Katarzyna Sanak is an interdisciplinary performer, director and teaching artist.
She holds an MA in Theatre from the Academy of Arts (KHiO) in Oslo, Norway and is a graduate of the Artistic Education under the patronage of Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, 13th Academy of Theatre Practices Gardzienice in Poland.
Her artistic journey began in 2015 as a performer and assistant director with the Norwegian theatre company Stella Polaris, where she took part in over twenty productions presented across Norway and at international festivals in Poland, Italy, Serbia, Hungary, Slovakia, and Ireland, including a performance before Her Majesty Queen Sonja of Norway.
Since 2019, Sanak has worked independently at the intersection of physical theatre, contemporary circus, music, and cultural anthropology, creating original performances and directing projects that explore the meeting points between movement, sound, and human experience.
She has collaborated with artists and theatre makers in Norway, Scotland, Armenia, and Georgia, including Cirkus Xanti (NO), Gardzienice Theatre (PL), One-Eight Theatre (USA), and Movement Theatre (GE), as well as film directors Jon S. Baird, James Strong, and Jamie Payne (UK).
In 2022, she founded Mortensrud Sirkusskole in Oslo, a circus school and creative hub with free creative activities for children and youth from diverse social backgrounds.
Since then, her artistic practice has also focused on community-based projects involving young people, seniors, and local residents, using art as a tool for dialogue, empathy, and social inclusion.
Sanak’s work intertwines poetry, movement, and documentary, often drawing from ethnographic research and intercultural encounters. Her current projects combine artistic creation with research, exploring themes of identity and labels in contemporary theatre.
In the coming months, she will undertake an artist residency in France with Compagnie Trois Branches, where she will continue developing her own dramaturgical and writing projects, a new direction in her artistic journey initiated during her master’s studies.
A short artistic film presenting fragments of my artistic journey across theatre, music, and performance.
PERFORMANCE
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09.2019 - ongoing
Oslo/Norway on tour Yerevan/Armenia; Glasgow,Edinburgh/Scotland; Angers/France
Contemporary circus performances: Stjernefangst; Cruise, Sirkusuke, Around the world
Role: Stjerne - performer, circus artist, producent, director
Directing: Katarzyna Sanak
Selected festivals: UNG lørdag i Sentralen Oslo, Kulturkræsj, Vardensbarn festival Oslo (NO)
MORE INFORMATIONS AND PICTURES
09.2021-09.2025
Oslo/Norway
Contemporary circus performances: Sirkus Sirkus; Sirkus Cirka; Cabaret Zanzibar.
Role: Ballerina i Gardina, Edith - performer, circus artist,
Directing: Sverre Waage
Selected festivals: Sirkuslandsbyen (NO)
MORE INFORMATIONS AND PICTURES
08.2023 - 06.2025
Oslo, Skien, Dale i Fjaler/Norway; Tbilisi/Georgia
Performances: Ibsenisland; Utanfor Bortanfor; Å gå ned mens man går opp; Om fenomener og Eksistenser, We all have a navel (masterprosjekt).
Role: Norma - performer, circus artist, musician, director
Directing: Katarzyna Sanak, Johana Øyno and other fellow students
Selected festivals: Ibsenscope festival, Teaterfestivalen i Fjaler (NO)
MORE INFORMATIONS AND PICTURES
07.2021 - 05.2023 Oslo/Norway
Aerial arts performances and workshops
Role: co-owner, circus artist
Directing: Katarzyna Sanak, Dorottya Kucharczyk
MORE INFORMATIONS AND PICTURES
09.2015 - 09.2022
Sandefjord, Oslo/Norway; på turné Tolfa/Italy; Goleniów, Lublin, Gardzienice/Poland;
Žilina/Slovakia; Nič/Serbia; Magalukafa, Budapest/Hungary; Waterford/Ireland
Performances: Celebration of life; Dream of Shaman; Ildmagi; Solfest; Tundals Visjon; Voices of Gokstad; Liv av Aske; I did it my way; Noas ark; The circus tiger, Pigmy pig and Ubu; Circo Vita II in the belly of the Whale; Engler på Tverz; Julematine; Magisk aften; Heroes; Det stjerne så; Sti for øye,
Role: performer, circus artist, musician, assistent director
Directing: Per Spildra Borg
Selected festivals: Stavern Festivalen, PIT, Middelalder Festivalen Tønsberg (NO), Tolfa Arte (IT), Nisville Jazz Festival (RS), Bramat Goleniów, Generator of Hopes Gardzienice (PL)
MORE INFORMATIONS AND PICTURES
EØS-project between the European Centre for Theatre Practice "Gardzienice" and Stella Polaris
07.2021 - 07.2022
Sandefjord/Oslo Norway; Gardzienice, Lublin/Poland
Performance: Practicing History. Norway and Poland - Peace and War.
Role: Norna - actor/circus artist, assistant to the directors and translator. Directing: Włodzimierz Staniewski and Per Spildra Borg.
