Maja Skjøth Hegelund: I am currently setting upa new basement studio after moving to a newcountry, so first and foremost I am intrigued withthe space itself. I’m thinking about spatiallimitations, ways of measuring, and physicalenclosures. I am excited to explore AI more and inparticular how it mimics human movement whichoften leads to redesigned body parts andimpossible acrobatics. In the near future, I want tocollaborate with those closest to me. I’m curiousabout the potential of a looped exchange, fromhuman to human to AI.I continuously collect short recordings and sound,which I’m excited to extend. I have a familymember who plays the organ and I’m hoping wewill do a joint project in which I can digitally workwith experimental recordings of the colossal pipeinstrument. Eventually, I would like that project toalso be visual and involve AI, as an erraticcollaborator.WomenCinemakersAn interview by Francis L. Quettierand Dora S. [email protected]
Hello Mélissandre and Roxane, and welcomeAn interview by Francis L. Quettierand Dora S. [email protected] . For this specialedition we have selected , anextremely interesting short dance filmthat our readers have already started toMélissandre T-B &WomenCinemakers meetsMy video work is strongly influenced by my initial practice as a dancer and choreographer. Both video and dance are an art ofmovement and images. I therefore approach the organization of movements in space and the visual composition of a video workas a choreographic work. The multiplicity of viewing angles as well as the variety of shots and framing brought by the videoenhance this work by opening creative possibilities that the stage does not offer.I am also interested in video because it allows dance to be transported into different universes. The choreography is greatlynourished by the space in which it unfolds, hence the interest in finding a non-stage setting to bring the movement to life. In thevideo, the strong evocative power of the places enriches the reading of the gestural score.Of course, the body is very present in my videos, I like to stage it in all kinds of places, all kinds of states. More specifically, thefeet occupy a special place in my moving works: they often initiate the gesture and I like that the visual attention is focused onthis part of the body. Also, my unique choreographic signature combining Quebec step dancing, ballet and contemporary dance isa distinctive element of my creations. My strong performance experience allows me to deliver a generous, well-felt interpretationin my video works.I am also very interested in the rhythmic work and the sound environment of a work, both at the cinematographic andchoreographic level. Even more than the scenic work, the video allows me to play on the temporal flow of the dance that isshown. I like dynamic montages and film sequences with a fluid, natural rhythm. I work on the sound aspect of my choreographyby carefully choosing the rhythmic presence, the nuances of intensity, the speed, the metric. I am fascinated by non-metric andmore random rhythms, and I am looking for an organic, visceral rhythm, which the body naturally expels following the physicaltransformation that takes place. A rhythm that reveals the feverishness that drives us.Roxane Duchesne-Roy
WomenCinemakersget to know in the introductory pages of thisarticle and that can be viewed at.has at once impressed us for the way ittransforms the conceptual spiral of life into atangible, visual journey. When walking ourreaders through the genesis of , wouldyou tell us what did inspire you to create a filmthat explores the cycle of life?MTB: Hello WomenCinemakers! I was first askedto create a dance solo to be performed for onespectator at the time in a specific location, for theend of the summer. I knew I was going to be in mythird semester of pregnancy when performing this,so it seemed obvious to create something relatedto this situation. During the process, I realized Ireally liked the choreo I was creating for this eventand felt like it would be interesting to turn it into adance film. Also, the creation process happened allthrough summer, from beginning of July to end ofAugust. As time got by, I noticed how life kept ongrowing inside and around me, thus impacting onchoreographic choices. In July, some shy leaveswere slowly poking out around the circularstructure of the statue. By August, they had turnedinto invading zucchinis, and I could no longer
