Petrushka, the iconic ballet by Igor Stravinsky, tells the haunting tale of a puppet that is brought to life, only to experience love, jealousy, and ultimately death at the hands of another doll. The crowd is distraught, yet reminded: it was only a doll. Or was it?

In a radical reinterpretation, choreographer Michiel Vandevelde breathes new life into Petrushka. This time, Petrushka is no longer a tragic marionette, but a rebellious figure. The choreography, initially composed of AI-generated dance movements, is gradually pushed to its extremes. What remains of humanity when social interaction has been fully digitized? Only a puppet can show us.

Ten years after his solo Antithesis, the future of the image, Vandevelde once again takes the stage alone. This intense dance solo unites the core elements of his choreographic language: glitch- and pop-infused movement, references to cultural artefacts that shape communities, and a physically demanding dance vocabulary. The result is a hypnotic, corporeal journey into the heart of a puppet that refuses to be one.