The Space Between Us Is Not Empty

In today’s world, coming together is exceptionally difficult. Each body follows its own path, its own personal journey, facing unwanted obstacles. In the process, even the simplest gesture can become radical. A single step through space may seem to cut through matter, crossing distances that appear impossible. For those inside the process, these moments are like miracles. To an observer, perhaps simply a walk. The void between inner need and outward appearance is where this stage work lives. You are yourself and, at the same time, you are someone else. Without imitation, without sarcasm. It takes ultimate trust to watch another person become you. Even when you do not want to see it. Even when it is too much to bear. It is a paradox—trust is also the greatest risk. Showing your real self is a prerequisite and, at the same time, the greatest challenge. What happens if you do not? This work does not cover up your mistakes; mistakes are what create the material. This work belongs to the era of stopping escalation. We live in a collective pause, as if waiting for something to explode. This work does not resolve the tension, but carries it, as bodies carry tension in the rehearsal room. Escalation is not happening somewhere else. It is already here. Failure has acquired a new meaning in this process. We no longer, damn it, care if we fail. Failure means only half-hearted commitment; it means we did not give everything we had. It is about inner fire, not a polished state. The stakes are not harmony or perfection, but depth, presence and risk. This work begins with difficulties and continues with paradox. Trust that is risk. A sense of safety that collapses. Freedom that requires discipline. Darkness that creates care. “I hope this (performance) is not safe. I want it to feel like a jolt, but not a violent one—one that makes you wake up.” THE SPACE BETWEEN US IS NOT EMPTY is not finished. It is on its way there. It is a rehearsal room expanding into the theatre hall. It does not invite the audience to a fully polished answer, but to a fragile attempt to create a connection—where even the simplest act can become radical. Rūta Ronja Pakalne is a Latvian-Estonian freelance dance and film artist based in Estonia. Her interdisciplinary practice encompasses choreography, performance art, filmmaking and teaching, exploring the body, presence and the experience of everyday life. She holds a bachelor’s degree in choreography from the Latvian Academy of Culture and a master’s degree in film arts from the Baltic Film, Media and Arts School at Tallinn University; she has also trained at P.A.R.T.S. in Brussels. Since 2019, Pakalne has taught at BFM, MUBA and ETA Dance School. Her recent projects include “Body of Dreams” (2023), created in collaboration with Laura Kvelstein and exploring body archives; “Freedom to Lose Control Together with the Many” (2023); and the dance films “H61” and “Centrifugal” (2024). She also creates experimental dance films that explore movement and embodied storytelling.