WomenCinemakers interviewintegrate the circular walking pattern I hadplanned to do on the outline of the platform. Andwhile I could easily kneel and fit into a hole of thestatue in the beginning of the process, thismovement became impossible by mid-Augustbecause my belly was now too big! So, for thevideo version of the choreo, I wanted to highlightall forms of lives I had witnessed during thatsummer.We're particularly intriguedyou've crafted for .Your approach balances authenticity withpowerful cinematic quality, marked out withfluid camera movements. Could you elaborateon how you struck this balance? We'd be veryinterested to hear about theyou made to achieve your vision,particularly in terms of cinematography,camera techniques and choreography.RDR: As a dancer myself, I am sensitive tomovement and its relationship to the camera. Ihave been on both sides of the camera.Therefore, I have a comprehensive understandingof that dynamic. I used a hand-held stabilizerwith my iPhone with 4k video. So, it was light and
WomenCinemakers
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WomenCinemakersallowed me to move more freely with thesubject, Mélissandre. I familiarized myself withher choreography in advance, so I was able tointeract and respond to her patterns.MTB: While creating this dance, I immediatelyfelt like it needed to be gentle and enveloping.This was due to the subject of the choreographyof course, but also a practical choice because Iknew I had to be performing this solo twentytimes in a very advanced stage of my pregnancy.I wanted to embody the journey of the babygrowing inside the womb and then coming tobirth. Therefore, I asked Roxane to think of closeups to give a feeling of intimacy. The fact thatshe could follow me in the circular patternsaround the structure also helps to give thespiraling effect.How did your backgrounds as dancersinfluence the way you approachedfilmmaking?RDR: Being dancers influences the choices wemake about what aspects of the choreographywe want to show and what we want the audienceinterview
WomenCinemakersto discover. Our background informs how weframe the body in space in terms of proximity,wide shot or close-up. In the case of Mélissandre,who is a traditional Québec step dancer, we hadto respect the link between the sound producedby her feet and the choreography. In that sense, adance background played a large role inresponding to this demand.MTB: Yes, what Roxane says is so true! It canbe challenging to find an editor who is preciseenough to get this perfect synchro betweenvisual and audio that step dancing requires.But I knew Roxane would manage this aspectvery well. Being a percussive dancer not onlymeans I have a great focus on body andphysicality, but also that rhythm is central inmy work. There are many rhythms to
WomenCinemakerscoordinate: the one of the steps, the one of themovements, the one of the images.The music for was created by ÉmilieClepper, with sound creation by Matt Grou.Could you tell us more about yourcollaboration with these artists?Additionally, as dancers andchoreographers, how did you approach? Did you make anyadjustments to the choreography based onthe evolving soundtrack?MTB: Working with both Matt and Émilie wasgreat! For the show version, Émilie created themusic track before I finished my choreographt,based on some explorations I had done and onsome indication I gave her — as a step dancer,
WomenCinemakerstempo and time signature, for instance, arecrucial. I then created the steps and movementsto match the track. Émilie is a mother, too, so sheimmediately understood the mood of the piece Iwas creating. She came up with the idea of alullaby.I enjoy her music a lot because it feels gentle yetpowerful, beautiful yet painful. Matt’scontribution came later, for the cinematic version.I wanted to enhance this feeling of being in thewomb, the feeling of the perspective of the baby.That’s why I asked him to create a blurryambience in the beginning and towards the endof the film.As your film explores universal themes, didyou intentionally incorporate anythat holdspecial significance to you as creators?RDR: This was a dance performed outside in anatural environment. Mélissandre and I were bothpregnant at the time and I wanted to faithfullycapture her performance with the natural life andgrowth around her as it represented a continuumof the life that grew inside of her.interview
