Created by the Romanian-Canadian duo, Simona Deaconescu and Vanessa Goodman, BLOT - Body Line of Thought explores movement in relation to the bacteria in our body. The show presents the body as an interconnected system, strong and fragile at the same time. 

Designed as a hybrid performance, a mix of conference and choreographic show, BLOT talks about similarities between humans and other animals, such as perspiration, smell, reproduction, physical exercise, and immunity. From micro to macro, the performance addresses how bacteria influence these processes and connect us with the planet. 

Following the events that have defined the recent history of our interaction with the environment, it is necessary to look at the body as a system that cannot exist outside the multitudes it contains. Stripped of the social meanings determined by language, in BLOT the body is redefined through a dialogue about our coexistence with microbiological beings. The two female performers work with seemingly invisible connections, but without which the human organism could not function.

BLOT analyses human existence through dependence and control, focusing on the fine line between what is useful and what is toxic. Our bodies have unique microbial fingerprints, which define our identity. Our social choreography is often challenged by a need for balance between the inner and outer worlds, which we continuously disturb. 

Tangaj Collective has been led by Bucharest-based choreographer and filmmaker Simona Deaconescu since 2014, producing performative works and international tours, developing projects greatly influenced by science and marginalized histories while constantly looking for new embodiments. The Collective has developed one of the most popular training programs in contemporary dance for non-professionals in Bucharest and has been the organiser of the Bucharest International Dance Film Festival for a decade. The company collaborates closely with the National Centre for Dance in Bucharest, as well as with the network of Romanian Cultural Institutes. 

Vanessa Goodman is the artistic director of Action at a Distance Dance Society, where she channels her passion for creating work that resonates beyond aesthetic appeal, delving into the complexities of the human condition. Her performances reflect a dynamic artistic presence both locally and internationally. With every project, Vanessa continues to challenge and redefine the boundaries of contemporary dance.

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Body Landscapes, dance film screening co-presented by Bucharest International Dance Film Festival

NOORA (Anna Kekkonen, 8 min, 2024, FI)
SOMBER TIDES (Chantal Caron, 12 min, 2024, CA)
SHELLS (Marie Magdalena Kochová, 9 min, 2022, CZ)
SOMA (Arturo Bandinelli, 11 min, 2023, UK)
FIBONACCI (Tomáš Hubáček, 8 min, 2020, CZ)

An international selection of five cinematographic productions invites the audience to delve into the profound interplay between the body, its surroundings, and its capacity to navigate, transform, and transcend limitations. Each film examines the body as a site of resilience, memory, and connection, defying the norm and pushing against physical, environmental, and existential boundaries. From the freeing touch of water and earth to the struggle between survival and extinction, the beauty of aging, surreal myths of the body, and reflections on collective movement, these films invite you on a journey through nature, time, and the human spirit, celebrating different corporalities and stretching the boundaries of dance.