Belarusian performance artist Valeria Khripach took part in the prestigious ImPulsTanz Festival in Vienna (July 10 – August 10, 2025) with support from the EU-funded MOST program, gaining an experience that proved highly transformative. Engaged in two intensive research projects — Glitch Choir and Voices for Protest — she expanded her expertise in integrating voice, movement, and somatic practices, while also experimenting with new approaches to collective and protest-oriented performance.
“Being part of artistic demonstrations in Vienna made the political dimension of performance tangible and immediate. It was both empowering and challenging, showing how art can directly influence public space and civic awareness,” — Valeria reflected.
The mobility provided practical tools for working with politically and emotionally charged material, including grounding methods and martial arts-inspired techniques. Equally valuable were the opportunities to experiment with cross-genre artistic approaches, from creating hybrid body-voice scores to developing slogans for real-life protest actions.
Beyond workshops, the mobility facilitated essential networking: a new partnership with artist Deva Schubert has already led to an invitation for a Berlin-based Belarusian choir to perform at the Berlinische Galerie, with further collaborations in development. Evening visits to festival performances — both from established companies and emerging choreographers — offered insight into current trends in contemporary dance and performance, expanding the participant’s artistic perspective.
The long-term impact of the mobility is already visible. New methods will be integrated into teaching, collective projects, and choir rehearsals, directly benefiting Belarusian professionals in exile. The experience also strengthened the artist’s international reputation and created fertile ground for cross-border projects in the coming years.
Праект MOST IV – гэта праграма стажыровак, якая спрыяе прафесійнаму абмену паміж беларусамі і іх калегамі з краін ЕС; фінансуецца Еўрапейскім саюзам і рэалізуецца Гётэ–Інстытутам.