Predgovor // Introduction
Dvojina
V letošnjem programu prevladujejo dueti in zato tudi teme, ki se dotikajo predvsem intime.
Ko se pogovarjamo o programu festivala, je največkrat zastavljeno vprašanje, kaj bi bilo vredno izpostaviti. Ob njem se vedno znova znajdem v zagati, ker festival ne obstaja zaradi enega samega dogodka, ampak je preplet večdnevnega dogajanja, ki tvori celoto. Nekaj pa bi le veljalo izpostaviti, in to so pogovori z gostujočimi umetniki, kjer obiskovalci dogodkov lahko marsikaj vprašajo. Neposredna komunikacija med ustvarjalci in gledalci je preprost način, da umetnost približamo obiskovalcem in razblinimo mite o nerazumljivosti in nedostopnosti sodobne umetnosti.
Stališče, da je sodobni ples nerazumljiv in namenjen predvsem poznavalcem, je preveč poenostavljeno. Čas, v katerem živimo, zaznamujejo tehnološke iznajdbe, ki naj bi olajšale komunikacijo in dostop do informacij. Zato se zdi, da lahko vedno poiščemo odgovore na vprašanja, ki se nam zastavljajo. Žal se v veliki količini dostopnih informacij velikokrat pojavi šum in tehnologija nam ponudi skonstruirane odgovore, ki so lahko zavajajoči. Tudi v komunikaciji s pomočjo tehnoloških vmesnikov se, kot v celotni zgodovini človeštva, največkrat zatakne v odnosu do sogovornika. Danes ga bistveno sooblikujeta fizična oddaljenost in navidezni paravan v obliki ekrana.
Pogovori z gostujočimi umetniki so dragoceni, ker pogovor teče iz oči v oči. Neposredna komunikacija od nas zahteva, da se izpostavimo, brez skrivanja za avatarji in tipkovnicami, zahteva pa tudi artikulacijo in omiko, brez katere ni smiselnega komuniciranja. Vsi drugi načini, vključno s čustvenimi izbruhi, zaničevanjem in omalovaževanjem sogovornika, so bolj zanimivi na odru. Pogosto so najbolj divji komentatorji tisti, ki komunicirajo zgolj na spletu in ne obiščejo nobene predstave. Taki imajo zgolj mnenje in veliko predsodkov, komunicirajo pa zato, da ponavljajo ista prepričanja in, seveda, v lastno zadovoljstvo.
V vsakodnevni komunikaciji hlepimo po medijskih dražljajih, ki nam v obliki resničnostnega šova p(r)odajajo, kar je “zanimivo” in vse kaže, da je smiselnega v svetu, ki nas obdaja, vse manj in manj. Taka postajajo tudi naša življenja. Zdi se, da je cel svet postal oder, le nastopajoči so največkrat naturščiki brez osnovnih odrskih veščin.
Življenja, ki hlepijo po nenehnih dražljajih, se najbolj razgalijo v enostavnem in pristnem odnosu dveh teles, zato v letošnjem programu prevladujejo dela, ustvarjena za dvojino – dueti.
Že prvi festivalski dan ponuja kar tri 'predstave-za-dva'. Prva, “somethingtouching”, se odziva na posledice pomanjkanja bližine, dotika in objema, ki smo jih v času nedavne pandemije lahko občutili na lastni koži. Druga predstava Objemi (The Embraces), v kateri spremljamo dva para, enako temo umešča v kontekst pretresljive osebne izkušnje avtorice, ob smrti ljubljene osebe. Tretja je Tvegano razmerje (Walk On The Wild Side), ki se skozi zlorabo partnerskega odnosa dotika problemov spolnosti in spolne identitete.
