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Dance history - shoemakee Piškurič
Ljubljana May 6, 2024 - contribution by Branka Lončarič, introduction written by Katja Vidmar. In January 2024, we received an unusual...
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THE BOOK
"And the book became a dance..."
"Ten books that became my inspiration and guide for the choreography, and the connecting text that intertwines my story with the stories of the books. I read them again and again and I discovered new meanings in them. At the same time, they were a reminder to me of who I am and where I am going. In the performance, I intertwine my passions for four arts: dance, music, literature and painting, and in between, a video story is interwoven in parallel, reflecting what cannot be said with any other language.
The past overlaps with the present, the old is replaced by the new, the real becomes unreal, and I am caught in the moments that reflect my life and the path of searching and creating, approaching and moving away, awareness and concealment... one body, two bodies, several bodies - they become a book, a character, a place, time, a feeling, a word. All my childhood fears are dispelled and I am looking everywhere for the beauty of life, of the moment, of being."
One-hour show (lyrical jazz) with multimedia and light stage effects.
"And the book became a dance..."
The play premiered on October 21, 2022 in Ljubljana.
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PERFORMANCES
Performances
And in the dance of aesthetics and the lively artistic forms of the white ribbons, this literary dance imagination, the multimedia performance The Book by Katja Vidmar, ends, which brought the enthusiastic audience to their feet. And as they say, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, so the dancer and choreographer Katja Vidmar successfully continues the family dance mission, which was built in the first modern dance school of Meta Vidmar, the sister of Ciril Vidmar, Katja's great-grandfather.
Read the review of the premiere of the dance reviewer Daliborka Podboj
Name, Title
BOOKS AND MUSIC
Books (acts) and music of the performance
1. Kaleo - Way down we go - "Uncle Tom's Cabin" - Harriet Beecher-Stowe
2. Era - The Mass - "The Reader" - Bernhard Schlink
3. Ivan Torrent - Afterlife (feat. Celica Soldream) - "Women's Prison" - Vincent G. Burns
4. Zoe Wees - Control - "Transformation" - Franz Kafka
5. Vitamin String Quartet - Earned It - "The Little Dancer" - Cathy Marie Buchanan
6. Ludovico Eniaudi - Primavera - "Caterpillar" - Ciril Kosmač
7. Armando Morabito - Angel (feat. Julie Elven) - "Silk" - Alessandro Baricco
8. Abel Korzeniowski - Table for Two - "Stories for reflection" - Jorge Bucay
9. Armando Morabito - Rising Force (feat. Tina Guo) - "The Gift of Numbers" - Yoko Ogawa
10. Armando Morabito - Sea of Atlas (feat. Julie Elven & Tina Guo) - "Whose Life" - Maurice Béjart
Books and music
THE TEAM
Dancers:
Katja Vidmar, Sara Brčvak, Neža Banovec, Zala Šušteršič, Petra Ramovš, Ana Mužič, Kristi Kruusmaa, Kristina Kolbezen, Iva Šantek, Sara Bračun Duhovnik
Choreography, text, music selection and author: Katja Vidmar
Co-choreographers: Neža Banovec, Sara Brčvak
Lighting and tone design: Matej Šarf, Nik Keber, Albert Podrekar
Photography and projection: Albert Podrekar
Production: Albert Podrekar
Honorary Patron: Vlasta Nussdorfer
Online media sponsor: Barbra Drnač - Dance Parade
Sponsor: Lelosi, Knauf Insulation, Radio Ekspres, Center for Special Physiotherapy and Manual Therapy
Supporter: Sazas, Radio Hit, RA Slovenia (Val 202, 1st program)
The team
KATJA VIDMAR
The Book is all I am and all I feel. Books and music as inspiration, dance for the expression of the most intimate and hidden feelings and drawing as relaxation and disconnection from the axis of the world. Although it was created for a long time, it was changed and supplemented in the meantime, and I believe that this is right. Each of the books and choreographies has its own symbolic meaning, and the projection and selection of music are what tie everything together into a whole and a message. We spent many hours in the studio and I know that it is tiring for dancers with work, family, obligations... to spend their free time in regersals, so I am truly grateful from the bottom of my heart to Sara Brčvak, Neži Banovec, Zali Šušteršič, Petri Ramovš, Ani Mužič , Kristini Kolbezen, Kristi Kruusmaa, Iva Šantek and Sara Bračun Duhovnik for all the days and hours when we created and rehearsed for the show to be finished and waiting for its performance. Since this is already my fourth full-length show in addition to the four dance fairy tales and all the dance projects, I am proud that we are still creating, producing, donating and DANCING. I am also grateful that Ms. Vlasta Nussdorfer will once again is our honorary sponsor, Parada plesa - Barbra Drnač - Paradaplesa.si is our online media sponsor, that Sara Brčvak and Neža Banovec helped me with the choreography and creation, that Matej Šarf and Nik Keber will be our lučkar, and above all, that our producer Albert, with his ideas, projection, music selection and editing, completed what was needed to present the final image.
