Linda Krūmiņa
Mar 09, 2021


Freelancer

Currently lives and works in: Rīga, Latvia.

Practice: Dance, theatre, dramaturgy.

I am dance and theatre maker and dramaturg. I have completed the studies of audio-visual and theatre theory at the Latvian Academy of Culture and continued my MA studies in contemporary dance. I have participated in various dance master classes, theoretical seminars, workshops related to dance critics and writing. I have worked as a dramaturge, choreographer and as a contemporary dance critic. My professional interests involve relationships between society and individual, and the possibility to meet each other through art.

Everything can be everything. Imaginary and honesty are the most powerful tools and weapons in art and life.

I am curious about breaking down and exploring why there is and what is happening in the middle of two extremes. Whether those are ideas in society or individuals, movement qualities, spaces around us, groups of people etc. In fact, I don’t believe in this binary thinking, I believe in the space in between and all that we can create by merging those two extremes together in different proportions. I am doing this thinking and exploring through theatre, dance and dramaturgy.

Areas of interest: Documentary, visual and physical theatre. Social questions, human behaviour, DIY, beauty vs ugliness, acceptable vs unacceptable.

Why are you a part of MagiC Carpets: I find work with local communities very inspiring and creative. I see that it can bring not only mutual understanding, but also solutions, open up some new possibilities in everyday life, communities, organisations etc.

What inspires you as an artist? I am inspired by seemingly everyday notions, experiences, places, mundane stories and what kind of feelings and ideas it all can bring out of us.

What do you think is the purpose of art? I am convinced that art is a fantastic mediator between people which helps to look into, get to know, to talk and discover someone or something completely new or even already familiar. I believe that art can lead to meaningful conversations about very broad and also intimate questions.

Your favourite book(s): Letters.

Your favourite film(s): “Last Year at Marienbad” 1961, Alain Resnais.

MagiC Carpets project: SVIDANKA

A meeting place “Svidanka” was created, where audience members, in a remote way, had the chance to meet ten young men, who were born and raised in different parts of Latvia, but now spend some time of their lives together (but separately) in Cēsis Educational Institution for Minors. Currently they share the same physical space, yet have their own coming of age story and unanswered questions about time inside, time outside, time before and after the sentence.

Other projects

“Grosombols”
‘Grosombols’ is a dance performance about the search for masculinity in the body, behaviour, belief, emotionality and public perception and expectations. Dancer and choreographer Klāvs Liepiņš explores, moves and talks about his own experience and doubts about well known, but maybe completely absurd ideas of what it means to be a man. In the desire of Western society to create the ideal image of a man, young boys, adolescents, and adult men are exposed to toxic masculinity stereotypes and prejudices about how to behave and how a man should feel. The idea about the man not being (nor supposed to be being) emotional or vulnerable, blocks the ability and understanding of these feelings to be recognized and disclosed, which in turn leads to destructive actions to somehow deal with these emotions.

“And suddenly swans!”
The show is a demonstration, a concert, and a visibly endless conversation in which the residents of Burtnieki district and artists have turned their revelations about notions of freedom, belonging and addiction into artistic means and expressions.
Within the framework of the project “My Freedom and Belonging” people of Burtnieki municipality, which is diverse in terms of social groups, nationality, age and occupation, and local social workers, created the performance with contemporary dance choreographers, dramaturgs, musicians and visual artists.
The project lasted for a year including different workshops and rehearsals, conversations and activities through which the important questions, notions, stories and themes were found, discussed and explored.

Contact information

Email: [email protected]