Dying duet /shimmering

The performance will take place on 14 October 2026 at Gavella Drama Theatre in Zagreb.

Kirstie Simson & Charlie Brittain

dying duets | shimmering is a continuation of a lifelong process in which we dare to stay with questions, trembling, as we embrace the vulnerability of the fragility and risk of living. Join us in a reflective space where movement, as an act of witnessing, lays the foundation for a story.

Beginning with the radical tenderness of the space of the heart, Kirstie and Charlie explore carrying death through life, as well as the momentary deaths that reveal Life in its most essential form. One choice, among countless possibilities, that is called for in every moment; the burning away, as well as the joy and transformation that are released in the process.

Our work is an affirmation of the profound tenderness of human connection and its implications for health and resilience in the face of the universal and personal challenges of our lives today.

The ever-evolving collaboration between Kirstie and Charlie is centred around their shared passion and commitment to dance and healing, and unfolds through teaching, performance, and co-creation.

About the Authors and Performers

Kirstie Simson (UK) is an explosive force and an inspiration on the contemporary dance scene who, through every moment of virtuosic improvisation, brings audiences into contact with the life force of pure creation. The New York Times called her a “force of nature,” while Time Out London wrote that she has “immeasurably enriched and expanded the boundaries of contemporary dance.” The recipient of numerous dance awards, she is internationally recognised as an outstanding teacher, captivating performer, and leading expert in dance improvisation, with a practice spanning more than four decades. From 2008 to 2020, she was a tenured professor in the Department of Dance at the University of Illinois (USA). In August 2020, she returned to her native Wales (UK), from where she continues to share her experience and work internationally.

Charlie Brittain (UK) completed the Artist in Process professional development programme at the Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance (SEAD) (Austria), specialising in choreography. He graduated with honours from the professional dance course at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts (UK), having begun his formal training at the Centre for Advanced Training at London Contemporary Dance School. He is the founder of the English National Youth Ballet. Charlie works as a rehearsal director and choreographic assistant in a variety of international artistic contexts, collaborating with choreographers including Etta Murfitt, Kerry Biggin, Milan Tomášik & Co, Barnaby Booth, Jo Meredith, Louise Bennett, Helen Parlor, Richard Chappell, and Holly Noble. At SEAD, he worked as an assistant to directors Helder Seabra, Jorge Crecis, Milan Tomášik, Paul Blackman, and Christine Gouzelis. He was interim rehearsal director for SEAD’s Bodhi project and spent three seasons as rehearsal director with the National Youth Ballet of Great Britain. He is an associate creative director at the National Youth Ballet of Great Britain, an associate artist with English National Ballet, and rehearsal director at Richard Chappell Dance.

Alongside his commitment to dance, Charlie is also a qualified clinical sports therapist and musculoskeletal specialist.

Tickets can be purchased online through the Gavella Theatre website or in person on the day of the performance.

Ticket price: €15, with discounts available for members, UPUH and PULS members, and €10 during the advance sales period (PROMO CODE: MKGAVELLA).