Performances: September 20/21/22, 2001 in the National Musical Theater, Sofia, Bulgaria.

The third part of the European travelling project 1999-2001 took place in Sofia in the period 16.05-04.06.2001. The creative process started on the 16.05 in the dance studio of ballet 'Arabesque'. The performance 'WISH-DISH' was presented to the audience on 27.05 at the stage of the National Musical Theatre - Sofia and on 03.06 at the International Theater festival 'Varna summer'2001'- Varna.

Besides the performances as a result of our work, two workshops for contemporary dance led by the five choreographers took place as well:
- daily master classes for professional dancers - 16.05 -26.05.2001
- 3-day workshop for the students from the National Ballet School-Sofia and New Bulgarian University-Sofia

The press conference took place in the Euro-Bulgarian cultural centre on the 22.05.2001. A video presentation of the first two parts of the project and a discussion were held as well.

A serious obstacle that we had been expecting to meet was the long time that had passed after our last meeting - 18 months. Naturally we expected to need some time in order to work as a team group again.

Fortunately, we were very happy to find out that we did not have to deal with what we had been fearing. Each one of us had a clear idea of how our project was to develop. We had the main points of the research that we were to make and use its results as basis of our mutual work /the wishes exchanged among the guest, the rituals related to the celebration, the various traditions, the different ways of preparing the meals, etc.

"rehersal"

Initially the serious injury of Miss Millward was a serious problem for every one of us. It greatly limited the range and movement ability of our partner and friend. However this fact made us try to find an entirely new approach to our work. We created a totally new atmosphere of strong, dramatic presence and started to use more theatrical elements in order to develop a new concept and outlook for the performance. The realisation of the concept of these projects has always had some critical moments: the first one is to turn the performance into a sense that is to be consumed only by the participants in the project- Everyone risks the restraints of his own creativity to become able to get the external point of view he needs in order to intepret the subject we deal with.

The second one is the authors don't dare to escape their own creative cliches and turn the performance into a sterile product - something that is far away from the open scheme of 'work in progress'.

Last but not least there is always the risk for the message of the project not to reach the right recipients. We are excited with the fact that we have managed to accomplish our goals - this we realise from the feedback and positive reactions of both the audience and our professional colleagues and the fact that every one of the specatators managed to find his story in the performance.

The two workshops enjoyed great interest. During the classes the Bulgarian dancers had the chance to enrich and develop their professional qualities. A very important characteristic of the workshops were the unique methods of teaching of the five choreographers that revealed to the participants the style and variety of the contemporary dance in each country.

An important aspect of the workshops is that it exposes the Bulgarian dancers to a diverse range of European styles currently being used in contemporary dance.