Galina Borissova is a dancer and a choreographer whose work has a strong theatrical aspect. She first made a significant impression at the American Dance Festival'96 where she was participating in the international choreographers residency program. In 1998 she received the first prize for her performance "A NEVER ENDING STORY" in Groningen, the Netherlands, at the International Choreo-grapher's competition. She has created more than 15 projects on her own, that have been presented in Bulgaria, Netherlands, Germany, the US, Poland, Estonia, Sweden, and the Czech Republic.
As a dancer she worked with choreographers such as Louise Bedard, Canada
"Deja Donne" production- Lenka Flory, Czech Republic, Simone Sandroni, Italy , and Kubilai Khan Investigations, France. Borissova teaches at New Bulgarian University in Sofia, in the Theatre Department. Borissova's most recent work and second solo dance - Juanita Hildegard Bo - was presented at The Red House - Centre for Culture and Debate.
AT the news conference, Galina Borissova seems to be focused and concentrated. There is something consoling in her, she makes things simple and yet her radiance is enchanting. Then her restless, seeking hands dash. They tell stories of Neverland - the land between, they tell stories of beauty - unbearable beauty. These hands have a life of their own. As Galina would not put up with disobedience she locks fingers together. And only in a minute they fly again. Her hands are two birds, they breathe life into inanimate matter. Red stands for sacrificing your illusions.
People tell stories as they can. Juanita doesn't have stories. She has just the present, and it's not what she has imagined it to be. Actually, like most of us, the lucky ones, Juanita has a second name Hildegard - stemming from her German Aunt Hilda, while her third name, Bo, comes from her father. Juanita Hildegard Bo spends most of her time in silence. When someone asks her where does she live, she answers quietly "Between the old and the low land". One day she just vanished.
It all started with the feather. A tiny white feather. The moist wind uplifted it. Couldn't help watching. It circles in the air, becomes the air itself, a receptacle of wind, round and up it goes... And here she is - Juanita - the exiled bird. Her eyebrows go up. She spreads out striving thirsty arms. You see a little Chinese girl with an air of solemnity standing on tiptoe, handing you her painting. Two galloping horses. One is brown, loose, civilised, and there is this whirlwind next to it - the other - as black as the girl's rebellious hair, its chains lead to a tree. She starts running and you see them - the brown horse and the black horse - take turns in the subtle change of her expression. Stillness. Storm. Light. Darkness. Silence broken into dancing feathers by a slammed door. Polarities confront each other to reconcile the conflict. Juanita faces opposite realities in search of some peace. And rest. Wisdom leaves a scent of grief. When you meet someone for the last time, you never know it. Things come and go. A girl, trying on her mother's dress. The feather gently sways in the air.
In the end you can see Juanita's shoulder-blades shoot up, her wings tear the skin of her back and she disappears in the intensity of the fluttering. In order to achieve, one must quit seeking.
They say what you are looking for is also looking for you. They say it cannot find you while you are in motion. Just lean back and be conscious of what happens. Listen to the flitting. Silence tells stories.

You can see "Juanita Hildegard Bo" solo dance on February 17 and 18 in The Red House - Centre for Culture and Debate, 15 Lyuben Karavelov St, Red Hall, 8pm.