Organizers announce 10th Belgrade Dance Festival

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Organizers announce 10th Belgrade Dance Festival

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Maria Luisa Buzzi/Danza e Danza, Milan

Rounding a decade long life, Belgrade Dance Festival can be proud for being among the best dance events in Europe and World. Thanks to this festival Belgrade is on the high position in the biography of ballet and dance companies, dancers and choreographers. Every April, Belgrade becomes a place where new and iconic performances intertwine, city where big ballet stars and interesting young artist, that were already recognized by the critics, are gladly coming. Observing Serbia and the region, this Festival has brought new dance with the intention to win the public over.

Local audiences had the opportunity to follow more then 120 premiers of exceptional pieces. Opportunity to get to know most important contemporary choreographic manuscripts and discover dance productions at the same time as the big world’s metropolises. Festival has established standard of contemporary dance and theatre aesthetics that is displaying highlights of dance art giving genuine support to local professional dancers, teachers, choreographers and young ballet talents.

The manifestation has been growing with the help of Serbian Ministry of Culture, Belgrade City Assembly, embassies, cultural centers, and other institutions of participating countries. Significant investments for the affirmation of the art of dance and realization of program based in towns across Vojvodina is supported by Regional Secretariat of Culture of Vojvodina and the City of Novi Sad.

As a general sponsor of Belgrade Dance Festival, Vip mobile has introduced model how big companies should invest into Serbian culture. Together Belgrade Dance Festival and Vip mobile created a slogan “Communication in movement” which, in the best way possible, explains strength of six year old collaboration. Through different projects among which the biggest are Award “Vip invites” and the project for young one’s “Vip talents”, realized with the support of National Foundation for Dance, Vip is supporting the development of artistic dance in Serbia.

Long lasting sympathy and great support Festival program gets from Societe Generale Bank who is this year sponsor in the category of government and town institutions. In, over a decade long program of Music Mecenat, bank is giving support to the talented artists, who promote Serbian culture and it’s significance locally as well as on the international stages. Trough sponsorship of the Festival they are, once again, joining in effort that the ultimate artistic program is available to the local audience.

We are proud because of the start of our cooperation with Delhaize Serbia, and we are thankful for their support to the art of dance that the company decided to give at the very beginning of its operation in Serbia. As well friends of the festival are: company Imperial Tobacco, Bambi-Banat with their dark chocolates, Merkur insurance, Roche, Doncafe, Lancia, Grand Casino Belgrade, Henkel, Hotel Hyatt Regency Belgrade, transport company Lasta, brands Nestea and Rosa, and many more.

Almost at the very beginning Festival was awarded the prize of Jelena Šantić foundation, and UNESCO declared it the leading dance project in the region of Southeastern Europe, in year 2006, followed by the acceptance into World Dance Alliance. In year 2011 Festival was realized under the auspices of the President of the Republic, and won the award “Star of Belgrade”, from the City’s Agency for Europe Integrations. German magazine BalletTanz has marked Belgrade Dance Festival as “the most representative dance event of the old continent”, or “dance trendsetter” in a year 2012. 10th Belgrade Dance Festival will be held under the auspices of the EU Delegation in Serbia, HE Mr. Vincent Degert.

“Belgrade Dance Festival is turning 10 years. This is very important and a great opportunity to remind us of the historical path and impressive growth that he has passed. Belgrade Dance Festival knew, maybe more then any other festival in Europe, to sense change and sensibility of the background thanks to the cultural vision and initiative of the director Aja Jung, who, with great courage and professionalism, became carrier of changes and achieved international success for this event. We want – as we say it in Italy – “cento di questi giorni” (hundred of days like these) to the Belgrade Dance Festival”.

5th of April at 8pm | Sava Center

Opening of the Festival at Sava Center is representing, for the first time in Serbia, famous Canadian company Ballet Jazz Montreal. Explosive settings for the dancers with specific style are signed by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Cayetano Soto and Wen Wei Wang. The four pieces are inspired by city life, virtual world of computer games, lights and sounds of the night in megalopolises, questioning timeless feelings in the cruel world that doesn’t support individuality. Right choices for the lovers of strong dance expression, superb technique, but as well for the new public which is familiar with the culture of hip hop, street and jazz dance.

6th of April at 8pm | Opera Madlenianum

Danish Dance Theatre is coming, as well for the first time to Serbia, with the enchanting full length piece Love Songs by choreographer Tim Rushton. After the party in the early morning hours, when the night shades at down, it’s the last call to dance and sing. With the jazz classics of Carolina Henderson, one of the best interpreters of the hit songs of Ella, Louis, Billy and Sara excludes sensuality and the dancers crave for love, and for all that it considers – joy, pain, expectations and disappointment.

6th of April at 8pm | Culture Center Pančevo 7th of April at 8:30pm | Belgrade Drama Theatre

In Pančevo and Belgrade, they will be playing with “Ship of Fools” by choreographers Niv Sheinfeld & Oren Laor. Political and sociable engaged dance piece of the well known choreographer to the Belgrade audience, brings view of the current moment, influence of the media on the common man and it shows all the absurdity of wondering in the group…Show leads to “that moment when passengers on the same boat can’t any longer put their heads in the sand and have to move on with their lives, detached from reality, surrounding and situation. When they reach a place of no return, everyone is the bearer of his rebellion, decision for acting or simply ignoring the moment and with that they contribute to the process of inevitable disintegration.

