40/40 is an inspiring, insightful and moving celebration of Katherina Radeva’s 40 years as a woman, a migrant and an artist. Claiming space on a dance floor for one, she writes stories of her past, present and future, in speech, in electrical tape and in movement.
From the little girl dancing at her parents’ student parties, to the teenage rhythm gymnast who was body-shamed, to the creative who refuses to be categorised, we see a choreography of all the joys and sorrows of 40 years. Radeva is an irresistible performer whose authenticity and generosity shines in this life-affirming piece.
40/40 is showing at Dundee Rep on Thursday 29 February. Buy tickets here.
How would you describe 40/40?
50 minutes of joy. A night out which feels like the warmest hug with lots of unadorned dancing and thought-provoking text, leaving you ready to dance with abundance yourself (if dancing is your thing, if it’s not – you have still had a great night out!)
You say you didn’t call yourself a dancer before creating and performing this show, why was that and how has 40/40 changed this?
Well, I am not a trained dancer i.e. I didn’t go to dance school BUT that is not to say that I haven’t danced in our work since the early works like the multi-award winning Near Gone. If you have seen Near Gone, you will know that there too – I dance my heart out. 40/40 has changed my perception of dance and who it’s for quite a bit. I used to be scared to place my body in dance contexts, however, I am now dead certain that bodies like mine should be seen dancing!
The show is described as a celebration of a number of aspects of your identity, why do you feel it is important to celebrate these things?
Celebrating complexity in identity and of identities is really important – and it’s really important to me. It is important to celebrate this complexity because we are all made up of different things and all those things make up very interesting people and we are all very interesting people. That celebration of course allows others to celebrate their own complexities.
The tour coincides with and celebrates International Women’s Day 2024, why did you feel it was important to contribute to this year’s celebrations?
Every day should be celebrating women, but since we only have one day it was really important to me to align 40/40 with International Women’s Day because 40/40 celebrates female joy, acceptance and permission, so it feels really exciting to have been able to align the tour this Spring! So, if you identify as female and if you love women in all their glorious and messy nature – come out and see 40/40 – I promise you joy!
40/40 premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2022, how has it changed since then?
In a way little has changed in the show – because the older I get which happens to all of us, all the time – the more I give it my best shot at having a great time and therefore letting the audience have a great time with me too. The dances keep getting a little wilder and there have been little changes to the text but structurally the piece is as premiered.
You don’t speak during the show, but instead play pre-recorded audio voice overs, why did you make this artistic choice?
Because It felt right! It was the correct form for the text elements in the show! And it gives me space to really connect with the audience in those bits and also it allows me to do the live drawing which I do on the dance floor throughout the show. Also, who doesn’t love a great little voice note?
The “great tunes” you dance to during the show are by artists such as Eurythmics and Nick Cave – what is your favourite song to dance to at the moment?
I do that really obsessive thing where I have a tune and I actively seek to dance to it because it makes me feel better. Some of those tunes recently have been Rihanna’s The Only Girl in the World, Chris and the Queens’ Tilted, but also pretty much anything by New Order and Faithless.
What’s the best thing about turning 40?
It’s very real and very vulnerable in the most powerful of ways! It is really alive and it leaves you more alive than when you came in. It’s all for you the audience – I am there to hold the space with my story and dancing so you find more of your own strength to send you dancing into the night and the day after and the day.