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STUDIO CONTEMPORARY DANCE COMPANY
Studio Contemporary Dance Company, founded in 1962 in Zagreb under the direction of Ana and Vera Maletić, is the longest-standing dance ensemble in Croatia and the region. From the beginning, it played a key role in developing contemporary dance, encouraging choreographic exploration among its dancers while collaborating with renowned choreographers and theatre directors. Throughout its history, the ensemble has embraced innovation, balancing artistic experimentation with performance opportunities in theatres, television, and international festivals.
The tendency towards bold steps into artistic experimentation and openness to various authorial poetics—whether from the Studio’s own members or from established domestic and international choreographers—remains a recognizable direction of the Studio Contemporary Dance Company to this day. This openness has allowed the ensemble to remain relevant, continuously exploring new movement languages and artistic approaches.
Over the decades, the Studio has nurtured generations of dancers, many of whom have returned as choreographers, further enriching its legacy. It has received multiple Croatian Theatre Awards and awards from the Croatian Association of Dance Artists, recognizing its significant contribution to the field. In 2024, Martina Tomić became the artistic director, continuing the ensemble’s mission of fostering creativity and innovation in contemporary dance.
Central Europe Dance Theatre (CEDT)
Central Europe Dance Theatre (CEDT) has a long history: it was the first dance theatre in Hungary and one of the best-known independent contemporary dance companies. The predecessor of CEDT was founded in 1978 by the Ministry of Culture as a branch of the Népszínház (‘People’s Theatre’), merged from the 25th Theatre and the Déryné Theatre in the Castle Theater.
The Népszínház Dance Ensemble represented a particular colour in the Hungarian dance art: the company’s artistic work was based on folklore, yet its aspirations were still close to modern theatrical trends. The face of the repertoire was defined by the creative work of artistic director Katalin Györgyfalvay. In 1988, István Énekes and Csaba Szögi took over the management of the Népszínház Dance Ensemble. In 1989, the Népszínház Dance Ensemble was renamed, and thus the Central Europe Dance Theatre was born, which operated as a branch of the Népszínház until 1991, and then as a branch of the Budapest Chamber Theater until 1996, becoming an independent public association in 1997.
The company has performed in 44 cities in 22 countries, from the United States to Armenia, Finland and Egypt, and has given more than 120 premieres. CEDT was the first Hungarian company to perform on Broadway in New York. In September 1996, the Ministry of Culture decided to move the company to the former Bethlen Cinema. The former theatre at 3 Bethlen Square was reopened as a rehearsal space in 1997, and since then many unforgettable theatre evenings and performances have proven that the decision was the right one. In January 2012, the venue was renamed Bethlen Square Theater, with the dance theatre playing a major role.
The ensemble, led by its founder-director Csaba Szögi, operates as an open workshop. During this time, more than 70 choreographers have worked with the ever-changing company. Artists are invited who do not realise their artistic visions in the clichés of safe and proven forms of movement, but who take the risks of the uncharted path and create their performances with courageous, original means of expression.
M STUDIO
M Studio was established in 2005 as a workshop of Háromszék Dance Ensemble by choreographer Péter Uray and a handful of young actors, searching for new forms and possibilities in the art of movement. As the only representative of professional movement theatre in Transylvania, the company aims to promote a unique theatrical language that combines elements of dance theatre, music, motion and visual art, continously searching for new ways of expression.
The company intends to reshape western canonical literary works also through theatrical and physical language (Shakespeare, Cehov, Ibsen, Örkény, Kafka).
The Cultural and Youth Association – MOIRA (Asociația Culturală și de tineret MOIRA) is an independent and apolitical NGO founded in 2008 in Sfântu Gheorghe, Romania with the well-determined and primary aim to support the artistic activities of the M Studio – contemporary dance company. The association supports the realization of new productions, national and international tours, facilitates administrative and management activities and since 2015 supports the organization of FLOW Festival in Sfântu Gheorghe.
The association is determined to sustain and promote the values of contemporary dance, movement and theater in Romania in collaboration with other independent companies and NGOs, as well as to shine international visibility on M Studio.
The tendency towards bold steps into artistic experimentation and openness to various authorial poetics—whether from the Studio’s own members or from established domestic and international choreographers—remains a recognizable direction of the Studio Contemporary Dance Company to this day. This openness has allowed the ensemble to remain relevant, continuously exploring new movement languages and artistic approaches.
Over the decades, the Studio has nurtured generations of dancers, many of whom have returned as choreographers, further enriching its legacy. It has received multiple Croatian Theatre Awards and awards from the Croatian Association of Dance Artists, recognizing its significant contribution to the field. In 2024, Martina Tomić became the artistic director, continuing the ensemble’s mission of fostering creativity and innovation in contemporary dance.
VITLYCKE CENTRE FOR PERFORMING ARTS
Vitlycke – Centre for Performing Arts (CPA) is a place for investigation and creation, for research, training and education.
Vitlycke – CPA is a non-governmental independent organisation, founded with the aim of providing an inspiring space for performing arts. Initiated by internationally renowned choreographer, dancer and teacher Francesco Scavetta, Vitlycke is a user-created, innovative informal institution. Its activities include: residencies, performances and informal showings, after-talks, workshops for professional dancers, master-classes for non-professional participants, concerts and music events, film projections and seminars. Vitlycke also has a programme of performances and workshops for young audiences (SEE/MOVE). In August 2017 it established HERE, a Biennial International Performing Arts Festival.
Vitlycke aims to constantly widen its outreach, hosting a thriving variety of projects focusing on performativity, education, social and cultural development. Projects that can encourage participation, a sense of community and integration, and critically aware thinking.
Vitlycke is a platform where artists can meet, rehearse and share their work. A place where companies can concentrate on their creations in a calm environment, surrounded by nature, detached from the rhythm of the city.
Vitlycke has as goal to expose its audience in the region to Nordic, European and International projects, that are experimental, deal with new ways to approach performativity and dramaturgy, and have multidisciplinary field collaborations. Works that use new technologies and that, for their political and social focus, can facilitate integration and social awareness, also regarding gender and multicultural issues. Vitlycke-CPA works in tight collaboration with several Institutions in Sweden, and has initiated networks of collaborations with partners based in Nordic countries and internationally.
UA CONTEMPORARY DANCE PLATFORM
Studio Contemporary Dance Company, founded in 1962 in Zagreb under the direction of Ana and Vera Maletić, is the longest-standing dance ensemble in Croatia and the region. From the beginning, it played a key role in developing contemporary dance, encouraging choreographic exploration among its dancers while collaborating with renowned choreographers and theatre directors. Throughout its history, the ensemble has embraced innovation, balancing artistic experimentation with performance opportunities in theatres, television, and international festivals.
The tendency towards bold steps into artistic experimentation and openness to various authorial poetics—whether from the Studio’s own members or from established domestic and international choreographers—remains a recognizable direction of the Studio Contemporary Dance Company to this day. This openness has allowed the ensemble to remain relevant, continuously exploring new movement languages and artistic approaches.
Over the decades, the Studio has nurtured generations of dancers, many of whom have returned as choreographers, further enriching its legacy. It has received multiple Croatian Theatre Awards and awards from the Croatian Association of Dance Artists, recognizing its significant contribution to the field. In 2024, Martina Tomić became the artistic director, continuing the ensemble’s mission of fostering creativity and innovation in contemporary dance.
Contact
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