CREATURES OF TOUCH IN TELOCVIČŇA

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Creatures of touch in Telocvičňa.

We are creatures of touch.
Obsessed and curious, we stretch our feelers toward the unknown—toward reciprocity, excess, and the entanglements that dissolve the borders of self and other. We exist beyond ourselves, unbordered and unbothered, drawn to the infinite pleasures of touch, touching, being in touch, and being touched.
And now, we invite you to a strange event—perhaps a celebration—celebration of touch!
Step into a space where touch is not a bordered practice, where bodies expand and reach beyond what is known. Here, you can find your own rhythm, linger, observe, and be part of an ever-changing world of sensations and connections.
Come closer. The creatures of touch are waiting.
Unlike a staged performance with a fixed beginning and end, the installation creates a temporal suspension in which the presence of the audience shapes the unfolding events. Two “creatures of touch” move within a liminal space between autonomy and entanglement, responding to each other and their surroundings in real time. Their movements—both subtle and expansive—explore the body of reciprocity, surrender, and transformation.
The installation allows the audience to move freely through the space, shifting their perspectives and perception of the work. At times, touch appears as a whisper—skin meeting air, a near-contact; at other times, it becomes a force that unites and shapes bodies into a shared organism of perception. The absence of a fixed narrative enables an open-ended experience, where each moment is ephemeral and charged with possibility.

The work raises the following questions: How do we relate to ourselves and the world when touch is at the center of experience? How does prolonged exposure to sensitivity alter our perception of self and others? What kind of world emerges when the force of touch shapes our reality—as a source of connection, healing, but also vulnerability?

PRACTICAL STRUCTURE & AUDIENCE EXPERIENCE
The installation lasts 1.5 hours and is designed as an open-format experience, allowing the audience to engage with the work on their own terms. The two creatures share a designated area within the space, moving together in shifting constellations of touch, proximity, and exchange. At times, if the moment allows, they may also interact with audience members—acknowledging their presence through movement, offering a fleeting gesture, or inviting a shared moment of physical or energetic connection.

The audience is free to walk around this central space, choosing to observe from different perspectives, sit and linger, or transition fluidly between moments of closeness and distance. There is no fixed entry or exit point—spectators may enter and leave at any time, creating an organic rhythm of presence and absence. This way, the performance becomes a pulsating organism, where each person brings their own rhythm and perspective.

As part of the installation, selected concepts from queer theory, new materialism, and feminist thought, which the choreographer and theorist engaged with during the creation process, will be presented. They serve as invitations rather than explanations, offering the audience an additional layer of meaning—guiding perception, deepening contemplation, or sparking new associations.


Concept, choreography: Eva Urbanová
Performance: Eva Urbanová, Giorgia Scisciola
Theoretical contribution: Mara Zuckerhut
Movement research: Eva Urbanová, Giorgia Scisciola, Zuzanna Strugacz
Costume design: Miriama Kardošová
Dramaturgical consultations: Janka Dold, Marianna Cifarelli, Yasen Vasilev
Production: Eva Urbanová

DATE: 15.03.2025
TIME: 16:30 – 18:00
LOCATION: Telocvičňa, Nová Cvernovka, Bratislava
FORM: movement installation
ENTRY: free

Supported using public funds by the Slovak Arts Council.
Project Partners: Telocvičňa – Dance Residency Center; Individual Residencies: Bears in the Park, KREDANCE, z. s., Cultural Center Malý Berlín; Group Residencies: Centro Jobel, HELLERAU – European Centre for the Arts, Švestkový Dvůr
The project is carried out with the financial support of the European Union through the National Recovery Plan and the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic.
The work was created under the patronage of the civic association Moving Souls.

Special thanks to Paulína Šmatláková.

ABOUT THE CHOREOGRAPHER
Eva Urbanová is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher of Slovak origin whose work explores transformation, human connection, and sensitivity. Her practice is centered on the exploration of altered states of mind, the biography of the body, and the power of touch, aiming to access the creative potential and deep knowledge embedded within our subconscious. In her work she explores the tension between the known and the unknown, the visible and the invisible, framing the body as a space of magic and transformation.
Her goal is to challenge societal norms and expectations, creating space for the body to resist oppression, reclaim its authenticity, and reconnect with the divine. In her witcho-graphy, she blends elements of dance, somatic practices, yoga, experimental drag, and immersive sensory experiences to craft performances that transcend the material realm, fostering processes of healing as well as individual and collective empowerment.

Eva holds a master degree in choreography from Prague’s AMU and has studied at Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London. Her main success is her solo piece, THE ESSENCE, which has been featured at numerous international festivals. It won first place at the Gdansk Dance Festival in 2022, second place at the Tanz Theatre Stuttgart International Competition in 2021, and was selected for the Slovak Dance Platform in 2023. Her latest work, ANOMALIE (2022), was included in the main program of the Czech Dance Platform 2023.