Choreo Sync Residency In Hungary: Exploring New Voices In Contemporary Dance

As part of the dancEUA project, the Forum of Young Choreographers, and NYIT at KET, the Choreo Sync international residency recently brought together ten emerging choreographers from Ukraine, Sweden, Croatia, Hungary, and Romania for a three-day intensive creative experience in Hungary.

Organized by CEDT – Central Europe Dance Theatre and presented at the 14th SŐT7 International Contemporary Dance Festival, the residency offered a unique opportunity to explore new movement languages, experiment with stage forms, and deepen artistic collaboration.

Guided by mentor Márton Csuzi and supported by assistant Lili Stern, the choreographers worked closely with the dancers of the Central Europe Dance Theatre, developing short dance compositions in pairs. This structure allowed them to observe each other’s processes, exchange ideas, and push the boundaries of their creative practices in a supportive, collaborative environment.

The residency culminated in an evening showcase where all ten newly created choreographies were presented as a flowing series of dance etudes. From introspective, nuanced explorations to bold, experimental statements, each piece reflected the distinctive voice of its creator, while together the works offered a vibrant snapshot of the most experimental directions in contemporary dance today.

This year’s participating choreographers included Daria Hordiichuk and Tetiana Znamerovska from Ukraine, Anna Borrás Picó and Julia Ekvold from Sweden, Toni Flego and Sofija Milic from Croatia, Réka Gyevnár and Noémi Piller from Hungary, and Dávid Dabóczi and Vanda Stefanescu from Romania. The dancers of the Central Europe Dance Theatre brought their creations to life on stage, showcasing a remarkable blend of creativity, energy, and collaboration.

The Choreo Sync residency and its showcase are part of dancEUA (2024–2027), a Creative Europe initiative developed by Studio Contemporary Dance Company (Croatia), Central Europe Dance Theatre (Hungary), Vitlycke – Centre for Performing Arts (Sweden), M Studio (Romania), and UA Contemporary Dance Platform (Ukraine). The project aims to foster the development of contemporary dance locally, encourage international artistic exchange, and support the next generation of choreographers in creating bold and innovative work.