Podobne teme obravnava tudi predstava Izbrana prepoved (The Chosen Haram), ki s pomočjo nenavadne odrske oblike sodobnega cirkusa osvetli problem istospolne usmerjenosti muslimana v urbanem okolju. Na sporedu bo drugi festivalski dan, ki se bo začel s predstavitvijo plesnih miniatur, izbranih na mednarodnem tekmovanju mladih plesalcev OPUS1. Čeprav gre praviloma za solistična dela in posebnost v programu festivala, ki je del večletnega sodelovanja z Javnim skladom za kulturne dejavnosti, bomo v eni miniaturi tudi tu deležni dvojine.
Tretji festivalski dan se bo začel s predstavitvijo dveh miniatur za dva plesalca, izbranih med devetinpetdesetimi predlogi iz Združenega kraljestva, Združenih držav Amerike, Mehike, Libanona, Indije, Ukrajine, Španije, Švice, Francije, Avstrije Madžarske, Belgije, Nizozemske, Švedske, Finske, Danske, Norveške, Hrvaške, Srbije, Severne Makedonije in Slovenije, ki so prispeli na poziv za del programa z naslovom Odprto mesto.
Isti dan bo v Gledališču Park predstava Ogledalo (Mirror), zasnovana za osem plesalcev, ki z večjim formatom odstopa od rdeče niti letošnjega programa. V nadaljevanju večera pa so spet dela, zasnovana za dva plesalca, in sicer trije dueti, dva iz Južne Koreje in eden s Tajvana. Brezoblična erozija (Formless Erosion), Zloraba na zmenku (Dating Abuse ) in Ptička (Birdy) razkrivajo fragment vzhodnoazijskega sodobnega plesa, ki se na svojevrsten način ukvarja s temami, ki prežemajo tudi večino del v prvi polovici festivalskega programa.
Zadnji, četrti festivalski dan bo namenjen programskim posebnostim. Začel se bo s programsko stalnico iz predkoronskih let. Predstavitev plesnih šol iz Hrvaške in Slovenije daje zanimiv vpogled v tretji letnik srednjega šolanja na področju sodobnega plesa. S tem in s predstavitvijo mladih plesalcev v drugem festivalskem dnevu se vzpostavlja pomemben vpogled v prihodnost sodobnega plesa. V nadaljevanju se v Mursko Soboto, kjer sta nastala, vračata evropska mreža plesnih organizacij BeyondFront@ s projektom Bridging Periphery in improvizacijski dogodek Dance Communication Lab, v katerem bodo sodelovali plesalci iz šestih evropskih držav.
Zadnja predstava letošnjega festivala Gracije (Graces) je inteligentno zasnovana humorna mojstrovina, ki presega stereotipne predstave o odrskem plesu, spolnih vlogah in prevprašuje pogled na telo ter odrski perfekcionizem. Odlična predstava, ki za letošnjimi temami, stvaritvami in celotnim uprizoritvenim festivalskim programom postavi pravo ločilo in s tem doživetje podaljša v razmislek.
Festival se bo zaključil z glasbenim delom programa. Drugi in tretji festivalski dan nas bo s koncertom in DJ setom v gibanje poganjal legendarni Kleemar, ki je v zelo različnih vlogah redni gost festivala Front@. Festival pa se bo zaključil s koncertom izjemnega Soul/RnB dua Freekind, s katerim se tudi v glasbenem delu pojavi “dvojina”.
Dvojina
V letošnjem programu prevladujejo dueti in zato tudi teme, ki se dotikajo predvsem intime.
Ko se pogovarjamo o programu festivala, je največkrat zastavljeno vprašanje, kaj bi bilo vredno izpostaviti. Ob njem se vedno znova znajdem v zagati, ker festival ne obstaja zaradi enega samega dogodka, ampak je preplet večdnevnega dogajanja, ki tvori celoto. Nekaj pa bi le veljalo izpostaviti, in to so pogovori z gostujočimi umetniki, kjer obiskovalci dogodkov lahko marsikaj vprašajo. Neposredna komunikacija med ustvarjalci in gledalci je preprost način, da umetnost približamo obiskovalcem in razblinimo mite o nerazumljivosti in nedostopnosti sodobne umetnosti.
