Published: 23 April 2026
A stage battle with fears and weaknesses: Sébastien Wojdan’s “Blanc”
Imagine a life where you shed your fears—not by erasing them, but by accepting them as part of your daily existence. You tame them, turn them into a joke, and finally, let them go. This is the story told in “Blanc,” a stage production by Sébastien Wojdan, which will open this year’s Carnaval Sztukmistrzów (July 23–26, Lublin).
The Performance: “Blanc”
In this solo performance, the artist reveals himself to the audience, confronting personal fears such as hypochondria and the persistent dread of death. He explores the anxiety of unfulfillment, the lack of love, rejection, abandonment, being ridiculed, or dying alone.
“The real challenge of contemporary circus for me is showing our hidden side,” says Wojdan in an interview with Sorties de secours magazine. “On stage, I am not a circus artist, but first and foremost an ordinary person with my daily life, excesses, madness, and obsessions—but also dreams.”
A unique challenge for the artist is the 10-kilometre run he completes through the city before every performance. He seeks to reach a state of exhaustion and trance, yet paradoxically, relaxation. Only then does he step into the center of a white space surrounded by high walls. The stage transforms into a laboratory where the human body and the world’s multidimensionality are analyzed through words and objects: coffee, cups, oranges, nails, knives, movement, balancing, video projections, and music.
“My circus involves bringing many objects onto the stage to explore and play with them. I build, I arrange, I try to find the right architecture, and the meaning gradually emerges on its own,” Wojdan adds.
“Blanc” touches on taming fear and confronting one’s own fragility, blending movement, circus, and performance into an intense, physical experience. The artist exposes the thin line between control and liberation, perfectionism and surrender.
For the first time in the festival’s history, a performance will be presented in the nearly 1,000-seat opera hall at the Centre for the Meeting of Cultures—Lublin’s only venue of this scale. This space allows for the realization of a production featuring an incredibly original, elaborate set designed by the author. This new location opens fresh possibilities for Carnaval Sztukmistrzów, allowing for productions that were previously out of reach.
The show can be seen twice during Carnaval Sztukmistrzów on July 23 and 24. Ticket sales will begin soon. Seating is limited.
Sébastien Wojdan
A co-founder of Galapiat Cirque, a collective redefining contemporary circus. He first captivated audiences at Carnaval Sztukmistrzów in 2014 with “Marathon,” one of the most frequently remembered performances in the festival’s history.
Born in Poland, Wojdan emigrated to France with his parents as a child. He graduated from prestigious circus schools, including Balthazar, ENACR, and CNAC. He is a multi-talented artist—juggler, equilibrist, musician, set designer, and performer.
Beyond his stage work, Sébastien is deeply involved in educational and social projects, leading workshops and collaborating with schools and hospitals. Along with the Galapiat team, he is an active cultural collaborator in Poland, involved in projects like “Most” in Olsztyn (2024) and last year’s Circus Lab masterclasses for Polish circus artists in Lublin.
Carnaval Sztukmistrzów
The largest festival in Poland showcasing contemporary circus arts. For years, the event has drawn crowds of residents and tourists, attracted by top-tier circus acts and the festival’s magical atmosphere. The programme includes clowning, acrobatics, and juggling, illusion and emotional circus theatre, attractions for children and live concerts. The festival is also joined by Urban Highline, the world’s oldest and largest highline festival in an urban setting. While most of the program is free and takes place in streets and squares, select events are ticketed and held in theaters and concert halls.
“Ceramic Circus”
“Blanc” is one of two main stage productions featured this year. Last week, the festival announced “Ceramic Circus” by Julian Vogel. In this solo show, the Swiss artist pushes the boundaries between contemporary circus, visual art, and performance. Surrounded by plates dancing on thin rods, Vogel creates a world governed by its own logic, where every gesture becomes an event.
Carnaval Sztukmistrzów
July 23–26, 2026
Lublin: Old Town and Błonia near the Castle
Free admission. Selected events require tickets.
