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

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

Lithuanian Culture Institute together in partnership with Tampere Dance Current contemporary dance festival and with other culture festivals and organisations in Tampere. Together they will present a variety of Lithuanian artists in a frame of a program called Lithuanian Culture in Tampere 2025.