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WomenCinemakersMTB: First of all, the choreography integratestraditional step dancing from Québec, which is aunique cultural heritage we have in our provinceand is my specialty as a dancer. There are alsosome feet percussion sections, which is anothertraditional form of art specific to Québec (a fiddlerwould play music while tapping his feetrhythmically and continuously).There is also a very personal symbol hidden in thevideo: some sounds in the ambience of thebeginning and ending, which have been createdmonths after the shooting, are derived fromsamplings of the voice of the baby I was carryingin this film. Finally, you might notice some “jerks”in the first part of the choreography. These referto the uncoordinated movements of the newborn.invites viewers to contemplate their ownplace within the eternal cycle of existence. Ascreators, how did you balance making the filmpersonally meaningful while also leaving roomfor individual interpretation? Were there anyspecific moments in the film where youintentionally created space for viewers toproject their own experiences or reflections?interview
RDR: We made choices to connect to herthemes, but much was left to the abstractwithout narrative. That leaves space for theviewers to contemplate their own experience andreflection. This is something I appreciate withdance and camera we have the opportunity toleave that space open while maintaining thecreator’s vision.MTB: Dance is a very good medium to let one’sinterpretation unfold as it is more abstract thanwords. A creator might make some choices toevoke a certain idea or feeling, yet the viewermight receive something completely differentdue to its personal experience or preferences.This process is totally okay! It means the creationis rich, that it holds more than just the creator’svision. I also believe that creating somethingmeaningful, authentic and vibrant to me willindubitably reach (at least some) people.eloquently explores the grammar ofbody language. Gerhard Richter once said,.\" In light of this,how do you navigate the relationshipWomenCinemakers interview
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WomenCinemakers
between the abstract concepts you'reconveying and? More specifically, how doyou balance the need for conceptual claritywith the sometimes unpredictable nature ofphysical expression in dance?MTB: A fellow choreographer once told the youngdancer I was: “Steps are dumb”. I was first baffledby this affirmation. Only decades later did I find aninterpretation of this saying: in fact, steps are notimportant, but the feeling they transport is. In mycreative process, which sometimes includephysical theater or even clown work, I figured Icould do the same movement with very differentintentions. So before choosing any movement, Ifirst must make sure my intention is clear. Butrather than deciding this mentally while sitting ona desk, I do it through lots of physical exploration.In this movement, feelings emerge, shapesappear, dynamics are installed. It’s all veryintuitive, but it works, because symbols areeverywhere and the interpretation desired is notas rigid as with words. A true presence alreadysays a lot.Could you elaborate on yourWomenCinemakers interview
? We're curious about howyou selected settings that could both groundthe film in reality and support the moreconceptual elements behind .MTB: Actually, since was first designed as alive performance for a site-specific show, I cansay this was the very first element that launchedthe whole idea. When I first visited the site (asmall park with an intricate statue in the middle),I noticed right away the importance ofcircularity, with the round platform that held thestatue. I also noticed the two paths leading fromthe street to the statue, then from the statue tothe river. I saw them as exits, as a long waytowards something foreign. The statue itself is arepresentation of La Pieta, where Mary holds herdead son, Jesus. I didn’t see this as religious ormacabre or dark, but rather as a symbol of thedeep bond between a mother and her child aswell as a metaphor of a passage from a form oflife to another. This echoed a story I had read afew weeks before that, about two babies arguingin the womb: the first was convinced you diewhen you leave the belly because nobody evercame back from the journey. The second baby,WomenCinemakers interview
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WomenCinemakers
on the other hand, was trying to explain thatyou could live a new kind of life outside thewomb.In a matter of seconds, this life-and-deathchoreography appeared to me: I’d do a danceabout the baby’s perspective, where the statutewould be central and represent the womb. Iwould then spiral out of this location, evokingthe labor and its cycles (like recurringcontractions). Then, I’d finish using the path fora straight-line pattern, the final stretch beforeleaving the womb life for the real-world life. Thedynamism of the choreography would spiral up,like the baby’s journey out of the womb. Onlyafterwards, during the summer of rehearsals, didI notice that the flora surrounding me alsoevoked the circle of life.Thanks a lot for your time and for sharingyour thoughts, Mélissandre and Roxane.Finally, would you like to tell us readerssomething about your future projects? Howdo you see your work evolving?RDR: After this film I co-produced, co-directedanother dance film called Entre Nous, whichinterviewWomenCinemakers
