Movement in the Air: Lisa Giambra at BIRCA

Aerial artist Lisa Giambra shares an insight into her creative practice and her experience as part of the Island Connect project at BIRCA, Bornholm.

What happens when movement becomes a language?

For aerial artist Lisa Giambra, movement, physicality and choreography are central to her artistic practice. During her Island Connect residency at BIRCA on the island of Bornholm, Lisa had the opportunity to explore her practice within a new environment and connect with artists through international creative exchange.

A new film captures this experience, combining an interview with captivating footage of Lisa performing on the aerial hoop.

Exploring Movement Through Aerial Performance

Aerial performance brings together strength, movement, balance and choreography, creating a unique relationship between the artist and the space around them.

In the film, Lisa's aerial hoop performance offers a glimpse into the physicality behind her work. Through dynamic choreography, she explores movement through the air, using the apparatus as both a physical structure and a creative tool.

The performance demonstrates how an idea can be communicated through the body — through rhythm, shape, suspension and movement.

Alongside the performance footage, Lisa discusses her creative practice and the process behind her work, offering an insight into the ideas and physical preparation that shape her performances.

Creating at BIRCA

Lisa's residency took place at BIRCA, a residency space for artists located on the island of Bornholm in the middle of the Baltic Sea.

Surrounded by some of Europe's most remarkable natural landscapes, BIRCA provides artists with space to step away from their everyday surroundings and dedicate time to their creative practice.

For an aerial artist, space is particularly important. The physical environment can influence movement, choreography and the way a performer approaches their work.

The residency offered Lisa an opportunity to develop her practice while experiencing a new landscape and becoming part of an international artistic environment.

The Creative Process Behind the Performance

What audiences see in a finished aerial performance is only one part of the creative process.

Behind every movement is experimentation, physical preparation, choreography and repetition. Artists explore what the body can do, how movements connect and how an idea can be translated into physical form.

Lisa's film gives us a glimpse into this process, moving between conversation and performance to show both the artist and the work.

The result is a portrait of an aerial artist in practice — exploring movement, physicality and creative expression.

Connecting Through Artistic Exchange

Lisa's residency forms part of Island Connect, an international project creating opportunities for artists to develop their practices while connecting with other artists and new environments.

International residencies can offer artists more than simply a new place to work. They create opportunities for exchange — sharing experiences, approaches and ideas with artists from different backgrounds and disciplines.

This exchange is an important part of the Island Connect experience, encouraging artists to explore their practices while building connections across European artistic communities.

Watch Lisa's Island Connect Journey

The film offers a window into Lisa's creative practice, combining her reflections with powerful aerial performance footage.

Through movement on the aerial hoop, Lisa brings her artistic expression into the space around her, demonstrating the physicality, creativity and discipline behind aerial performance.

Watch the film above to discover more about Lisa's creative practice and her experience as part of Island Connect at BIRCA.

Island Connect is funded by Creative Europe.