Iż-żifna tal-Poeta by Vella Collective

Iż-żifna tal-Poeta by Vella Collective
Performed at Dance Festival Malta, 2023
Concept & Choreography: Sarah Vella
Performance: Sarah Vella, Florinda Camilleri, Zoe Camilleri
Live music and composition: Tina Camilleri
Lighting: Rachelle Deguara
Filming: Niels Plotard
This dance and multidisciplinary piece is inspired by an archived work, Iż-Żifna tal-Poeta, created in 2013 around poems by Rużar Briffa & performed for Notte Bianca (2013), 100Grad Berlin Dance Festival (2014) & NahDran, Berlin (2014). The work proposed for Aerowaves is a progression & complete transformation of the original work. The poems used are by modern Maltese female poet, Nadia Mifsud - a powerhouse poet making waves in Malta. Her book of poems 'Varjazzjonijiet tas-skiet' (Variations of silence) is the driving force of this project which inspired three dancers & a musician/sound artist to explore how these writings could be expressed & translated through sound (original sound score performed live), visual art & dance, creating an immersive, multidisciplinary performance by an artistically strong female collective. We explore, embody, contextualise, breakdown, co-create, personalise variations of silence in all its forms, from a maltese female perspective and context. This project is a celebration of both the powerful spaces created when women hold space for one another in contemporary Maltese society, and the intrinsic value of the courageous conversations held within them.
Biography
Sarah is a dance artist & dance/movement therapist from Malta. After 12 years based in Berlin, Sarah moved back home continuing her artistic practice spanning from initiating, leading & supporting performing arts projects to taking on various roles as a performer, choreographer, collaborator, producer & educator. Sarah is also an active community artist, bringing movement to various age groups, settings, & communities.
Vella Collective
VELLA COLLECTIVE is a contemporary dance collective founded by Sarah Vella, a dance artist/choreographer from Malta. The mission of the collective is to hold a profound
curiosity for understanding the intricacies of the human form. It aims to transcend conventional boundaries, offering a platform for innovation and artistic collaboration.
We believe in fostering a sense of togetherness, offering opportunities for artists to connect, collaborate, and engage in thought-provoking themes.
VELLA COLLECTIVE aims to push boundaries, challenge perceptions, explore raw emotion through the language of movement, whilst practicing authenticity and genuinity on and off-stage and throughout the creative process.