b(l)alloon – Blip | inclusive multisensory project
Greece
The performance will be followed by an open discussion with the audience.
Choreographers Yiota Peklari and Vassia Zorbali, together with a mixed ensemble of performers with and without visual or hearing disabilities, explore the imprint of time through the materiality of the body, both organic and inorganic, moving toward the creation of a multisensory, accessible dance performance.
The performance b(l)alloon radically expands the boundaries of the stage experience, establishing a shared space between performers and audience, where sound, movement, and tactility coexist as a common language of perception and communication for both sighted and non-sighted, hearing and non-hearing audiences.
The aesthetics of accessibility are the creative principle of the group’s work. Breaking down stereotypes, the performance presents disabled and non-disabled performers on stage, conversing through a new way of artistic expression that does not rely on conventional accessibility tools (such as interpretation, audio description or technological aids), but discovers and cultivates innovative, alternative performative means of inclusion. Communication and coordination are based exclusively on movement, voice, rhythm and vibration — the fundamental expressive means of the performing art of dance.
Credits
Conception, Choreography: Yiota Peklari, Vassia Zorbali
Visual installation: Vassia Zorbali
Acoustic design: Yiota Peklari
Assistant Choreographer: Natasha Chanta-Martin
Performed by: Vassia Zorbali, Yiota Peklari, Natasha Chanta-Martin, Olga Dalekou, Christos Koutsovasilis
Photos, Cinematography: Archlabirynth, Valeria Isaeva
Production: PLAYGROUND for the arts
With the support of the Greek Ministry of Culture
Duration: 30 min.
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/928397109
The piece has already been presented at:
● Athens, Greece, February 2024: Presentation of a research excerpt, Emotional Intelligence Festival ART & SCIENCE MICROFORUM III, FLUX Laboratory Athens
● Athens, Greece, April 2024: ΠΛΥΦΑ (PLYFA), premiere
● Athens, Greece, November 2024: International Body Music Festival
● Athens, Greece, October 2025: Technopolis City of Athens, BRAINSHOT FESTIVAL
● Limassol, Cyprus, December 2025: Beyond DisDance Festival
● Athens, Greece, July 2026: Percussion Festival 2026, Alternative Stage of the Greek National Opera
● Chania, Greece, July 2026: Dance Days Chania
● Quebec City, Canada, August 2026: International Body Music Festival
● Tinos, Greece, October 2026: TINOS WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL
Vassia Zorbali
Interdisciplinary artist, performer, practice-based researcher and educator in the field of movement. She holds a master’s degree with distinction in Visual Arts (Athens School of Fine Arts), a graduate with distinction from Rallou Manou Professional School of Dance and a Bachelor of Science in Biology. and a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She is active in the field of Culture as a performer since 2008 and as a creator and facilitator since 2014. She participates in exhibitions, conferences & workshops, textbook writing, as well as residencies in Greece and abroad.
https://vassiazorbali.wixsite.com/vassiazorbali
Yiota Peklari
Versatile dancer with MS and choreographer with interdisciplinary vocabulary who delves into the sonic and social dimension of the moving body. Co-founder of PLAYGROUND for the arts, a cultural organization based in Athens, Greece dedicated to fostering an international community of artists, students and audiences who share a deep interest in the performing arts, with a particular emphasis on the exploration and study of rhythm. Since 2018 she has taken on a pioneering role leading mixed groups of people with or without hearing and visual disabilities in the design and implementation of CONNECTING BODY workshops.
www.yiotapeklari.com