for the most part, it is an unfenced border running through bogs, forests, rivers, and lakes. At the same time, it is an EU external border, and is heavily secured in certain sections. The contradictory nature of this border is reflected in Clap & Slap, a piece with which Lisičkinaitė and Shugaleev are currently touring the European festival circuit—including a stop at the Tanztriennale Hamburg at the Kampnagel production center: It is about what connects and what divides Minsk and Vilnius—especially in light of current global political tensions.
Reviews
Zurich,
on tour
Agnietė Lisičkinaitė, Igor Shugaleev
Clap & Slap
Belarus is a close ally of Russia, and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine was initially waged largely from Belarusian territory—which is why Lisičkinaitė initially wanted to put any cooperation with Russian native speakers on hold. But what does it mean—nation? What do borders actually signify? Clap & Slap begins with harmless banter at the kitchen table—are potato pancakes actually a Belarusian or a Lithuanian specialty? It is funny because it plays—with a friendly yet barbed edge—on national quirks, but suddenly the conversation darkens; suddenly Lisičkinaitė asks what the actual difference is between Belarus and Russia, and from there it is a short step to the question of what really distinguishes the people on either side of the border: "Are you different?" National pride is dangerous, even when it is just about pancakes. The duo’s movement repertoire also balances on a knife-edge.
There is clapping—a gesture of respect in a theatrical context—but after a while, the clapping changes; the performers begin striking their bare torsos, their skin reddens, and what is happening is tangibly painful. Then, with another shift, Latin hip-hop suddenly booms through the hall; movements become more expansive, the blows more playful—it still hurts, but the pain now also has something to do with fun and pleasure. Clap & Slap offers no answer to the question of the purpose of boundaries. There is only a barrier—a boundary marker that both separates and connects, a boundary marker that invites play.
Further performances in Zurich, Rote Fabrik, 15–17 Aug.; www.theaterspektakel.ch
Berlin, Radialsystem, 20–22 Aug.;
www.tanzimaugust.de