Still Moving invites you into a space where instinctive physicality meets linguistic thinking, using mixed reality (MR). The project, part of the larger Held in Human series, explores the meaning of presence and “being in a body” in a contemporary world where technology significantly extends and mediates human experience. Equipped with a see-through VR headset that allows for both physical and digital navigation, the performer—who may be you, the audience—enters a dynamic “thought space.” We invite up to three performers at a time to lend their bodies to the dramaturgy. Each participant brings their own unique physicality, imagination, and interpretation, contributing to an evolving choreographic language and inclusive dramaturgy.
Liis Vares
Liis Vares is a choreographer based in Tallinn and digital space, playing in the midfield of performing and visual arts. She is a certified DanceAbility teacher and a guest lecturer at the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy, specializing in improvisation and inclusive studies in dance and performance art. She navigates the boundaries between the physical and mental, the personal and social. By exploring her research question—how does it feel, and what does it mean to be in a body—she digs deeper into the transmedial spheres of art and being. Recognized for her bold and inclusive approach, Liis has received several nominations and the Estonian Cultural Endowment Annual Prize for her choreographic innovation and for addressing politically and socially acute and sensitive topics in her practice.
Link: https://vares.digital/
Taavet Jansen
Taavet Jansen is an interdisciplinary artist and researcher whose work integrates movement, digital technologies, and interactive performance. His practice is focused on the dissolution of boundaries between human presence and digital environments. Jansen has presented his performances and installations in a variety of settings, including theaters, galleries, and virtual spaces. These presentations have engaged diverse audiences through the use of interactive and participatory frameworks. He has held several academic roles, including serving as the head of the Performing Arts Department at the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy. His artistic research and publications contribute to critical discourse on the role of technology in the performing arts, highlighting the transformative potential of new media in reshaping conceptions of physicality and presence. Jansen is currently completing a PhD at the Estonian Academy of Arts.
Link: https://vares.digital/
MODINA Residency
The 8-week MODINA residency for the development of this project will take place at STL, Tallinn, between 31/Mar – 25/May 2025, with technical mentoring by Tallinn University, School of Digital Technologies. MODINA is co-funded by the European Union.