Legend of Contemporary Dance Lucinda Childs Performs in Slovakia for the First Time
Childs’s Latest Work STEIN at the Festival The evening will be complemented by three of her works from the 1970s
One of the most important figures of world dance, American choreographer and performer Lucinda Childs, will come to Bratislava this autumn. As part of the Bratislava in Movement Festival, she will present her latest choreography STEIN on October 18, 2025, at Divadlo Aréna, performing on stage alongside dancer Miki Orihara. The evening will also feature three of Childs’s early works from the 1970s, interpreted by the international company Dance On Ensemble.
Childs is considered a legend of postmodern dance. She was part of the groundbreaking Judson Dance Theater movement, later collaborated with Robert Wilson and Philip Glass on the opera Einstein on the Beach, and created works that fundamentally shaped the course of contemporary dance. Her style combines rhythmic precision, clarity of movement, and a hypnotic visual simplicity that has captivated audiences and critics around the world.
In STEIN, Childs returns to her early creative approaches, combining movement, text, and ocean projections by Hans Peter Kuhn into a powerful reflection on body memory and the strength of maturity. “Lucinda’s choreographies are timeless. What she did in the 1960s and 70s now appears visionary,” says Ty Boomershine, Artistic Director of Dance On Ensemble.
The premiere of STEIN on July 24, 2025, in Berlin received enthusiastic reviews. Critics praised “the fantastic, highly atmospheric music of Hans Peter Kuhn” (DLF Fazit), “pure, unadulterated movement – the beauty of minimalism, mathematics, and geometry” (rbbKultur), and “the utopian and ecstatic power of choreographies that drive away sombre thoughts and focus attention on the present” (taz).
The evening will also include three of Childs’s choreographies from the 1970s – Untitled Trio, Radial Courses, and Interior Drama. “These works, presented without musical accompaniment, now stand as fascinating evidence of the strength of minimalist dance. It is an immense honor for us to welcome Lucinda Childs to Bratislava and present her work to the Slovak audience,” says Miroslava Kovářová, Artistic Director of the festival.
The early works of Lucinda Childs will be performed by members of the Berlin-based Dance On Ensemble, made up of professional dancers aged 40+. The company is internationally recognized for its unique approach to age and the body in dance. “Dance On was born out of the need to create space for experienced performers who want to try new things. It’s not about nostalgia, but about curiosity and the courage to keep going,” adds Boomershine.
Quotes are taken from Miroslava Kovářová’s interview with Ty Boomershine, who speaks about the ensemble’s social origins, its courage to explore new formats, and the fascinating work of Lucinda Childs – from the “silent” choreographies of the 1970s to her most recent pieces, where video, voice, and her live presence on stage intertwine.
Performance STEIN
October 18, 2025, 7:00 PM | Divadlo Aréna, Bratislava
Duration: 70 minutes with intermission
Tickets: €18 – €25 / €10 students and seniors
More information about the performance: Dance On Ensemble & Lucinda Childs & Miki Orihara (Germany/USA): STEIN – Bratislava in Movement
Tickets available at Dance on Ensemble & Lucinda Childs (DE/USA): STEIN – vstupenky | Predpredaj.sk