Published: 23 April 2026
A stage battle with fears and weaknesses: Sébastien Wojdan’s “Blanc”
Imagine a life where you shed your fears—not by erasing them, but by accepting them as part of your daily existence. You tame them, turn them into a joke, and finally, let them go. This is the story told in “Blanc,” a stage production by Sébastien Wojdan, which will open this year’s Carnaval Sztukmistrzów (July 23–26, Lublin).
The Performance: “Blanc”
In this solo performance, the artist reveals himself to the audience, confronting personal fears such as hypochondria and the persistent dread of death. He explores the anxiety of unfulfillment, the lack of love, rejection, abandonment, being ridiculed, or dying alone.
“The real challenge of contemporary circus for me is showing our hidden side,” says Wojdan in an interview with Sorties de secours magazine. “On stage, I am not a circus artist, but first and foremost an ordinary person with my daily life, excesses, madness, and obsessions—but also dreams.”
A unique challenge for the artist is the 10-kilometre run he completes through the city before every performance. He seeks to reach a state of exhaustion and trance, yet paradoxically, relaxation. Only then does he step into the center of a white space surrounded by high walls. The stage transforms into a laboratory where the human body and the world’s multidimensionality are analyzed through words and objects: coffee, cups, oranges, nails, knives, movement, balancing, video projections, and music.
“My circus involves bringing many objects onto the stage to explore and play with them. I build, I arrange, I try to find the right architecture, and the meaning gradually emerges on its own,” Wojdan adds.
“Blanc” touches on taming fear and confronting one’s own fragility, blending movement, circus, and performance into an intense, physical experience. The artist exposes the thin line between control and liberation, perfectionism and surrender.
For the first time in the festival’s history, a performance will be presented in the nearly 1,000-seat opera hall at the Centre for the Meeting of Cultures—Lublin’s only venue of this scale. This space allows for the realization of a production featuring an incredibly original, elaborate set designed by the author. This new location opens fresh possibilities for Carnaval Sztukmistrzów, allowing for productions that were previously out of reach.
The show can be seen twice during Carnaval Sztukmistrzów on July 23 and 24. Ticket sales will begin soon. Seating is limited.
Sébastien Wojdan
A co-founder of Galapiat Cirque, a collective redefining contemporary circus. He first captivated audiences at Carnaval Sztukmistrzów in 2014 with “Marathon,” one of the most frequently remembered performances in the festival’s history.
Born in Poland, Wojdan emigrated to France with his parents as a child. He graduated from prestigious circus schools, including Balthazar, ENACR, and CNAC. He is a multi-talented artist—juggler, equilibrist, musician, set designer, and performer.
Beyond his stage work, Sébastien is deeply involved in educational and social projects, leading workshops and collaborating with schools and hospitals. Along with the Galapiat team, he is an active cultural collaborator in Poland, involved in projects like “Most” in Olsztyn (2024) and last year’s Circus Lab masterclasses for Polish circus artists in Lublin.
Carnaval Sztukmistrzów
The largest festival in Poland showcasing contemporary circus arts. For years, the event has drawn crowds of residents and tourists, attracted by top-tier circus acts and the festival’s magical atmosphere. The programme includes clowning, acrobatics, and juggling, illusion and emotional circus theatre, attractions for children and live concerts. The festival is also joined by Urban Highline, the world’s oldest and largest highline festival in an urban setting. While most of the program is free and takes place in streets and squares, select events are ticketed and held in theaters and concert halls.
“Ceramic Circus”
“Blanc” is one of two main stage productions featured this year. Last week, the festival announced “Ceramic Circus” by Julian Vogel. In this solo show, the Swiss artist pushes the boundaries between contemporary circus, visual art, and performance. Surrounded by plates dancing on thin rods, Vogel creates a world governed by its own logic, where every gesture becomes an event.
Carnaval Sztukmistrzów
July 23–26, 2026
Lublin: Old Town and Błonia near the Castle
Free admission. Selected events require tickets.
