“Overheated”. Photo by Laura Vansevičienė

The dancer, choreographer and teacher Marius Pinigis (b. 1986) studied political sciences at Vytautas Magnus University, from which he graduated in 2011 with an MA in diplomacy and international relations. He learned to dance at the Aura studio dance theatre in Kaunas, and perfected his dance technique at seminars in various countries in Europe. Between 2009 and 2014, Pinigis was a permanent member of the Aura troupe and performed in over 20 dance productions with this theatre. Over the past few years, he has been working as an independent dancer and choreographer, and teaching dance-related subjects at Vytautas Magnus University, where he established a dance laboratory „Judesio laboratoriją“. Also, he plays an important role in promoting dance in Kaunas and actively participates in various processes developing the city’s cultural scene.

Pinigis has collaborated on five dance productions. As a choreographer, he never works alone, choosing instead to create shows with partners. So it is not surprising that eventually, together with like-minded dancers and choreographers Marius Paplauskas and Andrius Stakelė, he founded the dance troupe Nuepiko, whose repertoire currently includes two dance performances, (g)round zero (2016) and Overheated (Perdegimas, 2019). (G)round zero has already been shown at festivals in Spain, Israel, Mexico, Ukraine and Germany.

Pinigis has twice been a recipient of Fortune, the highest Kaunas professional theatre award, in 2015 and 2016, and was thrice named dancer of the year by the Contemporary Dance Association (Lithuania) in 2015, 2017 and 2020.

In the performance Overheated, the Nuepiko trio embodies the hard-working, high-earning and no-less-fun-loving office and stock exchange boys, burning their candles at both ends. With a few minute repetitive movements, the dancers create an impression not only of a constant rush but also of prestige. The electronic rhythms by Stakelė and the light design by Vladimiras Šerstabojevas gradually heat up the atmosphere from the cold blue of the screens to the flashing red alarm (and help) signal. Combining the movements of contemporary and street dance, the dancers create a choreographic picture based on rhythmic repetitions, reflecting a way of life that entraps people and does not always easily let go.