interviewpremiered at FIFA in March 2024. I am verypassionate and curious about dance film. I hopeto continue developing the dialogue betweendance, camera and music.MTB: Thanks to you! I am currently working on astage performance that will include a short dancefilm of hand gestures, to be premiered this spring.I am also looking at presenting my film Rougepamplemousse (2020), a 37-min. videointegrating contemporary step dancing (likeLives) and poetry, in various venues. I really enjoyworking on video projects and would love toexplore more about the ubiquity and nonlinearity a dance film can offer, compared to a livecreation.WomenCinemakersCreditsDirectors: Roxane Duchesne-Roy et Mélissandre T-BVideo: Roxane Duchesne-RoyChoreographerand dancer: Mélissandre T-BEditing: Victor SalibaMusic: Émilie ClepperAudio recording, mixing, mastering andsound creation: Matt GrouSculpture: La Pietà, from Germain BergeronWith special participation of Zoélie ProvencherLives is a project under the banner of Centméandres – Arts & découvertes
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Hello Kalina and welcome to: before starting toelaborate about your film we would start thisinterview with a couple of questions about yourbackground. You have a solid formal training.After having earned your BA in Theatre Practice,An interview by Francis L. Quettierand Dora S. [email protected] nurtured your education with an MFADance and Embodied Practice. How does youreducational background shape yourdevelopment and approach as a artist? Moreover, does yourinform the way youcreate your artworks?Kalina Petrova: Hello! Thank you for inviting meto share my journey and artistic practice withWomenCinemakers. I appreciate your interest inKalina PetrovaWomenCinemakers meetsLives and works in London and SofiaOn the endless road to meeting the me that is me but is not me. In search of the dark matter enveloping theknown realm of light. I am all my demons, and all the demons are each other, are me. The journey occurs in theunfamiliar realm – the one beyond human understanding, the place where all the energy in our known universeoriginates. Once we find a way to wake up to the common thread that weaves together all our spirits – humanand more-than human – we will have the power to create a pattern for harmonious being with ourselves, withthe other, with the full multiplicities of the universe’s being. Countless of indigenous cultures, philosophers,physicists, spiritual leaders, artists, seekers, and thinkers throughout history have reached the conclusion thatdespite being individual manifestations with our own internal multitude of being, we are essentially one bundle
WomenCinemakers interviewmy work. So, my educational journey has been trulyintegral to shaping my artistic voice and methodology,although most of what my aesthetic taste andinspirations have emerged more from living life inLondon, meeting people internationally and doingindependent research. Starting with my BA at theRoyal Central School of Speech and Drama, I wasintroduced to the foundational principles of creatingperformance art, blending visual aesthetics, narrative,and embodiment – which already really shifted what Iwas envisioning my arts practice would be like when Iwas graduating from highschool as a ‘’theatre kid’’.Getting into university, I was genuinely still imaginingmore established forms of theatre and film, whichwould just incorporate the full shabazz of dance,singing, acting, etc. Little did I know how quickly mystyle and inspirations would transform and drifttowards a lot more experimental, unpopular and nicheforms of expression. Although most of my currentpractice was actually shaped outside of the unistudios, I think it definitely trained me to see the stageas a multidimensional space of experimentation wherethe boundaries between forms can blur, and to startthinking more boldly about which places can becomea stage in the first place. Of course, a lot of what Igained was also a large number of resources andtheoretical knowledge. Last, but not least, meeting allthe cool creative people there was paramount to mydevelopment as an artist.
