A Reflection by Sarah Vella – POWER Residency, supported by EFFEA

From April 28th to May 1st 2025, the city of Freiburg became a space for embodied inquiry and collective transformation through the POWER Residency, hosted at the Frei Art Festival Spring Edition. Supported by the European Festivals Fund for Emerging Artists (EFFEA), I, Sarah Vella led an intensive three-day research process exploring resilience, inner strength, and collective empowerment through movement.

The residency was the first phase of a larger project titled POWER, which will premiere at Dance Festival Malta in July 2025. This initial research took the form of a rich intercultural exchange between myself, Alba de Miguel Fuertes and Laura Garcia Guilera who are two professional dancers and a diverse group of women from various social and cultural backgrounds in Freiburg. Together, we co-created a temporary community built on trust, vulnerability, and embodied strength.

Working with movement, improvisation, somatic practices, music and text we investigated personal and shared narratives of power—how it is held, lost, reclaimed, and embodied. The process culminated in a 45-minute public sharing, inviting local audiences into an intimate space of witnessing and dialogue. The feedback received was moving and validating, highlighting the importance of creating spaces where women’s voices and stories can be heard not just through words, but through the body.

The residency also served as a platform for reflection on how artistic work can act as a catalyst for social connection and healing. There was a palpable sense of solidarity in the room. Despite language barriers or different life paths, the body became a shared language—revealing the quiet force that lives within each of us. It was a privilege to hold space with these women and it was incredible to notice how powerful such spaces can be. 

This collaboration with Frei Art Festival deepened the project’s scope and impact, providing fertile ground for experimentation and exchange. It also marked a significant step in building bridges across borders—between Malta and Germany, between artistic disciplines, and between people.

The POWER Residency will now continue into its next phase of development in Malta, incorporating the insights and lived experiences gathered in Freiburg. The final 15-minute stage piece will be presented on the 24th of July 2025, during Dance Festival Malta, embodying a journey that began with deep listening, collective risk-taking, and a celebration of the human spirit.

Sarah Vella