Stališče, da je sodobni ples nerazumljiv in namenjen predvsem poznavalcem, je preveč poenostavljeno. Čas, v katerem živimo, zaznamujejo tehnološke iznajdbe, ki naj bi olajšale komunikacijo in dostop do informacij. Zato se zdi, da lahko vedno poiščemo odgovore na vprašanja, ki se nam zastavljajo. Žal se v veliki količini dostopnih informacij velikokrat pojavi šum in tehnologija nam ponudi skonstruirane odgovore, ki so lahko zavajajoči. Tudi v komunikaciji s pomočjo tehnoloških vmesnikov se, kot v celotni zgodovini človeštva, največkrat zatakne v odnosu do sogovornika. Danes ga bistveno sooblikujeta fizična oddaljenost in navidezni paravan v obliki ekrana.
Pogovori z gostujočimi umetniki so dragoceni, ker pogovor teče iz oči v oči. Neposredna komunikacija od nas zahteva, da se izpostavimo, brez skrivanja za avatarji in tipkovnicami, zahteva pa tudi artikulacijo in omiko, brez katere ni smiselnega komuniciranja. Vsi drugi načini, vključno s čustvenimi izbruhi, zaničevanjem in omalovaževanjem sogovornika, so bolj zanimivi na odru. Pogosto so najbolj divji komentatorji tisti, ki komunicirajo zgolj na spletu in ne obiščejo nobene predstave. Taki imajo zgolj mnenje in veliko predsodkov, komunicirajo pa zato, da ponavljajo ista prepričanja in, seveda, v lastno zadovoljstvo.
V vsakodnevni komunikaciji hlepimo po medijskih dražljajih, ki nam v obliki resničnostnega šova p(r)odajajo, kar je “zanimivo” in vse kaže, da je smiselnega v svetu, ki nas obdaja, vse manj in manj. Taka postajajo tudi naša življenja. Zdi se, da je cel svet postal oder, le nastopajoči so največkrat naturščiki brez osnovnih odrskih veščin.
Življenja, ki hlepijo po nenehnih dražljajih, se najbolj razgalijo v enostavnem in pristnem odnosu dveh teles, zato v letošnjem programu prevladujejo dela, ustvarjena za dvojino – dueti.
Že prvi festivalski dan ponuja kar tri 'predstave-za-dva'. Prva, “somethingtouching”, se odziva na posledice pomanjkanja bližine, dotika in objema, ki smo jih v času nedavne pandemije lahko občutili na lastni koži. Druga predstava Objemi (The Embraces), v kateri spremljamo dva para, enako temo umešča v kontekst pretresljive osebne izkušnje avtorice, ob smrti ljubljene osebe. Tretja je Tvegano razmerje (Walk On The Wild Side), ki se skozi zlorabo partnerskega odnosa dotika problemov spolnosti in spolne identitete.
Podobne teme obravnava tudi predstava Izbrana prepoved (The Chosen Haram), ki s pomočjo nenavadne odrske oblike sodobnega cirkusa osvetli problem istospolne usmerjenosti muslimana v urbanem okolju. Na sporedu bo drugi festivalski dan, ki se bo začel s predstavitvijo plesnih miniatur, izbranih na mednarodnem tekmovanju mladih plesalcev OPUS1. Čeprav gre praviloma za solistična dela in posebnost v programu festivala, ki je del večletnega sodelovanja z Javnim skladom za kulturne dejavnosti, bomo v eni miniaturi tudi tu deležni dvojine.
Tretji festivalski dan se bo začel s predstavitvijo dveh miniatur za dva plesalca, izbranih med devetinpetdesetimi predlogi iz Združenega kraljestva, Združenih držav Amerike, Mehike, Libanona, Indije, Ukrajine, Španije, Švice, Francije, Avstrije Madžarske, Belgije, Nizozemske, Švedske, Finske, Danske, Norveške, Hrvaške, Srbije, Severne Makedonije in Slovenije, ki so prispeli na poziv za del programa z naslovom Odprto mesto.