SARA BRČVAK
My favorite book is "My Life" by Isadora Duncan. I would recommend the book because it tells you that everything is possible in life. And that's why it's the moments that really are everything.
Participating in the play Knjiga means another very nice dance experience for me, joy and socializing with warm-hearted people and dancers. Helping people through dance.
Primavera is my favorite point in the show. I have very fond memories of hanging out and creating with Katja. In addition, Primavera represents awakening, new beginnings, nature, the world in colors...
To me, dancing means joy, passion, playfulness.
NEŽA BANOVEC
I already have quite an extensive home library at home and I can say that every book has a very special place. I like to read Hermann Hesse, where through his books (Siddharta, Demian, Steppe Wolf) I get to know myself. I also like Milan Kundera (The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Immortality) and Albert Camus, because they help me understand life itself and the problems it brings. A few months ago, the book Dora and the Minotaur, which talks about the tragic and suffering relationship between Dora Maar and Pablo Picasso, also left me speechless.
Participating in the play The Book means a lot to me. I'll get a new experience and I'm really looking forward to finally stepping on stage again.
My favorite part of the show is actually the creation process itself. I don't have a favorite spot, because I think each one has a very special charm. Dancing is a way of life for me, it is part of me and my personality.
ZALA ŠUŠTERŠIČ
My favorite book is a story called "The perks of being a wallflower", which is about the life and emotions of the main character, Charlie. I would recommend it especially to teenagers (and others, of course) as the book is about a boy who has just entered high school and very nicely explains his feelings and adventures.
I am very proud to be able to participate in such a play as the play Knjiga, because I have never been a part of something so big either.
I like the choreography "Gift of numbers" the most, because it really has a lot going on, and that's why we spent so much more time on it.
Dancing means a lot to me. It is my form of relaxation and helps me whenever I am not feeling well. He has been with me since childhood and I really couldn't imagine my life without him.
PETRA RAMOVŠ
My book would be Muriel Barbery: The Elegance of the Hedgehog - an intelligent, at times witty and even a bit philosophical novel about the importance of beauty in this strange world. Ego, snobbery and superiority over people, which so far away shows me exactly how I think myself, and on the other side a sense of culture, art and natural intelligence.
Participating in this performance means several things to me: that I can dance, that I can continue I always dance, that we have connected movement and music with the selected books, that we are charitable, and as a finishing touch, that in this varied way of life, we find moments that are sometimes difficult to choose, reherse and achieve a beautiful dance project together. I consider it an honor to be selected for Katje Vidmar's team.
From our performance, I would single out the solo "Little Dancer", because it has all the elements of dance as I feel it. The common one is "Uncle Tom's Cabin", because it is easily the closest to me in terms of dance (and music).
To me, dancing means freedom, feelings that I can express, feeling. During dancing, happiness, joy is triggered - the moment I dance, I can embrace the whole world. The feeling and awareness that I can let myself go to the music and enjoy the choreography in the ballroom and on stage or in spontaneous movement at home or on the dance floor.
ANA MUŽIČ
My favorite book is "In the Whirlpool" by Margaret Mitchell - a love story set in the American South during the Civil War.
At the beginning of the novel, the main character at first appears unscrupulous and selfish, but then her standards and motives change due to a change in social and economic status. It is a story of survival filled with passion between two brave men.
I am glad that I can help with the art of dance. I am proud that this time the humanitarian aid is intended for the VID foundation, with which we have already cooperated.
