For several years, the Bratislava in Movement international festival has focused on presenting various dance ensembles from a single country. While last year´s programme offered an in-depth look at the Belgian scene, in October 2024, the stages of Bratislava´s theatres will belong to prominent Spanish dance artists – the ensembles La Veronal, Mucha Muchacha, and Daniel Abreu.
“Spanish dance is expressive, full of energy and imagination. Sometimes it´s dark, sometimes colourful, but always filled with emotions that are sometimes hidden and then suddenly fully revealed. It´s a dance influenced by tradition, which some artist draw from while others seek to break away from it,” describes the character of Spanish dance the artistic director of the Bratislava in Movement festival, Miroslava Kovářová.
The Energy of Spanish Female Dancers, Folklore, and an Expressive Solo.
One of the festival´s highlights will be the performance of a dynamic figure on the Spanish dance scene – Daniel Abreu. In his expressive solo filled with metaphors, El hijo (The Son) (13 and 14 October 2024 at the Slovak National Theatre Studio), he confronts relationships with parents, cultural settings, and the past. Daniel Abreu has won numerous Spanish and international awards. Having toured over 40 countries, he will be performing in Slovakia for the first time.
The strength of a female group and surrealism dominate the stage in the piece Sonoma by the Spanish ensemble La Veronal (28 October 2024 at the Slovak National Theatre Drama Stage). Acclaimed artist and director Marcos Morau has created a captivating and magical choreography inspired by the work of Luis Buñuel. On 28 October 2024, at 7:00 PM at the Slovak National Theatre, audiences will experience a performance on the edge of dream and reality, culminating in hypnotic dancing and rhythmic drumming.
The conclusion of the Bratislava in Movement festival will again feature the female ensemble Mucha Muchacha and their energetic journey through the mysterious corners of Spanish folklore. In the production Para cuatro jinetes (For Four Horsemen), they transform traditional dance into a contemporary, energy-packed performance. The final show of the festival is scheduled for 20 November 2024, at the Arena Theatre.
Diverse Dance Duos in the Aerowaves Selection.
The 28th edition of the Bratislava in Movement festival will also host a significant meeting of the Aerowaves platform, composed of 46 partners from 34 European countries. During the gathering at the Primate´s Palace in Bratislava, the best twenty young choreographic talents for 2025 will be selected, offering them opportunities to perform on European stages.
From this year´s Aerowaves TOP 20, the festival organizers have chosen two duets to be presented in one evening on 12 October 2024, at the A4 – Space for Contemporary Culture. In the performance Reface by the French ensemble Les Idoles, the audience will witness continuous but almost imperceptible movement between two women. In the choreography Born by the Sea by German creator Fran Díaz, viewers will see sharp and plastic movements by two dancers who seem like well-oiled machines.
Another duo featured in the Aerowaves selection is Jazmína Piktorová and Sabina Bočková from the Czech Republic. In their interactive performance Mikrosvety (Microworlds), they dive into the world of children´s imagination. Along with children on the stage and in the audience, they explore the world of small things. Six performances, suitable for children aged four and up, will take place on 5, 6 and 7 October 2024, at the Studio 12 Theatre.
Slovak Performances: Dance in a Complex Structure and Sci-Fi Themes.
Slovakia will also have notable representatives on the Aerowaves network. Professionals from across Europe will witness the movement improvisation IHOPEIWILL by the ensemble threeiscompany and Jaro Viňarský (21 October 2024 at A4 – Space for Contemporary Culture). The dancer will be constrained by a complex structure, addressing issues of the climate crisis and rising social tensions.
Another Slovak representative at the festival is the ensemble Yuri Korec & Co. In the dance sci-fi production Príbeh (Story) (22 October 2024 at A4 – Space for Contemporary Culture), five dancers will create a situation where the usual coordinates of time and space seem not to apply, with neither past nor progress existing.
Once again, the Bratislava in Movement festival will include a series of accompanying events: Yuri Korec´s site-specific performance Pulz Prešporka (Pulse of Pressburg), a workshop by a member of the La Veronal ensemble, a lecture on Spanish dance, and an evening of dance films.
Tickets for the performances are now available at https://predpredaj.zoznam.sk/en/tickets/bratislava-v-pohybe-2024/
More information can be found on the festival´s website www.bratislavavpohybe.sk
About the Bratislava in Movement Association. The Bratislava in Movement Association (ABP) is a civic organization dedicated to the professional development of contemporary dance. The main activity of ABP is organizing the international contemporary dance festival Bratislava in Movement, which will hold its 28th edition in October. In addition to performances, the festival brings an accompanying programme that engages the dance community and introduces contemporary dance to the broader public by presenting it in the city´s public spaces. ABP represents Slovak dance art in an international context and fosters international collaboration. More at www.bratislavavpohybe.sk
