Prague – On March 20, The dance performance “Cossachka,” exploring female resilience amid conflict, made its international premiere at the Bazaar Festival 2025 in Prague. The performance, created by Kyiv-based dancemakers Gala Pekha and Yuliia Lopata, with dramaturgy by Paul Bargetto was featured at the festival’s grand opening, marking its first performance outside of Ukraine.
“Cossachka,” which delves into the experiences of women facing violence and conflict, draws inspiration from the legend of the Ukrainian Amazons. The production uses contemporary dance, live electronic music, and song to portray a “performative ritual of women’s resistance.”
The performance, conceived by director Yuliia Lopata and choreographer Gala Pekha, explores the question of bodily autonomy in times of crisis, reflecting the realities faced by women during war. It aims to showcase the strength found not in “heroic gestures, but unpretentious, everyday strength – to endure, to survive, to remain.”
“Cossachka” references the legendary women warriors of the Ukrainian steppes, known as Amazons, and uses the image of braided hair (“kosy” in Ukrainian) as a symbol of their legacy. The 55-minute performance is designed to transcend language barriers, focusing on the visual and auditory elements of the production.
The Bazaar Festival 2025, themed “Whose Body is My Body?,” will open with two premieres: “Cossachka” and a new work by Magda Szpecht.
Credits:
- Director: Yuliia Lopata
- Choreographer: Gala Pekha
- Dancers: Dayana Mankovska, Dana Sarman, Daria Hordiichuk, Viktoria Demydova, Anna Kulchytska
- Composer and performer: Olena Shykina
- Singer and performer: Kateryna Aldoshyna
- Costume designer: Asya Sutyagina
- Dramaturg: Paul Bargetto
- Producer: Polina Bulat
Paul Bargetto 