|
Contemporary Theatre of Dance
FOTOFO in Photograph Gallery Profil, Prepoštská 4,814 99 Bratislava
Opening hours: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. except Mondays
From 4.12.2002 until 2.1.2003
Contemporary dancing– this
progressive art form cogently reflects the spirit of this age, its
complexity and beauty. In attempt to find self expression it searches new
forms and meanings contrary to traditional methods.
Contemporary dancing, even if it is derived from the most ancient human
expression, is one of the youngest arts in Slovakia. New conditions for
forming and performing independent dance groups came up after 1989.
Establishing a department of Modern Dancing at the Academy of Music and
Dramatic Arts was an important moment too.
A need for new groups and search for possibilities of professional
realization led the graduates of the department to found a centre of
contemporary dance – Association of Contemporary Dancing (1996). The first
professional group of dancers, choreographers, pedagogues and critics had an
aim to create professional conditions in order to develop, promote and
present contemporary slovak dancing at home and throughout the world. The
next and the only Slovak centre of contemporary dancing out of Bratislava is
the Studio of Dance in Banská Bystrica. It was found in 1988 by a
choreographer Zuzana Hájková, the author of almost all of its production.
An intention of the studio was to create original dancing performances in
cooperation of slovak choreographers, musicians and artists.
Bratislava´s Theatre of Dance, the only Slovak private dancing ensemble was
founded in 1997 and since then untill today some of top-ranking Slovak and
Czech dancers worked there. Repertory of the theatre was made of full-length
and short projects of Slovak and foreign choreographers (Ján Ďurovčík, Šárka
Ondrišová, Peter Mika, Ján Kodet, Bill Young, Daniel Ezralow and others).
Following traces of many personalities of contemporary dancing led to
theatre of dance Bralen – the oldest group of modern dancing in Slovakia,
the seedbed of talented dancers and choreographers.
This exhibition Contemporary Theatre of Dance captures a dynamic period of
the last ten years full of progressive and inventive projects of the three
mentioned centres of contemporary dancing. It features Slovak photographers
Ctibor Bachratý, Peter Brenkus, Ján Kozelnický, Jozef Lomnický and René
Miko.
CTIBOR BACHRATÝ
1955, Cífer
„Dance is one of the most wonderful expression of life.“
He has been a photographer of theatre since 1991. Theatre and dancing
performances are the main themes of his photos in the full range of their
genres. From exhibitions: House of Culture, Pezinok – Hot Jazz Duel Festival
(1994), Trenčianske Teplice – ART Film Festival 1997, Theatrical Nitra 1999
a 2001, Theatrical Portrait – Gallery of M. Bazovský, Trenčín 1999, Festival
Pohoda, Trenčín 2000 a 2001, Saloon of Theatre Photography – Profil Gallery,
Bratislava 1999, House of the Slovak Culture – Praha 2000, Theatre of
Theatre – Profil Gallery 2001 and others. Contstantly cooperates with
theatres in Bratislava: Aréna, Ballet of the Slovak National Theatre, New
Scene, Stoka, GunaGU, Radošiná´s Naive Theatre, Bratislava´s Theatre of
Dance, Theatre of A. Bagar in Nitra and Theatre of Jonáš Záborský in Prešov.
PETER BRENKUS
1961, Bratislava
„Dancing is one of the most beautiful and at the same time most elusive art
of this world. None of visual media can record that unrepeatable atmosphere,
when beautiful people dance in a fantastic choreography on an entrancing
music. My lifelong challenge is to capture just a piece of such atmosphere
in my photographs.“
Graduate of the Faculty of Economy in Bratislava. From 1989 till 1992 worked
as a photojournalist of TASR. Since 1992 had worked as a freelance
photographer. From 1993 till 2000 was an official photographer of Michal
Kováč and Rudolf Schuster, presidents of the Slovak Republic. His long-time
series: the church in Slovakia, gypsies, folk dance, ballet , modern dance,
nacionalism in Slovakia. Exhibited in many Slovak towns, in Vienna and Graz.
Coauthor of book publications Danubius Magnus, Citizen and Demokracy,
Danubian Postcards I. and II., Lúčnica – 50 Years of Beauty, Lúčnica – My
Life. In 2000 won the Czech Press Photo´s 1st prize– Golden Eye in the
category People in the Focus and the 3rd prize in the category Actuality.
JÁN KOZELNICKÝ
1979, Banská Bystrica
„When I am taking pictures of dancers, I have a feeling, that I am dancing
with them.“
Ján Kozelnický graduated from Secondary Technical School of Jozef Murgaš in
Banská Bystrica in a department of technical-informative service. His
hobbies, skiing and turism, held him in a close contact with the nature.
Started to photograph in attempt to capture moments spent in the nature. His
father, who have been taking pictures for twenty years, brought him to
photography. Since 2000, when started to work in the Dancing Studio in
Banská Bystrica, dance has become his only photo-theme.
JOZEF LOMNICKÝ
1961, Handlová
„I like the staged photography. Moving body is an ideal object of this kind
of photography. Since modern dancing has been developing successfully in
Banská Bystrica, in my work I concentrate on capturing its atmosphere.“
Absolvent of Electrotechnic Faculty of the Slovak Technical Academy in
Bratislava. Amateur photographer since studies at a secondary school. Since
1990 - professional photographer in many fields (photography of commerce,
fashion theatre, portrait, journals, calendars). As a main photographer
cooperated in publishing of four books. In 1991 exhibited acts in Brezno and
Banská Bystrica.Among his contemporary themes dancing is on the first place:
Contemporary Dancing individual exhibition in Banská Bystrica in 2001 and
next exhibition from the same field is in preparation.
RENÉ MIKO
1964, Bojnice
After graduation from a high school changed around 15 jobs. At the end of
1980s discovered the world of photography. Since 1990 a photographer for
daily Smer in Banská Bystrica. Freelance photographer since 1996. Except
documentary and reporting photography, regularly photographer of
performances of Dance Studio in Banská Bystrica, Bratislava´s group Artyci
and othere dancing and theatrical projects. Lives and works in Banská
Bystrica.
Curator: Eva Gajdošová, the specialist of DÚ.
|