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WomenCinemakers
WomenCinemakersAfterwords, my MFA filled the gaps in my dancetraining by grounding my embodied knowledge ofdifferent movement styles and teaching approaches,and deepening my understanding of the body as anarchive of lived experience and a vessel forstorytelling. It also encouraged me to exploresomatic practices and movement as tools for healingand transformation, which I now want to exploreeven further and pursue more education in the field.So, I guess it’s clear that formal education influencesme a lot – even if I follow the beat of my own drumwith it and don’t fully agree with how it is oftendelivered – if I want to go back for more, then thereis something in there I find very meaningful.Reflecting on higher education in the arts, Irecognize its role in providing structured learning,critical discourse, and exposure to diverseperspectives. However, it's essential to acknowledgethat much artistic growth occurs outside academicinstitutions, through lived experiences, culturalimmersion, and self-directed exploration. Balancingformal education with personal experience enrichesan artist's practice, fostering a holistic approach tocreativity.As to my background – growing up in Sofia,Bulgaria, I was surrounded by the coexistence ofancient traditions and contemporary cultural shifts,which imbued my work with an inherent tensioninterview
between the spiritual and the material. I can’t evenbegin to explain all the tensions and existential crisesthat being from that region encompasses to be fair,but if you know anything about the Balkans, youknow that it is a region characterised by a complexsocio-political and historical landscape. Bulgaria'shistory, marked by periods of Ottoman rule,liberation, communist governance, and a transitionto democracy, creates a unique cultural tensionbetween ancient traditions and contemporary shifts.We are absolutely a land of the ‘’in-betweens’’ – inbetween the past and the present, in-between theGlobal East and Global West, in-between pride andshame, and so many more. That on its own is a topicof a book, but one thing I can say now is that Idiscovered that this identity crisis that comes frombeing from the land of in-betweens fits perfectly intothe butoh essence, which resides in the exact sameliminal plane of existence, embracing the grotesqueand exploring themes of darkness and existentialism.Butoh's focus on the body's natural movements andits intrinsic connection to nature align with the livedexperiences of individuals in regions like the Balkans,where history and identity are in constant flux. So,as strangely as it may sound that an avant-gardeJapanese dance practice created in the aftermath ofWWII destruction would resonate so well with thelived experience of a Bulgarian living in the 21stcentury – here we are, and I promise you it makesperfect sense if you start observing our society’sways of being.So, to come back to your question – my culturalbackground informs much of my artistic process inthe way that I find inherently appealing to draw onrituals, communal practices, and the history ofresistance and complacency (yet another area ofliving in the in-between) in the Balkans. Theseintersections between my formal education andpersonal history enable me to explore themes ofinterconnectedness, healing, and transgressionthrough the lens of my multidisciplinary approach ina way that feels both very personal and like a piecein my larger scale anthropologic and sociologicresearch.For this special edition ofwe have selected , anextremely interesting work that our readers havealready started to get to know in theintroductory pages of this article and that can beviewed at .We truly admire the poetic ambition of your film.When walking our readers through the genesis of, would you tell ushow did you conceptualise such an expansiveexploration of identity and unity, and where didthe journey of this project begin for you?Kalina Petrova: The journey ofWomenCinemakers
WomenCinemakers began with a desire to explore the liminalspaces of identity—those blurry, fluid realmswhere the self dissolves into something larger – aswell as the myriads of selves that compose thatone big self, which is manifesting itself as asingular unified entity. Inspired by my Butohpractice and its meditative engagement withtransformation, I wanted to delve into the tensionsand harmonies of multiplicity: how we containmany selves within us and are simultaneously partof a greater unity, which also applies to us as anindividual being a part of a larger unity of manyhumans and non-humans. The genesis ofMultiplicities of Oneness was deeply influenced bymy desire to explore the fluidity of identity and theinterconnectedness of all beings. This explorationwas enriched by various philosophical and spiritualframeworks that perceive identity and existence asmultifaceted and interconnected.The concept came first from an observation ofnatural phenomena, such as water ripples or treebranches, where individuality exists in harmonywith the whole. I found these metaphorscompelling as a way to explore identity,particularly as a queer artist navigating intersectingpersonal, cultural, and political realities. One coreinspirational theoretical framework that shaped myprocess came from studying the queerness ofnature through the lens of queer ecology. What Ilove about queer ecology is the way it challengestraditional binaries and heteronormativeinterpretations of nature, highlighting the diversityand fluidity present in natural ecosystems.Contrary to the narratives prominent in themainstream media today, in the natural world,numerous species exhibit behaviours that defystrict gender and sexual classifications. Forinstance, certain fish species can change sex basedon environmental conditions, and same-sexpairings have been observed in various animalgroups. This inherent queerness in nature disruptsnormative expectations and underscores thefluidity of life, which I find utterly inspiring and sointeresting to approach through movement as aperformer. Incorporating these concepts into mywork allowed me to draw parallels between humanidentity and natural diversity, emphasising thatfluidity and multiplicity are intrinsic to both. Thisperspective invites a more inclusive understandingof identity, free from rigid classifications. NativeAmerican cosmologies are another essentialsource of inspiration for me as they often perceivehumans as integral components of a larger,interconnected ecosystem. These worldviewsemphasise relationality, where humans, animals,plants, and the earth are part of a cohesive whole.
