[VR180°]
Scent of Violets
Inspired by the works of Ivan Milev and the text of Nikolay Raynov, the visual performance continues to explore themes such as belonging, love, and inner strength through a combination of contemporary dance, digital environment, and original music.
CREDITS
Concept and choreography: Jivko Jeliazkov
Performance: Vyara Bolgradova, Ivona Mashova, Kalina Valtchanova, Simona Todorova
Consultant: Dr. Plamen V. Petrov
Visual environment: Yana Melamed
Music: Ivan Shopov
Voice: Snejina Petrova
Costumes: Raya Lachezarova
Technical performance: Hristo Milev, Bogdan Dimitrov
Technical team at Art Gallery Kazanlak: Dr. Lyuben Malchev, Katya Hristova, Alexandra Angelova, Joana Bradshaw, Martina Ivanova
Photographer: Georgi Sharov, Iliyan Michev
Graphic design: Bistra Grigorova, Izabel Mitkova
Producers: Atanas Maev, Mira Georgieva
VR
Direction: Enya Belak
Filming and Post-Production: Igor Crnković
In Partnership with Ringside & Pilot Media
Produced by Derida Dance Center
The performance “Scent of Violets” is being realized in the frame of “Whisper From the Past” project by Derida Dance Ltd. in partnership with Art Gallery – Kazanlak. The project “Whisper from the Past” is funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.
Filmed in VR 180° stereoscopic at Art Gallery Kazanlak, Bulgaria.
April 2026
ABOUT
The work is inspired by the emblematic painting by Ivan Milev (1925), created after a mythic tale by writer and artist Nikolay Raynov about Queen Ahinorа—a significant yet still insufficiently known figure of the early 20th century, both in Bulgaria and beyond.
Building on this encounter between literature and image, the performance provokes reflections on belonging, ideals, and a space of love, explored through the female figure as an embodiment of strength that transcends physical power and reveals a readiness for devotion in the name of love and a greater cause.
The work combines contemporary dance, sound, and a visual environment created through new technologies, where digitized textures from the painting itself shape the lighting design of the stage.
Emerging from this specific cultural and historical context, the performance opens these themes toward the broader horizon of the contemporary world, seeking their meaning here and now.
VR EXPERIENCE
The VR version of the performance is set to be presented in four different districts of Sofia, bringing the art to new audiences beyond traditional theater spaces. This initiative continues the project’s mission to combine innovation and accessibility, turning contemporary art into a shared urban experience.
By moving between stage, city, and virtual reality, “The Scent of Violets” establishes itself as a project that not only tells stories but also explores new ways for audiences to experience them.
BEHIND THE SCENE