Isti dan bo v Gledališču Park predstava Ogledalo (Mirror), zasnovana za osem plesalcev, ki z večjim formatom odstopa od rdeče niti letošnjega programa. V nadaljevanju večera pa so spet dela, zasnovana za dva plesalca, in sicer trije dueti, dva iz Južne Koreje in eden s Tajvana. Brezoblična erozija (Formless Erosion), Zloraba na zmenku (Dating Abuse ) in Ptička (Birdy) razkrivajo fragment vzhodnoazijskega sodobnega plesa, ki se na svojevrsten način ukvarja s temami, ki prežemajo tudi večino del v prvi polovici festivalskega programa.
Zadnji, četrti festivalski dan bo namenjen programskim posebnostim. Začel se bo s programsko stalnico iz predkoronskih let. Predstavitev plesnih šol iz Hrvaške in Slovenije daje zanimiv vpogled v tretji letnik srednjega šolanja na področju sodobnega plesa. S tem in s predstavitvijo mladih plesalcev v drugem festivalskem dnevu se vzpostavlja pomemben vpogled v prihodnost sodobnega plesa. V nadaljevanju se v Mursko Soboto, kjer sta nastala, vračata evropska mreža plesnih organizacij BeyondFront@ s projektom Bridging Periphery in improvizacijski dogodek Dance Communication Lab, v katerem bodo sodelovali plesalci iz šestih evropskih držav.
Zadnja predstava letošnjega festivala Gracije (Graces) je inteligentno zasnovana humorna mojstrovina, ki presega stereotipne predstave o odrskem plesu, spolnih vlogah in prevprašuje pogled na telo ter odrski perfekcionizem. Odlična predstava, ki za letošnjimi temami, stvaritvami in celotnim uprizoritvenim festivalskim programom postavi pravo ločilo in s tem doživetje podaljša v razmislek.
Festival se bo zaključil z glasbenim delom programa. Drugi in tretji festivalski dan nas bo s koncertom in DJ setom v gibanje poganjal legendarni Kleemar, ki je v zelo različnih vlogah redni gost festivala Front@. Festival pa se bo zaključil s koncertom izjemnega Soul/RnB dua Freekind, s katerim se tudi v glasbenem delu pojavi “dvojina”.
The Dual
In this year’s programme, duets take the central stage, bringing along themes that revolve mainly around intimacy. When discussing the festival’s programme, the question that comes up most often is what deserves special attention. I find myself in a predicament each time because the festival isn’t about a single event but rather a fusion of several days of events that together form a cohesive whole. However, there is one thing that stands out – the talks with guest artists, allowing event visitors to ask whatever they want. This direct interaction is a straightforward way to bring art closer to visitors and debunk any myths surrounding the complexity and exclusivity of contemporary art.
The notion that contemporary dance is incomprehensible and primarily meant for experts is an oversimplification. The time we live in is marked by technological advancements that are supposed to streamline communication and information access. Consequently, it might appear that we can always find answers to the questions we have. Unfortunately, there is often noise in the vast amount of information available, and technology provides artificially constructed answers that can be misleading. Also, in communication through technological interfaces, the same as throughout human history, we often fail to get through to the other person. Indeed, our connections are today considerably affected by physical distance and the virtual barrier of screens.
Talks with guest artists are precious because they take place live, eye-to-eye. Direct communication requires that we expose ourselves without hiding behind avatars and keyboards; it also involves articulation and culture, which are essential for meaningful interactions and communication. All other modes of communication, including emotional outbursts, disparaging remarks and belittling the interlocutor, are more attractive on stage. Often, the most outspoken critics are those who only communicate online, never attending performances. Such individuals have nothing but opinions and harbour numerous prejudices; they engage in communication merely to echo their fixed beliefs and, needless to say, for their satisfaction.
