Batarita will perform butó. (source: Courtesy of BVP)
THERE ARE several regular dance events and festivals in Slovakia, but few carry their performances into the audience. The Bratislava v pohybe (Bratislava in Movement) festival not only takes dance onto the streets of the Slovak capital, but also strives to spread it beyond professionals, to interested and curious audiences in the form of lectures, workshops, laboratories, screenings, panel discussions and exhibitions.
One of the highlights of the 15th year of this festival of contemporary dance will undoubtedly be something rarely seen in this country: Butó, a dance which emerged in post-war Japan.
Ko Murobushi, a disciple of Butó founder Tatrumi Hijikatu, will offer a taste in the form of a duet with Hungarian Butó dancer Batarita, and also add a lecture and workshop, as well as screenings of documentaries.
“Another representative of Japanese dance, this time a less true-to-form, but rather ‘genre-free’ individual style, will be Kae Ishimoto,” festival head Miroslava Kovaříková said.
The festival presents a progressive selection of Slovak representatives of modern dance, including two premieres: the opening Krv a kráľ (Blood and King) evening, consisting of two separate monologues, one male (choreographed by Vladislav Šoltýs) and one female (choreographed by Renáta Bubniaková); and the Bulgarian-Slovak physical theatre project Kalbo (Ball), about the connection between humans and nature, choreographed by Jaro Viňarský (SK) and Petar Todorov (BG). Another mixed production is the Journey Home (Cesta domov) by a Belgian-Slovak troupe Les Slovaks.
Moreover, local soloists and groups such as Debris Company, the hosts, elledanse, and the Štúdio tanca theatre from Banská Bystrica, will compare their artistic perception with dancers from other Visegrad Group countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland) within the V4 in Motion project.
Bratislava v pohybe takes place between September 29 and October 9 (with the promised dancing in the streets being held on September 30) at several venues. The lectures, workshops and most accompanying events are open to the public, but some require registration in advance. More information about the festival can be found at www.abp.sk.