WomenCinemakersSuch perspectives challenge anthropocentric views,promoting a sense of unity and responsibility towardsall forms of life. This holistic understanding ofexistence resonated with my exploration of unity andmultiplicity, reinforcing the idea that individualidentities are both distinct and part of a greatercollective consciousness.On an embodied level, the starting point for mycreation was my meditation and yoga practices, whichat that particular time were focused on Kundalini,which played a pivotal role in conceptualising the film.Kundalini yoga focuses on awakening dormant energyat the base of the spine, guiding it through the sevenchakras to achieve spiritual enlightenment. Eachchakra corresponds to specific physical, emotional,and spiritual aspects of the self. A very subtle layer ofthe film is that each of the six characters that Iintroduce my spectators to is based on and rooted ina chakra – it manifests the qualities od the chakra as adancing body. If you wonder why six and not seven,the number of chakra centres – because the seventhone, the heart chakra, is the one holding the cameraand takes you through the journey (in this case, me).Envisioning the characters as personifications of thechakras allowed for a symbolic representation ofdifferent facets of identity and consciousness. Guidingartists through meditations that engaged with theirinterview
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A still from
WomenCinemakersrespective chakra encouraged a deep, personal connection to theirroles, fostering authentic expressions of the themes of pleasure andparadox.The film’s genesis was rooted in improvisational movement researchand a series of workshops I facilitated, where I encouragedparticipants to explore themes of fragmentation, connection, andtranscendence. This iterative process led to a work that meditates onidentity as both deeply personal and universally shared. Workingboth individually and collectively with the artists, I facilitatedmeditative sessions that encouraged them to embody theircharacters as extensions of themselves. By navigating the extremes ofpleasure and paradox, the performers delved into the complexities ofhuman experience, reflecting the multifaceted nature of identity andexistence. This integrative approach, combining insights from queerecology, indigenous cosmologies, and Kundalini meditation, allowed to emerge as a contemplative exploration ofthe self's dissolution into the collective, and the collective'smanifestation within the self.The use of Butoh-inspired movements adds visceral andmeditative qualities to your film. How does your interpretationof Butoh challenge traditional Western dance paradigms ofmovement and bodily expression? Additionally, what specificButoh techniques have most significantly influenced yourchoreography?Kalina Petrova: Butoh invites a kind of radical vulnerability andunpredictability that defies traditional Western dance paradigms,which often prioritise form, technique, and linear narratives. In
WomenCinemakerscontrast, Butoh embraces the grotesque, the invisible, and the unknown.It allows the body to become a site of transformation, tapping into whatlies beneath the surface of consciousness. This philosophy aligns withmy exploration of movement as a conversation between the internal andexternal worlds. For me, Butoh is not just a dance that you go into thestudio to do – it transcends conventional dance paradigms, evolvinginto an alternate state of being that permeates daily life andfundamentally altered my approach to existence. It is basically a way ofbeing, because engaging deeply with Butoh has fostered a heightenedawareness of my body's relationship to the environment, time, andinternal consciousness, which has led to a profound transformation inmy perception and interaction with the world. My interpretation ofButoh is deeply influenced by ritualistic practices, particularly the paganrituals inherent in my Bulgarian cultural heritage. Bulgaria's rich tapestryof traditional festivals, such as the Nestinari fire-dancing ritual,embodies a profound spirituality and connection between the earthlyand the spiritual realms. These rituals, believed to bring prosperity andprotection against evil, are a testament to the deep-seated communalpractices that have been preserved over centuries. Integrating theseritualistic elements with Butoh allows for a unique fusion that honoursboth the various influences of my teachers and the distinctive directionof my personal practice. This synthesis creates a space where thespiritual and the corporeal intersect, enabling a transformativeexploration of movement and expression.Key techniques influencing my work include ‘ma’ (the space in-between),which encourages the play with stillness and invisible movements,inviting the audience into a shared, charged moment of presence. I alsodraw from fukushi, the internalising of emotion and letting it dictate
