With the performance Ruzalka, the Norwegian-Kosovo Albanian dancer and choreographer Thjerza Balaj explores Slavic folklore. According to the legends, Rusalka is a female character who lures young men deep into the water, where she entwines them in her hair and sinks them to the bottom of the sea.

In Ruzalka, Thjerza Balaj personifies this mythical figure, but in a hybrid version where identity, power, and lust become fluid, change and evolve. In velvety darkness and to the beat of hardcore techno, she explores desire, dominance, and pushes the boundaries of dance.

About her artwork, Thjerza Balaj says:
I am interested in dance that seeks boundaries and tries to challenge our contemporary society, environment, and understanding of what dance can be. I want to create dance that is liberating and sensitive but has a direct boundary-pushing expression. I aim to explore and emphasize issues surrounding representation and power dynamics using dance as a means of expression.