MAJKA – An alien encounter with Womanhood

The alien Majka lands in Czechoslovakia in the 1970s. Can she learn how to become a real woman from commercials, television and propaganda?

Multimedia dance performance MAJKA zooms in on archetypes of Eastern European femininity. Inspired by the popular Czechoslovak TV series Fallen from the Clouds [Spadla z oblakov, 1978], Sandra embodies the character of Majka - an alien girl from planet Gurun - who learns female behaviour from commercials, TV broadcasts and socialist Czechoslovak propaganda. As these images get absorbed into Majka's childlike gaze, she learns to understand female behaviour by imitating it.  

Based on the projected images from the above period and her rich imagination, she attempts to grasp, through her child lens, female behaviour through the process of imitation.

In her innocence, she finds roles that seem to contradict each other: the fearless female citizen, the hard-working matriarch and the beautiful socialist heroine. Majka's appearance transforms as objects, images and costumes take on a new meaning, innocence turns into something bleak, and we see her struggle between different social identities.

Sandra Kramerová is a dance artist of Slovak origin living in Amsterdam with international experience from Slovakia (Academy of Performing Arts), Israel (Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company) and New York (Sarah Lawrence College, Peridance, Overground company). With the support of the Fonds Podiumkunsten in the Netherlands, she focuses on expressive dance and stage performances. As a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College (NY) with an MFA degree in dance, Sandra Kramer works as a choreographer with video, lights and text to create imaginative theatre experiences. Her multimedia dance Body as a Weapon was listed among the top 5 performances in the Netherlands in 2020 by the Dutch regional daily Het Parool. Together with her art team – the film director and author Álvaro Congost, and lighting and visual designer Boaz van den Ban – they form a strong trio giving performances in the Netherlands, Slovakia and New York.

Choreography and dance: Sandra Kramerová
Video director and editor: Álvaro Congosto
Lighting design: Boaz van den Ban
Set design: Sofie Moritz
Visuals: Boaz van den Ban, Andre Lima, Álvaro Congosto
Live Feed Operátor: Álvaro Congosto
Music composition: Denisa Uherová
Music design: Denisa Uherová & Álvaro Congosto
Production: Theater de Generator
Artistic director: Pavel Zuštiak
Funded by Fonds Podiumkunsten and Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst

Photo: Melanie Lemahieu