One of the most important contemporary dance networks in Europe, AEROWAVES, has announced its list of the twenty most promising European choreographers of the year. Among them are Lithuanian artist Agnietė Lisičkinaitė and Belarusian artist Igor Shugaleev with their work CLAP & SLAP. According to Gintarė Masteikaitė, the director of the Lithuanian Dance Information Centre, this is the first time that a Lithuanian choreographer has ranked second in the selection based on the number of votes—an exceptionally significant achievement.
“It is wonderful that the leaders of Europe’s major dance organizations have almost unanimously recognized the importance, relevance, and artistic impact of this performance. For the creative team of Clap & Slap, this award is a tremendous acknowledgment and a major step forward in their careers,” says Masteikaitė.
“Most importantly, in the context of current geopolitical events, this work becomes a powerful voice highlighting the damage caused by Russia’s aggression through artistic means. It is a great source of pride and joy to see contemporary dance creators, who grew up during the period of Independence, confidently paving their way toward broader international recognition.”
Premiere of the performance “Clap & Slap” at the “New Baltic Dance” festival, 2025. Photo by D. Ališauskas.
Europe wants to hear our stories
A. Lisičkinaitė acknowledges that being selected for this programme is a major professional recognition and a reassurance that her work resonates more broadly.
“When we received the email from the Aerowaves selection committee saying that we made it into the TOP 20, the feeling was truly surreal. Throughout my entire creative career, I kept submitting my work to this programme, hoping to be noticed. It was never about prestige or some kind of ‘best of’ title—those judgments are highly subjective. For me, it mattered because, as for many artists, creativity always goes hand in hand with doubt. Professional achievements like this are a very strong confirmation that what you do resonates and is needed,” she says.
Agnietė is especially pleased to have entered the programme with a work that speaks to the realities of Eastern Europe:
“The fact that the whole of Europe responded to a topic we long considered a primarily Eastern European issue is incredibly meaningful. It offers a chance to remind Europe—especially Western Europe—about the political and geopolitical unrest in our region. Often, the West, even if aware of Russia’s war against Ukraine, does not fully grasp that it directly affects not only that specific conflict but the entire region. I believe being selected for this program clearly shows that Europe wants to hear and understand our stories. It’s a deeply inspiring feeling.”
The performance CLAP & SLAP explores the complex and paralyzing tension that emerged in Eastern Europe—particularly between Lithuania and Belarus—after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. This tension is examined through historical, political, geographical, and social contexts, while also drawing on the personal experiences of Agnietė Lisičkinaitė and Igor Shugaleev.
Premiere of the performance “Clap & Slap” at the “New Baltic Dance” festival, 2025. Photo by D. Ališauskas.
Facing bureaucratic challenges
According to the creators of the performance, presenting the work across Europe is still not guaranteed, as they are facing bureaucratic challenges. The choreographer hopes that being selected for Aerowaves will help secure Igor’s ability to live and work in Europe:
“Igoris, who left Belarus in 2020 in opposition to the Lukashenko regime, officially has permission to reside in Western Europe only until February 2026, and the administrative process is still ongoing. The situation is currently quite unstable, but we hope that we will be able to present the performance across a wide geographical area,” says A. Lisičkinaitė.
The selected artists will present their works at the Spring Forward Festival, which will take place on July 6–9, 2026, in the city of Guimarães, Portugal.
The programme includes works from the following European countries: Lithuania, Portugal, Greece, France, Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Czechia, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Romania, Iceland, Spain, Denmark, Cyprus, Ireland, and Italy.
The contemporary dance network AEROWAVES unites dance organizations from thirty-four European countries. The Lithuanian Dance Information Centre is one of the network’s partners and program coordinators, representing Lithuanian contemporary dance creators within the network.