FolkOFF/ON 2026 | Kielce Dance Theatre & Dym | guest Woda na Młyn

About the event

"Barbaricum" is a dance-and-music spectacle by the Kielce Dance Theatre telling the story of the barbarians of Central Europe, former inhabitants of the lands north of the Carpathians. The musical layer was created by Piotr Stefański and Emilia Anna Tuśnio — leaders of the group DYM — and serves as a sound portal transporting the audience to the 2nd century AD, the Iron Age, when hundreds of bloomery furnaces burned in the Świętokrzyskie land. The people who once inhabited this area are sometimes called the Vandals, and archaeologists refer to their material legacy as the Przeworsk culture. Passing through the artistic portal, we immerse ourselves in elements characteristic of that culture, learning about customs and beliefs of the time expressed through sound and movement. The movement layer was developed using contemporary expressive dance techniques by two choreographers: Elżbieta Pańtak and Artur Grabarczyk. The performance mixes love, magical and ritual threads artistically processed with historical elements. The creators of the performance seek to highlight important aspects of that material and spiritual culture, trying to evoke the reflection that although so many years have passed, in some spheres we are still barbarians. This is expressed by the symbolic phrase used in the performance: Everything ends, but nothing disappears. CREATORS OF THE PERFORMANCE: Elżbieta Pańtak – choreography/dramaturgy Artur Grabarczyk – choreography Piotr Stefański – concept/music Emilia Anna Tuśnio – music Małgorzata Słoniowska – costumes Tadeusz Nowakowski – multimedia projections Grzegorz Pańtak – lighting direction Maciej Miernik – prop preparation Piotr Sitkowski - arrangements, harmonies, keyboard instruments, Krzysztof Olejarz - drums, percussion Dominika Noskiewicz - singing, Michał Zielonka - bass guitar Performers: Artists of the Kielce Dance Theatre Music band „DYM” Independent Dancers Acrobatic trio Guests: dancers from the Woda na Młyn ensemble Running time of the performance: 60 min. The performance is intended for audiences over 12 years old The spectacle "Barbaricum" was created as part of the Przestrzenie Sztuki (2022) programme funded by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, implemented by the National Institute of Music and Dance. 🔸🔸🔸 FolkOFF/ON 2026 "North–South" is the slogan of the second edition of the Warsaw Off Folk Festival presenting contemporary forms of movement inspired by tradition. The project shows a dialogue between cultural heritage and modern choreographic languages — folk, contemporary, jazz and new dance — creating a meeting space for artists, creators and audiences. The festival promotes contemporary interpretations of tradition-inspired dance, integrates the dance community, develops the cultural competencies of the audience and supports the creative development of independent artists, amateurs and professionals. The second edition of the Off Folk Festival FolkOFF/ON: North–South is inspired by the cultures of the regions from the Baltic to the Balkans — from the sea to the mountains. The festival programme on 20–22 March also includes: - screening of a film by E. Kusturica, - concert by the duo SEKUNDa - the performance "Polterabend 2.0" by the Woda na Młyn ensemble combined with live music by the band Bubliczki - the performance "Barbaricum" by the Kielce Dance Theatre with music by the band DYM and guest participation of dancers from Woda na Młyn - craft workshops (Witchcare), vocal workshops (Wiola Jakubiec, SEKUNDa) and plant workshops (Rozkwitnie) - an ethnobotanical walk around Gocław FolkOFF/ON | Off Folk Festival, 20–22 March 2026 Organisers: 🔸Terminal Kultury Gocław branch of the Centre for Cultural Promotion in the Praga Południe District 🔸Woda na Młyn Partner: Hala Koszyki