In the solo Shield is a Weapon, the boundary between inside and outside, between the self and the other is choreographically explored through movement, vocal soundscapes, and text. The mouth becomes both a shield and a gate, which, once opened, speaks in many tongues and expresses the polyphony of the individual subject.

What otherness is at work within me? Which invasive voices do I host? Who guards my throat?

In this piece, choreographer and performer Liza Baliasnaja continues her ongoing exploration of how emotions such as fear and disgust shape our political imagination. This time, the focus is on the symbol of the shield, which offers protection while simultaneously indicating impending conflict. The work examines the ambivalent interplay of vulnerability and aggression, of concealment and confrontation. Through the change of perspective, sometimes behind, sometimes in front of the shield, the work reflects on topics such as (self-)censorship and politics of defence.