Marlena Niestrój
Marlena Niestrój is a physical theater actress, dancer, art historian, yogi, and hypnotherapist. She is committed to the pursuit of freedom through movement, introspection, and performance and to supporting others in their journey toward inner freedom and peace.
Marlena is the founder of the Paris Foundation. Since 2008 the Foundation has executed a number of interdisciplinary projects, including 6 editions of the Metavera Art Festival and an exhibition of Polish art in Berlin in 2011, supported by the European Parliament under the Polish Presidency of the EU.
Marlena graduated from Art & Communication (Theatre, Dance and Performance) program at the Université Jean-Jaurès in Toulouse, France. She also holds a degree in: History of Art and Media Culture, with a specialization in Cultural Performances, from the Silesian University in Katowice, Poland. She studied Yoga in Prevention and Therapy at the Upper Silesian University of Entrepreneurship in Chorzów, Poland.
Jako choreograf i wykonawca Marlena współtworzyła i zrealizowała dwa spektakle solowe w Teatrze A Part w Katowicach („Więzy”, „Święto wiosny”). Spektakle te prezentowane były m.in. w Rovigo we Włoszech, w Santo Domingo na Dominikanie, w Budapeszcie na Węgrzech czy w Eindhoven w Holandii oraz w kraju m.in. w Instytucji Kultury Katowice Miasto Ogrodów, w Teatrze Ósmego Dnia w Poznaniu oraz w Instytucie Grotowskiego we Wrocławiu.
Jest także twórczynią i wykonawczynią spektaklu wizualno-tanecznego „Pieśń Ćmy”, którego premierę miała w 2022 roku w ramach VI Metavera Art Festival. W 2024 zrealizowała kolejny autorski spektakl pn. “Gdy już nikt nie słyszy, gdy już nikt nie patrzy” (muzyka: Martyna Kubiak i Mateusz Szewczyk; współpraca reżyserska: Marcin Herich) – w ramach programu OFFPolska finansowanego przez Ministerstwo Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego.
Na co dzień Marlena pracuje jako instruktorka jogi oraz realizatorka autorskich warsztatów ruchowo-rozwojowych. Są to narzędzia, by skutecznie wspierać innych w odzyskiwaniu pasji i pewności siebie. Celem warsztatów jest pomoc (głównie kobietom) w pokonywaniu wyzwań społecznych, fizycznych i kulturowych. Swoje zainteresowania stale rozwija, biorąc udział w warsztatach i szkoleniach, związanych z zagadnieniami pracy z ciałem, tańca, oddechu oraz głosu. Zrealizowała szereg projektów, traktujących o kobietach w aspekcie społecznym, fizycznym i kulturowym.
W 2023 ze swoim artystycznym projektem stworzenia Centrum Sztuki w Żarkach (Dworek Tiferet) została częścią zespołu złożonego z 1000 wyselekcjonowanych przedsiębiorczyń, mieszkanek Europy, kobiet zakwalifikowanych do miesięcznego programu The Break Fellowship na terenie Hiszpanii (finansowanego przez Unię Europejską), by rozwijać swoje umiejętności przedsiębiorcze i strategiczne.
SZTUKA | JOGA | TANIEC | TEATR
WORKSHOPS
In every aspect of my life, I was looking for the most authentic version of myself. My curiosity was not satisfied with the conventional path and solutions. Life for me is the art of asking the right questions that open the mind and lead it to obvious and simple answers. I am convinced that life is simple in its essence. We only have been taught to drown out this truth by all means.
YOGA
I invite you on a journey to yourself, in harmony with yourself and your own sensitivity. If you want to practice together with me, write to me. I do workshops and individual classes, in person in Katowice and online.
Performance
My first completely original performance is the``Moth's Song`` - a very personal story told with a visual and dance solo. It is also a story about human nature, which allows take over by itself which consequently attracts the divine element, which is the source of any creation as well as destruction.
I invite you to know more about my realizations.
PERFORMING | VISUAL | VIDEO | CURATORIAL ARTS
As someone in the process of constant change and evolution, I find it difficult to define myself in a few words. But one word that comes to mind is freedom.
My first experiences with freedom were through dance. In life, I was not satisfied with conventional paths or solutions. Dance helped me take the first steps toward freeing myself from the personal, social, and cultural shackles that tethered me. It helped me realise that, although I was great at dealing with the many difficult situations that life threw my way, I lacked inner strength. While I offered understanding and kindness to everyone around me, I had muted my gentleness toward myself. However, I came to see that every bump in the road led me closer to myself.
Along the way, I learned a lot of interesting methods to help myself, such as: acting improvisation, intuitive dance, conscious breathing, yoga, relaxation, working with the subconscious mind and mindfulness, as well as sculpting in clay and many more. In art, I find solace for the desire for contact with beauty, as well as manifestation and release of what is hidden in everyday life. In yoga, I find the rhythm of my heartbeat as well as silence, which helps me in returning to the natural feeling of myself.
Today I can be strong in my softness and authenticity. I have chosen to be my true self and can look at myself with tenderness. I have discovered what true freedom is, the inner, intimate, silent and unlimited one. Now, I want to give back and to help others regain inner freedom and peace. I have composed a program based on my experience and the methods that have worked for me in seeking happiness and fulfilment. In my online and in-person workshops, I combine my expertise in performance with my experience with dance, yoga, and life. I invite you into my world, to learn my unique approach to making life lighter, freer and more authentic.
I invite you into my world, to learn my unique approach to making life lighter, freer and more authentic.
English 
Polish