In our daily communication, we crave media stimuli that trade "interesting" content, often packaged as reality shows. Consequently, meaningful aspects of the world around us seem to be on a downward spiral. This also holds for our lives. It appears that the whole world has become a stage, with many performers lacking fundamental stage skills, thus coming across as amateurs.
Lives that crave constant stimuli are laid bare in the simple and authentic relation between two bodies, which is why this year’s programme is predominantly focused on works created for the dual – duets.
The very first day of the festival brings three ‘performances-for-two.’ The first, “somethingtouching”, delves into the consequences of the lack of intimacy, touch and embrace we could experience first-hand during the recent pandemic. The second piece, The Embraces, explores the same topics through the profound personal journey of the author who lost a beloved person. The third is Walk On The Wild Side, which deals with the complexities of sexuality and gender identity, taking on the challenging subject of an abusive partnership.
Similar topics are also explored in The Chosen Haram, which highlights the issue of the homosexuality of Muslims in an urban environment, using an unconventional contemporary circus stage format. This performance is scheduled for the second day of the festival, which will begin with the presentation of short dance pieces selected at the international competition of young dancers, OPUS1. Although these are typically solo works and, as such, a unique feature of the festival’s programme as part of a long-standing collaboration with the Public Fund for Cultural Activities, here, too, we will be treated to a dual in one of the pieces.
The third day will start with the presentation of two short dance pieces for two dancers, selected from fifty-nine proposals from the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Mexico, Lebanon, India, Ukraine, Spain, Switzerland, France, Austria, Hungary, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Croatia, Serbia, North Macedonia and Slovenia, which were submitted to the call for the Open City which is part of the festival programme.
On the same day, Mirror, a performance for eight dancers, will take place at the Park Theatre, deviating from the red thread of this year's programme with its larger format. The evening will bring more works conceived for two dancers: three duets, two from South Korea and one from Taiwan. Formless Erosion, Dating Abuse and Birdy reveal a fragment of East Asian contemporary dance that uniquely engages with topics that inform most works in the first half of the festival programme.
The final, fourth day of the festival will be dedicated to special programme features. It will start with a recurring tradition from the pre-corona times – the presentation of dance schools from Croatia and Slovenia, offering an intriguing glimpse into the third year of upper secondary education in contemporary dance. This, along with the presentation of young dancers on the second day of the festival, provides an important insight into the future of contemporary dance.
Next, the European dance network project BeyondFront@ with the new edition Bridging Periphery, and the Dance Communication Lab improvisation event, featuring dancers from six European countries, return to Murska Sobota, where it all started.
Graces, the closing performance of this year’s festival, is an intelligently designed humorous masterpiece that transcends stereotypical notions of stage dance, and gender roles and challenges the perspectives of body and virtuosity on stage. An excellent performance that acts as a punctuation mark after this year’s themes, works and the overall festival programme, provoking profound reflection.
The festival will conclude with the musical segment of the programme. On the second and third festival days, the legendary Kleemar, a regular guest of Front@ in various roles, will set us in motion with a concert and DJ set. And finally, the festival will end with a concert by the exceptional Soul/RnB duo Freekind, introducing the prevailing subject of ‘dual(ity)’ also in the musical section of the programme.
In this year’s programme, duets take the central stage, bringing along themes that revolve mainly around intimacy. When discussing the festival’s programme, the question that comes up most often is what deserves special attention. I find myself in a predicament each time because the festival isn’t about a single event but rather a fusion of several days of events that together form a cohesive whole. However, there is one thing that stands out – the talks with guest artists, allowing event visitors to ask whatever they want. This direct interaction is a straightforward way to bring art closer to visitors and debunk any myths surrounding the complexity and exclusivity of contemporary art.
The notion that contemporary dance is incomprehensible and primarily meant for experts is an oversimplification. The time we live in is marked by technological advancements that are supposed to streamline communication and information access. Consequently, it might appear that we can always find answers to the questions we have. Unfortunately, there is often noise in the vast amount of information available, and technology provides artificially constructed answers that can be misleading. Also, in communication through technological interfaces, the same as throughout human history, we often fail to get through to the other person. Indeed, our connections are today considerably affected by physical distance and the virtual barrier of screens.
