Performance (In)Visible by Derida Dance Center – 07. June 2025
(In)Visible – Contemporary Visual Dance Site-Specific Performance on the Boundaries of Social (In)Visibility by Derida Dance Center
Premiere: June 07th, 2025
Location: Thermae, Archaeological Park Viminacium, Serbia
CREDITS:
Choreograph: Jivko Jeliazkov
Dancers: Vyara Bolgradova, Mihail Bonev, Elena Marinova, Filip Milanov and Simona Todorova
Visual artist: Ivelina Ivanova
Composer: Ivan Shopov
Production team: Derida Dance Center, Mira Georgieva and Atanas Maev
Photos and Visual identity: Ivona Mashova and Maria Minkova
Local writers: Bojan Babić, Nenad Milošević, Davor Radulj, Aleksandra Petrović, Jelena Čobić Stanisavljević, Branka Pražić, Biljana Milovanović Živak, Tanja Đurđević, Slavica Jovanović.
Local actors: Jelena Čavić, Ilijana Tilica, Jovan Lekić, Aleksa Đorđević and David Vefić
What does it mean to be part of society yet remain unseen? “(In)Visible” is a contemporary dance performance that explores the experience of social isolation in small communities—those who, for various reasons, find themselves on the margins of society or consciously choose the safety of seclusion.
The performance will take place in a space that once served as a hub for social interaction—the Roman bath, a place where bodies gathered, conversed, and connected. The echoes of the past blend with the present, as the bath of today transforms into a personal space where the boundaries between the public and the private world blur.
Through the movement of bodies, the interplay of light and shadow, and the rhythm of silence, “(In)Visible” brings to life the tension between the communal experience of the past and the isolation of the present. The space transforms into a labyrinth of (in)visible walls, where dancers move through moments of closeness, detachment, and the struggle to communicate. The bath, once a symbol of connection, now becomes a space where isolation takes on new forms—both physically and emotionally.
The performance feature first-person accounts from individuals who experience social isolation for personal reasons. These stories will be real and immediate, with a documentary character, adding authenticity to the theme and deepening the emotional impact of the performance. The personal narratives will intertwine with the dance, creating a space for reflection and shared experiences of individual and collective struggles to connect.
“(In)Visible” raises questions without seeking definitive answers—who decides who is seen and who remains in the shadows? Is isolation a choice or a necessity? Can we truly connect in spaces meant for cleansing, or do we remain prisoners of our own boundaries? And can dance serve as a bridge between worlds—both public and private—that seldom meet?
JIVKO JELIAZKOV
Jivko Jeliazkov graduated the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria and specialized in contemporary choreography at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, Australia. He is the co-founder of the first center for contemporary dance in Bulgaria, Derida Dance Center, Vice-Chairman and co-founder of the Art Link Foundation, and Artistic Director of Derida Stage and Derida Company. In 2018, he was selected as one of the Top 20 choreographers in Europe by the largest platform for contemporary dance in Europe, Aerowaves – Dance Across Europe. His performances have been featured in Europe, America and Asia. In 2017, he won the Bulgarian national IKAR Award for the contemporary dance performance “S INNER”. Together with Atanas Maev, he develops the year-long training program Dance PORT Derida, an alternative to state dance education, as well as an international residency program. He has choreographed and directed over 60 productions in the field of contemporary dance and theater and is the artistic director of numerous European projects.
Jivko is a jury member for several major national and international festivals and competitions, including the Spring Forward platform Aerowaves (for selecting the Top 20 young choreographers in Europe), Moving Balkans Top 10, ACT – Festival for Free Theater, the International Choreographic Competition Linkage, Aerowaves in Sofia Festival, Korea Dance Festival, Reedans in Romania, and others.
DERIDA DANCE CENTER
Derida Dance Center is the first center for contemporary dance and education in Bulgaria, founded in 2010, and functioning through Art Link Foundation. The main areas of focus at Derida Dance Center include independent dance productions, educational and training programs for contemporary dance, international partnerships, residency programs, annual international contemporary dance festival, presentations and curatorial activities. The center offers a wide range of activities aimed at fulfilling the organization’s goals:
– Development of the contemporary dance scene in Bulgaria;
– Support for Bulgarian and international artists through production activities, educational initiatives, and residency programs;
– Curating and organizing diverse cultural events in the field of contemporary dance at DERIDA Stage;
– Programs for the development of new audiences.
The Art Link Foundation maintains its own performance venue – Derida Stage. It is located at 32 Tsar Samuil Street, Sofia, 1000, Bulgaria.
Derida Stage is an independent space for contemporary art and culture with a focus on contemporary dance, existing since April 19, 2019.
The organization is running numerous national and European projects and is part of many prestigious international networks as European Dance Development Network, Aerowaves – dance across Europe, Moving Balkans Contemporary Dance Platform, etc.
