Under capitalism, bodies are often treated like optimised machines: productive, flawless, standardised. “My Freedom Is Your Distorted Gaze” breaks with this diktat. The piece is based on the solo “Ja est bi est bi its bi” by Céline Bellut and has been further developed by Danijel Sesar. Drawing on his personal history, political struggles and cultural heritage, he rewrites the performance. Inspired by the cyberpunk cultural movement and its echoes in transhumanist dystopias, exhaustion and imperfection become radical forms of resistance.

The performance is a powerful meditation on the body’s ability to evade mechanisms of control. Here, virtuosity is redefined – freed from ableist standards that recognise only ‘standardised’ bodies as capable of high performance. Through the combination of dance and the intensive use of video, a hybrid space emerges that also critically examines the representation of bodies in digital environments. It is a celebration of vulnerability and chaos as a response to a world that prioritises efficiency over individuality. By consciously allowing instability and error, Danijel Sesar transforms the stage into a place of liberation. An evening that demonstrates that true freedom often lies in the ‘distorted gaze’ of the other – where we cease to conform to the expectations of others.

TEAM

Choreography & Artistic Direction Céline Bellut

Co-creation & Performer Danijel Sesar

Motion Design, Video and Video Music Composition Thalia Killer

Live Motion Design and Video Effects Maxim Diehl

Music Composition Vasko Damjanov

Curation Khadidiatou Bangoura & Anna-Mareen Henke