Talks with guest artists are precious because they take place live, eye-to-eye. Direct communication requires that we expose ourselves without hiding behind avatars and keyboards; it also involves articulation and culture, which are essential for meaningful interactions and communication. All other modes of communication, including emotional outbursts, disparaging remarks and belittling the interlocutor, are more attractive on stage. Often, the most outspoken critics are those who only communicate online, never attending performances. Such individuals have nothing but opinions and harbour numerous prejudices; they engage in communication merely to echo their fixed beliefs and, needless to say, for their satisfaction.
In our daily communication, we crave media stimuli that trade "interesting" content, often packaged as reality shows. Consequently, meaningful aspects of the world around us seem to be on a downward spiral. This also holds for our lives. It appears that the whole world has become a stage, with many performers lacking fundamental stage skills, thus coming across as amateurs.
Lives that crave constant stimuli are laid bare in the simple and authentic relation between two bodies, which is why this year’s programme is predominantly focused on works created for the dual – duets.
The very first day of the festival brings three ‘performances-for-two.’ The first, “somethingtouching”, delves into the consequences of the lack of intimacy, touch and embrace we could experience first-hand during the recent pandemic. The second piece, The Embraces, explores the same topics through the profound personal journey of the author who lost a beloved person. The third is Walk On The Wild Side, which deals with the complexities of sexuality and gender identity, taking on the challenging subject of an abusive partnership.
Similar topics are also explored in The Chosen Haram, which highlights the issue of the homosexuality of Muslims in an urban environment, using an unconventional contemporary circus stage format. This performance is scheduled for the second day of the festival, which will begin with the presentation of short dance pieces selected at the international competition of young dancers, OPUS1. Although these are typically solo works and, as such, a unique feature of the festival’s programme as part of a long-standing collaboration with the Public Fund for Cultural Activities, here, too, we will be treated to a dual in one of the pieces.
The third day will start with the presentation of two short dance pieces for two dancers, selected from fifty-nine proposals from the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Mexico, Lebanon, India, Ukraine, Spain, Switzerland, France, Austria, Hungary, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Croatia, Serbia, North Macedonia and Slovenia, which were submitted to the call for the Open City which is part of the festival programme.
On the same day, Mirror, a performance for eight dancers, will take place at the Park Theatre, deviating from the red thread of this year's programme with its larger format. The evening will bring more works conceived for two dancers: three duets, two from South Korea and one from Taiwan. Formless Erosion, Dating Abuse and Birdy reveal a fragment of East Asian contemporary dance that uniquely engages with topics that inform most works in the first half of the festival programme.
The final, fourth day of the festival will be dedicated to special programme features. It will start with a recurring tradition from the pre-corona times – the presentation of dance schools from Croatia and Slovenia, offering an intriguing glimpse into the third year of upper secondary education in contemporary dance. This, along with the presentation of young dancers on the second day of the festival, provides an important insight into the future of contemporary dance.
Next, the European dance network project BeyondFront@ with the new edition Bridging Periphery, and the Dance Communication Lab improvisation event, featuring dancers from six European countries, return to Murska Sobota, where it all started.
Graces, the closing performance of this year’s festival, is an intelligently designed humorous masterpiece that transcends stereotypical notions of stage dance, and gender roles and challenges the perspectives of body and virtuosity on stage. An excellent performance that acts as a punctuation mark after this year’s themes, works and the overall festival programme, provoking profound reflection.
The festival will conclude with the musical segment of the programme. On the second and third festival days, the legendary Kleemar, a regular guest of Front@ in various roles, will set us in motion with a concert and DJ set. And finally, the festival will end with a concert by the exceptional Soul/RnB duo Freekind, introducing the prevailing subject of ‘dual(ity)’ also in the musical section of the programme.