As a performer, my favorite dance acts are "Transformation" and "Stories for Reflection"; as a viewer, I was most impressed by the solo "Little Dancer". Why? I like the music, the choreography, the performance, the story,...
Dancing is my passion, which fills me with energy and gives me life force, it means recreation, relaxation, aesthetics, elegance, pleasure and an escape from everyday obligations and worries.
KRISTI KRUUSMAA
Favorite books? Anything from H. Murakami. His surreal world somehow becomes so relatable and makes one wonder about reality itself and believe that anything is possible not sure it was clear enough
I am an absolute book geek so when most people live in the world of expensive posessions then my main posession is my books, so working on a book-related project is close to my heart
I admire The Mass act - it just feels very powerful
Dancing is my happy place
KRISTINA KOLBEZEN
My favorite book is "Women Who Love Too Much". I recommend it because it clarifies many relationships, gives you insight into setting and respecting your own boundaries and the boundaries of others, and allows you to start understanding all kinds of relationships.
Participating in the show is basically a turning point in my life, something I'm finally doing exclusively for_me. It's also a dream come true - to stand on stage and be part of a show, be part of music, groups, happenings, art.
My favorite part of the show is "Transformation" because it allowed me to progress the most and express myself at the same time. I also really like the song in which Katja dances by herself, the meaning of the prison, the feeling there.
Dance is the meaning of life for me. The meaning of every day, morning and evening.
IVA ŠANTEK
I have to admit that I should spend more time reading. Somehow I don't have this "habit" and I always find some other way to relax. I would like to mention two books that are particularly close to my heart - Gogol's "The Cloak" and Kafka's "Transformation". The two books evoked different emotions in me and encouraged me to think about our ingratitude, about society, about our happiness, and above all about how we should walk in the world with an open heart and dedicate a part of ourselves to others around us.
Participation in the play "The book" means a lot to me. This is the first performance besides the children's fairy tale "Hug the Tree" in which I will dance as a dancer from the Katja Dance Company. When I first saw the recording of the performance, I couldn't wait for Katja to start teaching me the choreography. And now, after all the effort, the moment of the first appearance in the play has finally arrived. I am very much looking forward to this. I love the stage, music, dancing. I missed live performances.
The Control points (Kafka: The Transformation) are the most close to my heart, because they represent a dance challenge due to their complexity and emotionality; and the Rising Force point (Ogawa: Gift of Numbers), which is very powerful and radiates energy.
Dance is my way of life. I dance anywhere and anytime, whether I'm happy or sad, full of energy or sleepy, in the room, the hall, the kitchen or the park. Dance is the expression of emotions, connecting with people and with oneself. The feeling of transferring energy to the audience and between the dancers is unique.
SARA BRAČUN DUHOVNIK
It's hard to say which is my favorite book, but some of the ones I've read will definitely stay in my memory forever. One of these is "The Simple Truth", which is about a murder on an Amish farm. I myself had never been in contact with their culture, way of life and perception of the world before, and it was very interesting to me how the story unexpectedly got complicated and unraveled based on this.
I am very happy to be able to participate in the performance The book and help people with my love for dance.
It is difficult for me to decide which point in the play I like the most, each one is something special, unique and carries its own message.
For me, dance is the best way of expressing, relaxing and creating, because it is a part of me and has accompanied me almost my whole life.
Viewer reviews
VIEWER REVIEWS
Katja and her Dance Company are amazing. I was blown away by their new show "The book". It is a masterpiece of accuracy, creativity and professional teamwork. The story is understandable through emotions, movements and sounds. I appreciate their work to a high level and support them to perform their shows also in Austria. Katja Dance Company is enriching the cultural landscape of each region they are performing in. Thank you for your professional work - keep on rocking the stage!
Sabrina Schifrer (President Wunderwelten Assosiation, Journalist Radio Agora, Klagenfurt, Austria)
The play The book, choreographed by Katja Vidmar, professor of Slovenian language at our school, is a great enrichment for the Slovenian space, as it opens the door to the world of art, creation, reading in an original way - which directs people to what they yearn for MORE, to reading, i.e. discovering worlds that broaden his horizons, give meaning to life and give hope... Along with the books that marked the author, everyone is encouraged to discover the meaning of the books that shaped his life. The performance is an artistic excess, because with the interweaving of dance, music and story, it lifts a person's spirit and encourages him to rediscover the richness of the book and, above all, gives the knowledge that everyone is an open book. It is a special beauty that we encourage each other as open living books... that LIFE writes interesting stories with us...
