Photo: J. Putnins

Thursday, June 18, 21.00/ Riga Doms courtyard

Janis Putnins (Latvia)

„About them” (35’)

Latvian Academy of Culture

Choreography: Janis Putnins

Dance: Anete Tambaka, Agate Cukura, Agate Bankava, Eva Kronberga, Anne Birthe Nord, Anastasija Lonshakova , Maija Tjurjapina, Karina Lapshina, Alise Putnina (last year students of the Contemporary Dance programme at the Latvian Academy of Culture) and Sintija Silina

Music performance and composition: Martins Zarins

Producer: Arturs Bricis

 Performance “About them” reveals the relationship between “I” and “we”, it’s about the choice to agree or disagree, to follow the others or be alone. Does the collective thinking that prevails in society and in its component subculture is the base of our individual thinking, and could it be different? The performance was inspired by Judith Butlers in post-feminist spirit written scandalous and controversial book “Gender troubles: feminism and subversion of identity”. With this performance I would like to invite the audience to consider what is “women”? Is it possible to formulate or find universal characteristics what define them? Apart from the political and cultural aspects this task is even more difficult when considering that social gender is not directly, unquestionably and unequivocally linked to the biological gender. Does the fact that a body is biologically feminine make them a universal unity? Is it even possible to describe such a vast and universally undefined group of people with one term? I would like to bring forward the question of whether a woman is feminine by certain universal characteristics of femininity. In my opinion the society is still dominated by a binary gender system and the postulated beliefs of the media are still connected in the circuits of our thinking.  How influential on our lives are the stereotypes and how our culture constructs the gender roles with predetermined rules for how we have to think, whether we have a choice to think differently and look at things rationally, without unnecessary layers and what are the consequences?

Janis Putnins is a choreographer and dancer currently studying contemporary dance choreography at the Latvian Academy of Culture (last year student). J?nis regularly improves his dance and movement skills in various international and local masterclasses. He is teaching contemporary dance classes as well. At the moment his interest is contemporary dance technique complementary body organizing and structuring system. As a dancer and choreographer J?nis has participated in different cultural events in Latvia (“Dzejkoncerts”, festival “Patriarha rudens”, festival “Laiks dejot”, ”Valpurgu nakts”  etc.). He is a participant of contemporary dance artists association “ARA” and with the contemporary dance performance “Ara” won the Theatre Award ” Spelmanu nakts” 2013/2014 – nomination “The achievement of the year in contemporary dance”. J?nis has worked with foreign and local choreographers and took part in performances:  “Howl”, “One and Two”, “il CIMENTO della struttura e dell’accento”, ”Grass is Green” etc.