Agnietė Lisičkinaitė

Whether dancing or marching in a street protest, hands are raised when the front line advances in an instinctive movement somewhere between resistance and reconciliation.

“Hands up” is both a way of describing an action and calling for action. Arms raised express an opinion or an aspiration, political, physical or spiritual. Often for a situation of conflict, it may be a sign warning of violence, either a risk or real violence.

The idea here came from the 2020-2021 pro-democracy demonstrations in Minsk in Belarus, only a short distance from Vilnius in Lithuania where Agnietė Lisičkinaitė has been continuing her work breaking down barriers between art and life, and making mass protests by citizens the starting point for an artistic venture challenging the very concept of masses marching.
Indeed, any gathering of people will involve physical experiences, even in a theater. What if you raised your arms? Yes you! You could be part of the experience. Would your response be club style? Would you be a rebel, or opt for yoga, or be a believer?

Duration 40 minutes
Performance language English
Content warning topless body, very shortly in the end of the show

Access information First part of the performance includes the audience walking together with the artist in the street. The live protest is about 15 minutes. Second part of the performance takes place indoors at Hällä Stage. Read more about the accessibility. 

Please dress according to the weather. Disposable raincoats will be distributed on the Hällä Stage if the weather forecast is unstable.

Original idea, choreography and performance Agnietė Lisičkinaitė
Dramaturgy Bush Hartsorn
Video Odeta Riškutė
Costume Morta Nakaitė
Music Jokūbas Tulaba
Lighting design Povilas Laurinaitis

Pictures Dainius Putinas, Marco Pavone

AGNIETĖ LISIČKINAITĖ is an independent contemporary dance artist, choreographer and teacher. From 2020 to 2024, she was a chairwoman of the Lithuanian Contemporary Dance Association, of which she is still a member. Lisičkinaitė is a social activist and an artistic action creator. In 2021, she won the Young Artist Prize of the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture, and in 2022, she was awarded Best Contemporary Choreographer by the Lithuanian Contemporary Dance Association. She has been nominated five times for best dancer and choreographer by the Lithuanian Performing Arts Awards Golden Stage Cross. In 2019, together with her creative partner Greta Grineviciute, she founded the organisation BE COMPANY, which is active in the fields of dance, artistic social activism and cultural education.