For the students, our employees and for the mentors of the students on practical training, the performance The book is a great gift, which we accepted with gratitude and also with pride that Katja Vidmar is part of our team.
Principal of the Ljubljana Secondary School of Health: M.Sc. Silva Kastelic
And in the dance of aesthetics and the lively artistic forms of the white ribbons, this literary dance imagination, the multimedia performance Knjiga Katje Vidmar, which brought the enthusiastic audience to their feet, ends. And as they say, the apple does not fall far from the tree, so the dancer and choreographer Katja Vidmar successfully continues the family dance mission, which was built in the first modern dance school of Meta Vidmar, the sister of Ciril Vidmar, Katja's grandfather.
Daliborka Podboj (Dance reviewer, student of Živa Kraigher at the Studio for Free Dance, in the years 1975-1987 she also took over the artistic direction of the studio, Ljubljana)
Katja Vidmar speaks, her voice is pleasantly warm and passionate. Unfortunately I don't understand what she says, but the pictures tell about books, possibly about her love of reading.
The dance scene begins with touching music. The femininity of women is coming Into a highlight. Her moves are soft, sexy, and strong. The atmospheric light underlines the sensual power of women.
The dance choreographies are accompanied by impressive videos by Albert Podrekar on the big screen in the background. They change from book to book. Pictures with their stories, told by the choreographer and dancer Katja herself, or accompanied by a male voice. For me, they are memorial walks. A visit to a coffee house. Nostalgic. Dreamy. An open book, the pages turned by the wind. Joy of the sun and charm of wings widen the space.
Katja succeeds in a mixture of eroticism and playfulness. Her delicate, feminine nature and their clear lines with resolute firmness reveal fine details. Her power and love for dance emerges immensely.
Careful attention is paid to the costumes. It's a casual style that will turn into expressing femininity in all its different facets.
Her alternation of steadfastly energetic and softly falling movements keeps the enduring performance to the last in momentum. The dramaturgical sequence with the sensitive and stable orientation shows a lively child-woman full of joy and heart, as well as the graceful, confident adult in all her commitment, in her stage fire.
Colorful, blazing, jagged, matric. Flowing, natural, herbal. All is included and provides surprises.
Her sense of flow and tempo, her versatility, the implementation of her choreographic ideas she develops for her team and the solos she creates, especially where she created it for the young women, are stunning. The dance full of momentum, spirals and light-footed jumps, extremely smooth, fascinated me. It is clear that these danced floods require intensive training and physical implementation skills.
Pure precision and joy of experience in Katja's universal book world.
Klaudia Ahrer (Dance, Performer, Choreographer. Training as an integrative dance teacher and qualified life and social worker, Mentor. Dance areas - Ballett, Acrobatics, Oriental, Afro, Contact, HipHop, Butoh and Feldenkrais. Klagenfurt, Austria)
Charity
CHARITY
We donate part of the proceeds from the tickets sold to the VID Institute from Kranje.
"The Humanitarian Institute VID was the first charitable and humanitarian institution in Slovenia, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in a good year and a half. We help children and their families turn their lives around for the better. With the help of good people, donors, companies and individuals, we provide disabled aids to children and also services that contribute to making their lives easier, enabling learning and education with aids for the blind and partially sighted, etc. Several thousand children across Slovenia have already benefited from our help, which is always concrete and comprehensive, adapted to the individual child and the solution to his problem. We believe that only by solving the problem in its entirety can the child become more independent and thereby also help to relieve the family._cc781905-5cde-3194-bb3b-136bad 5cf58d_Feeling, that we were the ones who touched many lives of the most vulnerable population of children and managed to turn their lives around for the better is wonderful. And we believe that this feeling is shared by all our supporters and of course everyone in the Katja Dance Company."
News
NEWS
SNAPSHOT FROM REHERSALS
Snapshots from regersals
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