PORTALS
DRAFT PRESENTATION
Project Description
Between Us (Romeo and Juliet) is a unique dance project inspired by the concept and technology of Portals by Benedictas Gylys. It consists of two interconnected performances, to be presented in Ukraine and the Netherlands in the same time. This project will create a space for mutual dialogue and understanding between Ukrainian and Dutch audiences. Both audiences will have the opportunity to see and feel how different worlds, divided by war, culture, and experience, can find points of connection through art.
For the Ukrainian audience, it will serve as a reminder that they are not alone, and that their pain and struggle resonate far beyond their country’s borders. For the Dutch audience, it will provide an opportunity to better understand the emotional and human side of war, to feel its impact through art, and to strengthen their sense of solidarity.
References for costumes
Utopian future world
Themes of the Performance
The performance explores themes of human connection, empathy, mutual understanding, class inequality, war, and the transformative power of love. What does it mean to truly open ourselves to another’s world and pain? Can understanding and compassion be the key to peace and unity? Can love alone overcome the deepest divisions between people? Portals shares key themes with Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, particularly the idea of love hindered by uncontrollable circumstances. Both tragedies highlight that love can transcend all boundaries, even at great cost.
Plot
This dance piece about two societies, each shaped by its unique culture, customs, and mindset, existing in parallel worlds that are as distant in their essence as they are in their reality. The main story reveals the poignant love between two souls separated by worlds: one a shattered post-apocalyptic dystopia, ravaged by a nuclear winter, and the other a utopian future consumed by the relentless march of technological progress. Their meeting is only possible through the Portal — a central, radiant symbol on stage, a monumental visual structure embodying the overcoming of boundaries and the yearning for unity. Through the Portal, two different nations begin to influence each other. The conflict that arises, possibly born out of fear of the unknown, transforms into an attempt to understand and establish contact.
Despite the insurmountable barriers, societal forces that divide protagonists, and the cruel fate that has placed them in separate realities, they continue to search for each other, driven by an unyielding desire to connect. Only in their dreams can they finally touch, their hearts beating in unison, feeling a warmth that cannot be found in their worlds.
The ending is tragically poignant: the heroes sacrifice everything, giving up their lives to be together in another reality — in the ethereal world of their dreams and visions. In the end, they prove that their love, despite all impossible barriers, is capable of overcoming any challenge.
References for costumes
post-apocalyptic dystopia world