THE CLOUD

A docu-choreography that draws a parallel between victims of a radioactive cloud and a digital cloud.

Arkadi Zaides, born in Belarus, was six when the Chernobyl reactor exploded in 1986. The radioactive cloud that drifted over Europe was not the only danger; the Soviet Union also withheld information about the contamination. In THE CLOUD, Zaides links this nuclear catastrophe to ‘the cloud’, the invisible flow of internet data. Today as well, facts, opinions, and propaganda are spread or concealed, with equally disastrous consequences. The latest technological tool, artificial intelligence, appears as a performer, generating in real time a stream of texts, images, and sounds related to Chernobyl. The performers are immersed in this output, taking on the lethal roles of those who entered the contaminated zone. THE CLOUD is a docu-choreography about the casualties of what we choose not to know.

This performance is connected to the central theme of STUK’s 2026–2027 dance season: algorithms.

For the first time, STUK’s dance programme is built around a common thread running throughout the season. The theme of algorithms recurs across several performances. These performances help us understand what algorithms are and what they do. They not only showcase the latest applications of (digital) algorithms in the arts, but also actively contribute to the ongoing debate surrounding them.

Dive deeper into the performance

Want to know how choreographer Arkadi Zaides connects modern technology to a historical story? Join his artist talk on 24.03. More info soon.

choreography & direction Arkadi Zaides dramaturgy Igor Dobricic artificial intelligence & sound design Axel Chemla--Romeu-Santos cinematography Artur Castro Freire performance Arkadi Zaides, Misha Demoustier/ Roger Sala Reyner, Axel Chemla--Romeu-Santos light design Jan Mergaert technical management Etienne Exbrayat administration & production Simge Gücük / Institut des Croisements executive production laGeste international distribution Johannes Maile / partner in crime co-producers Montpellier Danse (FR), Maison de la Danse, Lyon - Pôle européen de création (FR), Charleroi Danse (BE), Mousonturm (DE) | Residency support : CAMPO (BE), PACT Zollverein (DE), Orbita | Spellbound National Production Center for Dance (IT), Dialoghi / Villa Manin, CSS Teatro stabile di innovazione del Friuli Venezia Giulia (IT) | Initial research conducted within the framework of SoundImageCulture (SIC) supported by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and VAF - Vlaams Audiovisueel Fund with the support of TMU New York; The Ministry of Culture of France / Directorate General for Artistic Creation; City of Ghent, Flemish Authorities and the Belgian Federal Government's Tax Shelter measure through Flanders Tax Shelter; A.R.T. research and residency program by La Comédie de Valence, CDN (FR)