Choreography by: Elzė Višnevskytė

Score by: Remis Rančys

Set and Costume Design by: Paulina Turauskaitė

The Schwings Band:

Remis Rančys – saxophones

Gediminas Svilas – double bass

Jonas Filmanavičius – drums

Jūris Benaitis – guitar

Stage Manager: Eglė Kuzienė

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Live music, jazzy, almost vocal, bodies, a sense of freedom and abandon, the grace and elegance radiated by dance – this is Lindyhopera, which will pull you out of the daily routine, awaken your dormant vitality, and get your blood flowing. The energy of a vintage jazz ensemble, The Schwings Band, the movement architecture crafted by choreographer Elzė Višnevskytė, and the cascades of jazz and swing from composer Remis Rančys will guarantee a delightful evening.

The main playwright of the performance is the body – or rather, the actors of the Old Theatre of Vilnius and their bodies. The director is music and rhythm. It’s no coincidence that jazz and swing have become synonymous with freedom, and Lindy Hop is undoubtedly a rehearsal for liberty. Jazz dance – which also incorporates Charleston, Black Bottom, tap, acro, solo jazz, Balboa, among others – was born out of a need for liberation and joy.

Jazz is diverse and omnipresent; its language is based on rhythm, improvisation, individuality, and expression. These elements have the power to create identity, to forge a bond with self and others. Jazz dance was born and evolved in nightclubs, but would be performed both in the streets and living rooms. Lindy Hop is a very energetic partner dance that originated in the 1920s within the African-American community of Harlem, New York.

The performance explores the relationship between freedom and structure. Is limitless, structureless freedom possible? Can structure provide security? What kind of freedom are we striving for? How and what does jazz communicate to us today, and what can it teach us?

Live music and choreography create a theatrical miracle, which we all await daily like a promise – one that nonetheless never comes true. This fiesta of expression is for everyone: young, mature, elderly; for those who love jazz and don’t want to worry about ‘serious matters’, i.e. trifles. Here, no one loses.

“We’ve been playing jazz for dancers for many years. When we were young, we mostly cared only about the notes. Now, when the notes flow by themselves, there’s time to watch the dancing. Music is the wind, and the dancers are the forest responding to the wind. Learning to dance so that you are light as the wind is not easy – you have to learn all the little steps by heart, and then forget everything, surrender, and dance.” (Remis Rančys)

Elzė Višnevskytė is a jazz dancer, choreographer and educator. Since 2017, she has led the What a Jazz dance studio. Višnevskytė participates in international jazz dance festivals in Europe, Asia and the USA.

Remis Rančys is a musician, multi-instrumentalist, composer and educator. One of the country’s most talented jazz performers, Rančys actively participates in Lithuanian and international jazz scenes. He is the founder of the vintage jazz, swing, and New Orleans jazz ensemble The Schwings Band.

Please note: Smoke is used during performance.

Cast:

Igoris Abramovičius, Viktorija Aliukonė-Mirošnikova, Anžela Bizunovič, Jevgenija Gladij, Edita Gončarova, Aleksandr Kanajev, Jevgenija Karpikova, Viačeslav Lukjanov, Jelena Ragimova, Jekaterina Makarova, Inga Maškarina, Aleksandra Metalnikova, Larisa Popova, Telman Ragimov, Jelena Ragimova, Jevgenija Rusakova, Vera Stasenia,  Artur Svorobovič

Photos by Dmitrij Matvejev