09.2018 - 01.2022
Warszawa, Lublin/Poland; Pecś/Hungary; Glasgow/Scotland;
Performances: Eventide; Irish Beasts; Eventide’s music
Role: Latawica - performer, circus artist, producent, director
Directing: collective
Selected festivals: Generator of Hopes Gardzienice (PL), Burns Night Festival (UK)
MORE INFORMATIONS AND PICTURES
The Academy for Theatre Practices
09.2017- 09.2019
Warszawa, Gardzienice/Poland
Performances: Finnegans Wake; Krotochwila
Role: Izzy - actress, musician
Directing: Maciej Gorczyński
MORE INFORMATIONS AND PICTURES
Jazz Band
01.2015 - 01.2019
Kraków/Poland, Sandefjord, Horten/Norway
Concerts: Polsk konsert, Jazz under the sky, Old as New
Role: musician - singer, violinist, producer
MORE INFORMATIONS AND PICTURES
The European Centre for Theatre Practices
09.2017-09.2019
Gardzienice/Poland
Performances: Pythian Oratorio
Role: violinist, simultaneous translator;
Directing: Włodzimierz Staniewski
Selected festivals: International Festival Eurypides Generator, Theater Gardzienice's 40 year anniversary festival (PL)
09.2017 - 03.2018 Oslo/Norway
Performances: CD and concerts "Palow La Nan Ke Mwen"
Role: violinist, backing vocalist
MORE INFORMATIONS AND PICTURES
08-09.2017
Gardzienice/Poland; New York/USA
Performance: Madman and the Nun
Role: Sykepleier - actress, musician, violinist;
Directing: Daniel Irizzary
Selected festivals: Theater Gardzienice's 40 year anniversary festival (PL)
FILM AND SERIES
director Jon S. Baird
premiere 2023
Woman at Groceries
director Jamie Payne
premiere 2022
Christieville seateler
director James Strong
premiere 2021
Navy officer
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
Sirkuslandsbyen performing arts festival Cirkus Xanti
09.2021 - 09.2025
Oslo/Norway
Work: Development of performance and collaboration with local youth.
Nordic-Baltic residency Theatre for Young Audiences -Assitej NORWAY
11.2022
Oslo/Norway
Work: Development art for children and youth with international artists.
09.2020 - 06.2021
Edinburgh/Scotland
Work: Development of a performance and collaboration with/for local children.
workshops
masterclasses
courses
2024
Simon Stephens (UK) – Writing Workshop, 05–06.12.2024
Diego Moschkovich (BR) – Stanislavski’s Analytical Method from a Brazilian Perspective, 27.11.2024
Gemma Crooks & Erica Jeffrey (UK) – Diversity in the Workplace, 27.11.2024
Roy Hart Theatre (FR) – Voice, Body, and Movement Workshop, 11–15.11.2024
Uta Plate (DE) – Devising: Body and Movement in the Context of Tears, 04–06.11.2024
Maria Delgado (UK) – Theatre as a Site for Forging Democracy, 14.10.2024
Katie Mitchell (UK) – Skills in Theatre Directing, 26.08–20.09.2024
Morten Espeland (NO) – Suzuki, Fosse, and Viewpoints Workshop, 26.02–13.03.2024
Jesper Halle, Katrine Nedrejord, Kristofer Blindheim Grønskag, Liv Heløe (NO) – Writing Workshop and Script Development for We All Have a Navel, 26.02–13.03.2024
Hochschule für Schauspielkunst Ernst Busch, Berlin (DE) – Methods of Working with Groups, 05–10.02.2024
2023
DasArts (GR) – Critical Response Theory, 09.2023
Replay Theatre Company (UK) – Inclusive Performing Arts with Andrew Stanford, 06.2023
Candoco Dance Company (UK) – Inclusive Dance Practice, 03.2023
Tamar Ohana Goksøyr – Kompani To (NO) – Contemporary Circus Act Creation, 10.2023
2022
Ilona Jäntti (SE) – Aerial and Choreographic Practice, 08.2022
Renu Ghalan Tamang & Aman Tamang (NP) – Traditional and Contemporary Circus Practice, 07–09.2022
2021
Barrowland Ballet (UK) – Contemporary Dance, 01–06.2021
2019
Tébláb Alapfokú Művészeti Iskola (HU) – Folk Dance, 08.2019
My Aerial Home (UK) – Aerial Technique and Performance Teacher Training, 07.2019
Dorota Kołodziej & Agnieszka Mendel (PL) – 3D and Polyphonic Singing, 07.2019
Daniel Leżoń (PL) – Polish Contemporary Dance Technique, 07.2019
Oleh Stefan (UA) – Acting Workshop, 07.2019
2018
Maria Klich & Weronika Kulczycka (PL) – Classical Singing, 11.2018
Julia Bui Ngoc (PL) – Dance with Warrior Fans, 10.2018
2017
Danielle van der Ven (NL) – TaKeTiNa Method, 10–12.2017
Roy Hart Theatre (FR) – Voice, Body, and Movement Workshop, 09.2017
Odin Teatret (DK) – Physical Theatre Workshop, 09.2017
2016
AFUK (DK) – Contemporary Circus Practice with Abigael Windsvoll & Moa Asklof Prescott, 07–08.2016
2015
Farm in the Cave (CZ) – Physical Theatre and Documentary Techniques, 09.2015
Theatre Brama (PL) – Physical and Community Theatre, 07–09.2015
Elżbieta Zapendowska, Voicesing Studio (PL) – Vocal Techniques, 07–09.2015
Polish Highlander Group “Ziemia Rajczańska” (PL) – Folk Dance, 05.2015
earlier than 2015
Witkacy’s Theatre (PL) – Acting and Movement Workshop, 10.2014
Theatre of Figures (PL) – Puppetry and Physical Theatre, 07–09.2014
Szymanowski State Classical Music School (PL) – Music Theory, Violin, Piano, 09.2001–06.2012