WomenCinemakersmovement, allowing authenticity to emerge through visceral embodiment.The Hijikata walking exercise serves as a foundational method for generatingmaterial, emphasising a grounded, deliberate movement that connects thedancer to the earth. Additionally, the Kazuo Ohno flower exercise inspiresdancers to embody the delicate and transient nature of a blooming flower,fostering a deep connection to organic forms and processes. These exercises,along with techniques that prompt dancers to move as if guided by anexternal force, cultivate a state where the body becomes a vessel forexpression beyond conscious control. By engaging with these principles, I aimto create work that is raw, meditative, and deeply intuitive—challenging thecodified language of Western dance. I embrace Butoh as a holistic state ofbeing and intertwine it with all other elements of my identity and passions, bywhich process I believe I can create work that is challenging and even slightlyunsettling – a prime example being that my dance film is 43 minutes long,while the average dance film is usually no more than 15, which on its own Ifind to be very much in the Butoh spirit of time play.traverses both the personal and theuniversal. How did your own experiences and identity shape the creativeprocess?Kalina Petrova: Of course, as with the work of any artist, my personalexperiences and identity have greatly shaped the artwork I have created.Being a queer, non-binary, migrant, transdisciplinary artist directly informed in all aspects of the work – from the meaning andconceptual framework to the aesthetics and embodied language. The workreflects my ongoing journey of self-discovery, where identity is not static butfluid and intersectional. This lens allowed me to explore multiplicity as a livedreality—being many things at once—and the deep yearning for unity that
comes with it. Navigating the complexities of non-binary identity, Iperceive my gender as transcending the traditional binaryclassifications, which dominate the Western gender discourse. While Ido not feel disconnected from my female body, I experience my identityas encompassing multiple facets that extend beyond conventionaldefinitions of femininity, and even holding a lot of masculinity andqualities related to being manly. The experience of being in a fluid statein regard to my gender identity – an identity also shared by a couple ofmy dancers – deeply influenced the creative process in the way thatrealising that I am non-binary allowed me to approach identity as fluid,multifaceted, and constantly evolving. It shapes how I perceive andportray characters, movement, and narrative, emphasizing thecoexistence of multiple truths and the interplay between opposites.Unlocking this embodied wisdom in my own self in turn gave me a lotof insights on how I can facilitate this transformative experience forothers while generating material that comes from the personthemselves rather than being an imposed choreography. Thisperspective also encourages me to create work that resists rigiddefinitions, instead embracing ambiguity and transformation as centralthemes, and it fosters a sensitivity to exploring liminal spaces—thosein-between realms where new possibilities for expression emerge.Growing up in Bulgaria, a society where women are often subjected tohypersexualisation or sexual repression, added layers of complexity tomy self-exploration. In such environments, women may be viewed assexual objects expected to conform to male desires, or any expressionof sexuality may be deemed indecent. These societal attitudes can leadto internalised conflicts and challenges in embracing one's sexualWomenCinemakers