Dita Jonīte

Between Dance and Theatre: Chronicles and Personalities of the Performing Arts

Having studied Theatre Science at the University of Latvia in the early 2000s, I have become increasingly interested in the performing arts, particularly where theatre and dance, dramatic theatre and physical theatre, and the spoken word and choreography converge. Within this field, I have explored how directors and choreographers develop a self-sufficient form of body language that does not require words. I have also examined the artists themselves and the circumstances that have influenced their artistic strategies. 

I have worked at the ILFA since 2007, currently as a research assistant in the Department of Arts. From the outset, I have contributed to the development of a database of Latvian professional theatre productions as part of various projects. Initially, this involved collecting and organising data on new productions and supplementing the resources of the University of Latvia's Virtual Encyclopedia of Humanities (a project of the Latvian Council of Science). Alongside the publication of the latest monograph on Latvian theatre history, 'Theatre in the Age of Independence', in 2021, a chronicle of professional new productions (2006–2020) was compiled with Edīte Tišheizere, as well as a chronicle of various independent theatre groups and contemporary dance productions from their beginnings. Data from these chronicles is gradually being added to the ILFA digital platform for the humanities and arts, Humma.lv, which contains a database of new productions.

Alongside my research work at the institute, I am actively involved in contemporary art criticism. Since the turn of the millennium, I have published over 300 articles on theatre and over 200 articles on dance in various media outlets. In 2013, I founded the online magazine Dance.lv with like-minded colleagues. It is currently the only media outlet in Latvia dedicated to professional dance.