The Netherlands
Naïma Baraka is a performer, kickboxer, butoh dancer and teacher. In 2018 she started her company BARAKA EMPOWERMENT, where a multidisciplinary range of disciplines: dance, theater, sports/kickboxing come together. In her younger years, she did the youth theater school, followed by a short trainings at the Theater Kamer. In 2014 she became a Butoh practitioner being taught by Ezio Tangini, Italy. She performed her solo “LEAVES” at the Butoh festival in 2019. Since 2017, Naïma is a part of the ZID Theater where she have played in various productions.
Karolina Spaic is the founder, director and artistic leader of ZID Theater and runs the organization together with Sebo Bakker. She has directed dozens of performances and has set up various renowned (inter)national projects. In 2020, she was appointed Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau. Besides making theatre, she works as an enthusiastic advisor and board member in the arts and culture sector.
ZID THEATER – CITY ART & PERFORMANCE CENTER
Is a cultural organisation based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. ZID produces the yearly international ExploreZ Festival, interdisciplinary performances, and organises projects together with art professionals, urban talents and citizens. ZID’s work is deeply rooted in the dynamics of the big city and transforms current themes into contemporary performances. The performances are created through co-creation, are associative and consist of authentic experiences of the performers.
ZID operates on a local, national and international level. Besides the Netherlands, ZID has toured in Europe, South America, the United States, Russia, the Balkans and Morocco. For her work, ZID has received various awards, such as the ‘Apple of Orange’ from the Royal Dutch Foundation (2011), and the ‘Golden Kaleidoscope’ (2018) from the Fund for Cultural Participation.