“Tardigrades” is a sensory, movement-based performance about very small yet extraordinarily resilient creatures – tardigrades, also known as “water bears”. These microorganisms are so tiny that they cannot be seen with the naked eye, although they live almost everywhere: in grass, in water, and most often… in moss.
The creators ask: what if we, like tardigrades, were able to adapt to sudden environmental changes and the climate crises ahead? Can evolution be an act of tenderness and mindfulness?
The performance is about being yourself, survival, mindfulness, and a kind of strength that does not need to be the greatest or the fastest. It is a calm and tender theatrical experience that invites the audience to observe, feel, and simply be together.
“Tardigrades” is a celebration of slowness and the microscopic scale. In a world of sensory overload, the performance offers a moment to pause, focus, and experience the present together. It is a theatrical meditation on fragility and strength at the same time – created for the youngest audiences, yet resonating with adults as well.
The performance was created in partnership with the Centre for Inclusive Art / Theatre 21 and brings together artists from various disciplines.
The concept for the performance was developed under the guidance of leading experts in theatre for young audiences as part of the “Sztuka się robi – inkubator teatralny” programme.
Analog Collective Foundation
Direction / choreography – Krystyna Lama Szydłowska
Concept / cast – Malwina Łejt, Miłosz Konieczny, Marek Zimakiewicz, Izabela Zachowicz
Music – Andrzej Zawieracz
Costumes / set objects – Karina Custom
Visuals – Liquidacje, Maciej Kaszyński
Lighting design – Maciej Kaszyński
Costume graphic design – Maria Krajewska
Poster / visual identity – Magda Andrzejuk
Event partner – Centre for Inclusive Art / Theatre 21
The 16th MASKARADA Festival of Animated Forms 2026 is co-financed by the Municipality of the City of Rzeszów.
