NORWEGIANS reflect.
photo: Knut Bry
DANCERS from around the world will set Bratislava in motion on May 17. Over the following two weeks they will show off their latest routines at the ninth annual Bratislava in Movement international festival of contemporary dance. It is the largest dance event in the country and indirectly enhances the local dance scene.
Internationally renowned Slovak choreographer Ján Ďurovčík will open the festival with a premiere performed by his newly established Slovak Dance Theatre.
Bolero - a Mother's Story, combines classical drama with modern dance. Inspired by a real life event, it portrays a mother, who is a writer, seeking forgiveness from her son, who left her long ago and became a dancer. The story uses the tunes of Maurice Ravel's Bolero, fusing fresh and original variations. The performance will hit the stage May 17 and 18 at 19:00.
Slovaks move.
photo: Courtesy of the festival
Altogether, dancers and choreographers from nine countries will present the high points from the international dance scene at this year's festival. Among the highlights are the dance companies of Donna Uchizono from the USA and Paco Decina from France.
Uchizono, known for "work spiced with wit, rich invention and unexpected beauty", will perform Butterflies from My Hand on May 24. Decina will take to the stage with Soffio, a show alternating depictions of oblivion and extreme awareness on May 22.
Visitors can also see performances by Drift from Switzerland, ZOO from Belgian Thomas Hauert, and Czech-Hungarian project Vibrations.
"Much anticipated will be Norwegian Jo Stromgren Kompani's performance, which, with its chilly but at the same time immensely funny parody inspired by George Orwell's novel 1984 was one of the most popular shows last year," said the festival's director Miroslava Kovářová.
Banská Bystrica Dance Studio and DuWadance, an independent dance project founded by two Slovak choreographers and dancers in Prague, will also represent Slovakia, in addition to Ďurovčík's Bolero.
The festival runs at Bratislava's Aréna Theatre. Performances start at 20:00 (except for the opening Bolero). For more information visit www.abp.sk.
By Zuzana Habšudová