8th of April at 8pm | Yugoslav Drama Theatre

One of the most famous European choreographers Angelin Preljocaj, is coming for the first time to the Belgrade Dance Festival with his company Ballet Preljocaj and newest production “Ce que j'appelle oubli“. It's a full-lenght piece, based on a novel with the same title, written by Laurent Mauvignier. Writer found his inspiration in a short, true story, news that happened in Lyon in 2009. Twenty five year old man died from strangling in a supermarket. He was killed by the hands of four guards “because of a can of beer” that he drank, and didn’t pay for. Footage of the security camera testifies of the brutal murder, while just one sentence floats without beginning or the end, like life that continues on, despite death. That is a brutal, yet gentile sentence used in a context of nostalgic acceleration, so that it can reveal sensory punctuation that can often be found in Mauvignier’s work. Story that already inspired filmmakers, firstly experienced it’s dance version.

9th of April at 8pm | Terazije Theatre

Belgium company Peeping Tom, wowed the public of Belgrade Dance Festival three years ago with it’s production “Rue Vanderbranden, 32”. Ovations that they brought from Belgrade are bringing them back, this time on the stage of Terazije Theatre, with their new production (again) with strange title – For Rent! Choreographic duo Gabriela Carrizo and Franck Chartier, are revealing maze in which strange characters are stuck in kind of confusion of their thoughts, facing the universe in which everything is temporary and as such replaceable…

12th of April at 8pm | Sava Center

One of the best and the oldest European ballet companies, led by legendary dancer Manuel Legris, Vienna State Ballet performs for the first time in Serbia. Many are familiar with dancers of this company thanks to the airing of New Years gala concert from Austrian capital, and this is a great opportunity to meet the part of what makes company’s repertoire today. For these two titles that are signed by Patrick de Bana and David Dawson, this performance in Sava Center will be absolute premier after pre premier on the parents company’s stage. On the same night, Belgrade’s audience will enjoy watching the piece of Jiri Bubenicek, as well they will be introduced to the work of most important Finish contemporary creator Jorma Elo. Within this program third time in a row the award “Vip invites” will arrive to the ballet master and head of the ensemble of Vienna State Ballet – Vesna Orlić.

14th of April at 8pm | Opera Madlenianum

Creative glance on the economy and eco crises, from the beginning of 21st century, is trying to give definition of spiritual strength in search of individual and joint escape from darkness. Bare stage, challenging area and massive music frame. People that stumble, roll over, fall, crawl and demolish on the unsafe ground. For three times this show was brought back to London’s Sadler’s Wells. The choreography of, for many, most significant representative of Chinese contemporary dance Wang Yuan Yuan “Haze”, is, as well, for the first time bringing Beijing Dance Company to the region.

15th, 16th of April at 8pm | Belgrade Drama Theatre

Two nights in a row, at the stage of Belgrade Drama Theatre, we will be watching setting that is, on request of Belgrade Dance Festival and New York Lincoln Center, brought back on the repertoire of Swiss company Alias. Remake of the title “The weight of the sponges” will force on laughter to tears, and will reveal twisted world which images are carried and gladly invoked in the memory long after the curtain falls. Guillermo Botelho, Brazilian choreographer with permanent address in Geneva is bringing this piece where Shostakovich and dancers swim across the stage in full diving equipment following the rhythm of metronome, surrounded by crazy colors and broken steps.

17th of April at 8pm | Opera Madlenianum 18th of April at 8pm | Serbian National Theatre

MaggioDanza is a ballet company of very long tradition. The direction of the Florence Theatre Maggio Musicale and the oldest Festival in Europe, with the same name, was recently took over by Zubin Mehta, while the managing of ballet company is in the hand of Francesco Ventriglia. We watched him, as a dancer, with a Ballet of Teatro alla Scala and after that we heard of his choreographies for ballet of Bolshoi and Mariinsky theatres…. MaggioDanza is coming with their new readings of Stravinsky music, cult titles “Les Noces” and “Rite of Spring”, with, above all young, superior dancers, and signature of two most popular choreographers at the moment – Andonis Foniadakis and Francesco Ventriglia.

18th of April at 8pm | Belgrade Drama Theatre

Wim Vandekeybus, Flemish dancer, choreographer and filmmaker, well known for productions that are bombing senses with explosive physical energy and loud music, together with his company Ultima Vez has won the public over with his new title Booty looting, which premiered on Venice Dance Biennale in September year 2012. He is coming to Belgrade Dance Festival with this piece that’s dealing with “phenomenon of photography that kills presence and ices past”, and that, apart from dancers, includes photography and musician.

19th of April at 8pm | Sava Center

Choreographer that thrilled Belgrade audience two years ago, Alexander Ekman, is bringing the best Study of Entertainment for the end of the Festival, and, once again, brings Cullberg Ballet on the stage of Sava Center.

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