Anglo-American University in Prague Ewa Żurakowska, Ph.D
Letenská 5, Prague 1
Ewa Żurakowska is a performative artist with rich experience in the field of theatre and music teaching Performance and Ritual within our Visual Art Studies Program.
Graduated from the Academy For Theatre Practices Gardzienicz and the University of Warsaw with an M.A. degree in Cultural Anthropology in 2007; defended a Ph.D. thesis on the application of traditional songs in environmental and site-specific theatre, at the Academy of Performing Arts DAMU in Prague in 2015.
As an anthropologist with experience in fieldwork and research, she presents an interdisciplinary approach to documentary theatre, site-specific projects, and community arts.
An independent academic lecturer and guest speaker for Music Academy in Wroclaw, Academy for Performing Arts DAMU in Prague, Rose Bruford College, Faculty of Humanities at Charles University – Gender Studies; also conducts vocal and physical theatre workshops for all age groups, especially for female groups.
Her artistic career was essentially inspired by ethnomusicological journeys to the aBalkans, Republic of Tuva, Lapland, Eastern Poland and Ukraine, where she has been researching local communities and singers still practicing traditional songs and customs. In her artistic projects she explores the space, sound, and body interconnections. She performs concerts in specific architectural sites, historical and sacral buildings deploying their unique acoustic properties by using various vocal techniques.
As an experienced organizer and coordinator of cultural events Żurakowska worked for renowned institutions; in 2017-2019 she held a position of an educational manager in Wroclaw Opera in Poland.
Since 2015 Żurakowska has cooperated with the Gorzanow Castle Foundation in Lower Silesia Poland (www.palacgorzanow.pl). She coordinates cross border project and develops Polish – Czech cultural and artistic partnership.
Art Activities
- KORJEN international world music www.korjen.cz / cofounder, singer, CR 2009-now
- “Second Skin” coproduction Palace Akropolis, Tantehorse CR and Institute of Adam Mickiewicz PL / actress, manager CR 2019
- “Dinner with Holtei”, Gorzanow Castle Foundation, Poland / actress, PL 2018
- “Requiem” by H. Levin, dir. Maciej Gorczyński; Teatr Barakah Kraków /actress, research of Hebrew songs PL 2016-2020,
- “Palimpsests of Space. Reconstruction” dir. Matej Matejka; multicultural inclusive project related to the topic of home and responding to the current social issue of Syrian refugees in Europe; cooperation Studio Matejka (PL/SLO), Budalasultan (Turkey) and the (PL/CZ), Gorzanow Castle Foundation PL / actress, research 2017
- “Mining Odyssey” performance on the coal barge, based on the living tradition of the musical ensembles in post industrial town – Nowa Ruda (Song and Dance Ensemble, Mining Orchestra) and combined with Pantomime Theatre Wroclaw, Choir of Postindustrial Spaces (Prague); MOK ESK MOSTY Wroclaw 2016 / director, PL 2015
- “Score for pots. Woman in a mining landscape”, a site-specific diploma, based on the interviews with the female workers of the mine “Mayrau” and the female artists who curated the space since its close. Place: former coal mine in Kladno, / director, actress, CR 2013
- “Woman Skin Song and Bone”, residency project in MOkS Culture Centre in Estonia, based on the research of feminine rituals in traditional societies in Poland, Slovakia and Baltic countries; premiere in Palace Akropolis CR, 2013
- “KORJEN in Synagogue”; dir. Dana Rackova; musical site specific performance based on the motives of traditional Slavic songs; Libenska Synagogue in Prague; 2012
- LANOSTORY, site-specific performance in ski-lift in Jachymov; dir. Apolena Vanisova / research with local inhabitants, performer, CR 2010
- 2007-2009 “Hat, stars and chicken pox” on motives of Blue Bird by Maurice Maeterlinck, “Willow Tree” by Karel Jaromir Erben, Vakokodeska, Passing (street performances) – dir. Pavel Štourač, Continuo Theatre; Czech Republic / actress