About Us
The Association of Choreographers is a non-governmental organisation representing Latvia's contemporary dance sector
Founded by seasoned dance artists, this association strives to amplify the recognition and accessibility of contemporary dance for the (Latvian) public.
The association represents the professional interests of dance artists, aiming to reinforce contemporary dance's identity and ensure its long-term sustainability and development, both in Latvia and on the global stage.
Contacts
Team
Agnese Bordjukova
Chairperson of the BoardAgnese Bordjukova is a contemporary dance choreographer, performer and teacher who lives and works in Latvia. 2007 graduated from the "Modern Dance Choreography" study program of the Latvian Academy of Culture, in 2017 she obtained a master's degree in arts. Since 2012, Agnese has been an independent choreographer who has created individual works and worked in several dance associations, such as Dejas Anatomija (2007-2016) and LAUKKU (2017-present). In addition to her artistic work, A. Bordjukova served on the jury of "Dejas balva" as a contemporary dance expert (2019-2021) and as a contemporary dance editor for "Dance.lv Journal" (2020-2023). As a teacher, she has led dance classes for participants with various experiences and teaches Authentic Movement and Art Analysis in the contemporary dance department of the Riga Ballet School. Since the fall of 2023, she has been the chairman of the "Choreographers' Association" board. She has received the "Dance Award" for the 2021-2022 season in the category "Contemporary Dance Performer/s".
Laura Gorodko
Council memberLaura Gorodko is a contemporary dance artist based in Riga, Latvia, a council member of the Choreographers Association of Latvia and a member of the dance artist collective LDM5. In 2018. she graduated from the Latvian Academy of Culture Contemporary Dance Art BA programme.
Now Laura works as a freelance choreographer, dancer and movement teacher, takes part in ongoing artistic projects and actively participates in the development of the local contemporary dance community. Laura has performing experience in contemporary dance, circus, and transdisciplinary performing art fields and had made several creations, the most recent of them being: ”Freedom to lose control together with the many” with R. Pakalne, which premiered in September 2023 at the international new theatre festival “Homo Novus” and “Paradise Now”, with dir. E. Bērziņa premiered in the National Theatre in April 2024.
Ramona Galkina
Council memberAs a dancer and choreographer, Ramona Galkina has been working in the field of contemporary dance since 1996 and h a as been a member of Olga Zitluhina's Dance Company (1996-2012). Recently as a dancer and choreographer Ramona has been working on various projects in the field of dance and theatre in Latvia and internationally. She was the executive director of the International Contemporary Dance Festival "Laiks dejot" (2009-2022). Ramona is an associate professor at the Latvian Academy of Culture, where she teaches various dance and movement disciplines (since 2004). As a lifelong learner and educator, she is committed to sharing her knowledge and passion for dance cultivating the next generations of dancers and choreographers. She is a certified Feldenkrais Method ® practitioner. Ramona received the Latvian Dance Award 2021-2022 in the Contemporary Dance Choreographer category. Ramona is a member of the council of the Choreographers Association (2017-2020 and 2023-present).
Nauris Miķelis
Council memberNauris is a Latvian contemporary dance artist. In 2018, he received a bachelor's degree in Contemporary Dance Art from the Latvian Academy of Culture's Art program. He is an active participant in the Latvian contemporary dance community as a dancer, choreographer, teacher, and, since 2023, a member of the Council of the Choreographers' Association. Some of his most recent creative activities have been roles as a dancer and choreographer in the stage works "Pretpoli" (2022) and "Brinuma Anatomija" (2023).
Continuing to develop his skills, Nauris regularly participates in local and international dance festivals, master classes, and training programs.
Laima Jaunzema
Council memberLaima Jaunzema is a choreographer whose practice is rooted in the artistic research of body politics. Her creative interest lies in exploring the body as a medium influenced by the silence of intimacy, juxtaposed with the inescapable integration into broader space-time dynamics, disruptions in communication perception and retrospection and delays of political shifts to react. Laima creates interdisciplinary choreography as dimensional portals where bodily perception is challenged through profound sensitivity.
Laima graduated from the SNDO (School for New Dance Development) in Amsterdam, having previously studied dance in Berlin and Denmark. She furthered her knowledge through the Commissioning and Curating Contemporary Public Art course at HDK-Valand Academy in Sweden, participated in We Will Dance with Mountains with Bayo Akomolafe, and was awarded a Dance Web scholarship (mentored by Isabel Lewis).
https://linktr.ee/laimajaunzema
Linda Krūmiņa
Council memberLinda Krūmiņa is a dance and theatre dramaturg. She holds a Master's degree in Dance Arts from the Latvian Academy of Culture and has regularly updated her knowledge at local and international masterclasses. She is interested in creating documentary and socio-politically significant stage works. Her professional interests include themes with ambiguous opinions, which should be brought to the fore through the promotion of discussion and broadening of understanding: Invisible stories of women (Monstera Deliciosa), perceptions and understandings of masculinity (Grosombol), femininity (Naktene), prejudices about a particular social group or individuals (Svidanka), the fate and power of the individual within a larger group, society (And suddenly swans!) mental health (Pit), etc. The main aim of Linda's creative work is to create an opportunity to meet and converse through an art event, regardless of genre or medium.
As a curator, Linda has implemented the Baltic Current think tank for sustainable performing arts in the Baltics and the Magic Carpets residencies 2022-2024 (New Theatre Institute of Latvia). Since 2024 a member of the council of the Latvian Association of Choreographers.
The association’s clerk and project manager
Has been working in the performing arts field since 2018. In 2022, she graduated from the Latvian Academy of Culture’s "Audiovisual and Stage Art Production" programme. For multiple years she worked in the theatre troupe KVADRIFRONS as a producer and actress, as well as in the contemporary dance company TUVUMI. Since July 2023, she has been working in the Choreographers' Association and the Latvian Dance Information Center.
Highlights of Anna's career:
- Producer of the performance "When The Sleeper Awakes" (dir. Klāvs Mellis). Premiere in Helsinki, at the “Baltic TakeOver” festival;
- Part of the production team for Baltic Dance Platform 2024;
- Producer of "Dance Day 2024".