Mobility
Dance Journeys are Fundamental for the Festival’s Development
The Bratislava in Movement Festival offers audiences works by top contemporary dance
companies and artists from Europe and America, and plays a significant role in the
development of dance art in Slovakia.
For the festival’s development, it is crucial to map the latest trends and styles, as well as the
evolution of the international dance scene. It is equally important for the festival and the
Bratislava in Movement Association (ABP) to establish collaborations with festivals and
institutions in this field.
To achieve this, the festival’s dramaturge and artistic director, Miroslava Kovářová, regularly
undertakes various types of mobility throughout the year, thanks in part to financial support
from the Fond na podporu umenia (the Slovak Art Council).
The outcomes of these mobilities include:
Developing collaboration with foreign partners—platforms and festivals are meeting
places for dance professionals and provide opportunities for discussions and preparation of
joint collaborative projects.
Gathering information about contemporary dance creation and development in
different countries — the Bratislava in Movement Festival aims to present the Slovak audience
with current developments in the global dance scene. Festivals and platforms are the best
opportunities to gain the necessary overview of new trends.
Building new contacts.
Promoting Slovak dance art abroad — participation in meetings allows for informing
foreign colleagues about new works and achievements of Slovak artists, facilitating contacts
and participation in international festivals and events.
The project was supported by public funds from the Fond na podporu umenia (the Slovak Arts Council).
Mobility in 2024
11 – 17 January 2024: Mobility USA, New York, USA
14 – 18 February 2024: ICE HOT – Nordic Dance Platform, Oslo, Norway
21 – 24 March 2024: Spring Forward Festival, Darmstadt, Germany
17 – 21 April 2024: Dansa Valencia, Valencia, Spain
17 – 20 July 2024: ImPulz Tanz, Vienna, Austria
28 August – 1 September 2024: Tanzmesse, Düsseldorf, Germany
11 – 17 November 2024: CINARS, Montreal, Canada
Mobility in New York, USA
11 – 17 January 2024
The Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP), based in Washington, DC, is a
national service organization in the United States dedicated to advocacy, development, and
support of the performing arts sector. It brings together professionals working in this field,
including leading performing arts centers in the US, city and university theater facilities,
nonprofit performing arts centers, international cultural organizations, as well as artistic
agencies, managers, travel companies, and artists.
The association’s annual conference attracts members from across the country and
international guests to New York, playing a significant
role in building collaborations in the performing arts on both national and international levels.
During the conference, numerous accompanying events are held in New York, where artists
present their work through performances, showcases, festivals, concerts, and other events.
During her mobility, Miroslava Kovářová attended a total of 13 performances and showcases
at New York Live Arts (NYLA), Joyce Theater, Ailey Citygroup Theater, NY City Center
studios, and Danspace Project. She also met with artists and theater and group managers,
including Kyle Maude (NYLA), Gabe Sheerer (Lotus Arts Management), Michelle Fletcher
(Miguel Gutierrez), Kyle Marshall, and Kimberly Bartosik (daela).
The goal of these meetings was to gather information about dance productions, familiarize
herself with support opportunities for their participation in the Bratislava in Movement
Festival in 2025, which will focus on presenting contemporary dance from the USA and
Canada. These meetings were crucial for establishing personal contacts and obtaining
necessary information about the contemporary dance scene in the USA. Miroslava Kovářová
informed her colleagues about the structure and activities of the Bratislava in Motion Festival
and the Slovak Dance Platform, which will take place in 2025.
The project was supported by public funds from the Fond na podporu umenia (the Slovak Art Council).
Mobility in Oslo, Norway: Ice Hot – Nordic Dance Platform
14 – 18 February 2024
For the development of the Bratislava in Movement Festival, it is essential to map the latest
developments in the international dance scene and establish collaborations with festivals and
institutions in this field.
The seventh Nordic Dance Platform, ICE HOT, provided an opportunity to explore the work
of selected artists from all Nordic countries, showcasing the most interesting works created in
the past two seasons. The event, organized every two years in a different Nordic country, was
held in Oslo this year and was organized by Dansens Hus Oslo, attracting a large audience.
More than 300 cultural actors from around the world attended.
ICE HOT was an excellent opportunity to gain an overview of the scene in the Nordic
countries, objectively assess the quality of dance works live, and see a multitude of
productions in a short time. Of the 21 productions offered, Miroslava Kovářová was able to
see 15. They took place in theaters including Dansens Hus, Vega Scene, Den Norske Opera &
Ballett, Riksscenen, Black Box Teater, and Bærum Kulturhus. The accompanying program
included three pitch sessions titled More More More, which were also streamed. A total of 18
artists and groups presented their work and projects. Six seminars covered various topics
(dance in Greenland, working with communities, connections, and touring opportunities).
Participation in ICE HOT allowed Miroslava Kovářová to meet with colleagues, providing an
opportunity to exchange information about ongoing projects. She primarily informed them
about the preparation of the Bratislava in Motion Festival, which this year focuses on
presenting dance from Spain and Portugal. Among her colleagues, she promoted the Slovak
Dance Platform, which will take place in 2025, and presented current developments in
contemporary dance in Slovakia and the work of Slovak artists abroad.
The project was supported by public funds from the Fond na podporu umenia.
Mobility in Darmstadt, Germany: Spring Forward festival
21 – 24 March 2024
Aerowaves (AW) is a network and platform for dance discoveries in Europe, founded in 1996
and ABP became a member in 1999. AW identifies the most promising new works of
emerging dance artists and promotes them through an international presentation. AW's
network of partners in 35 countries enables these younger choreographers to bring a brand
new dance to a brand new audience.
AW fulfills the unique role of connecting choreographers, dance programmers and dance
enthusiasts across Europe. In fulfilling this goal, it relies on a network of 44 partners and
promoters from 35 countries across Europe. The partners represent and provide the
network with an insight into their local dance scene and the emerging talent there. At home,
they promote the opportunities that AW offers within their dance community.
Network members meet twice a year. The basic and most important is the annual meeting of
the members of the network, at the end of October of the given year, at which the video
recordings of the choreographers' submitted works are evaluated. In 2023, 694 artists from
all over Europe submitted their works. The method of selection is very specific and was
formed in the process of many years in such a way that the selection was as objective as
possible with an emphasis on the quality and artistic value of the works and their
interpretation, but also to ensure that they were specific and innovative both in ideas and in
the procedures of creation and interpretation. The result of the evaluation process is the
selection of TOP20. These works are then presented live at the second meeting of the
network at the Spring Forward festival, which took place in 2024 on March 21-24 in
Darmstadt (Germany).
In addition to members of the network, dramaturges, producers, festival directors from all
over the world are invited to the festival, and Aerowaves thus creates opportunities for
artists to present their works in theaters and festivals that are partners of the network, as
well as outside it. This year, 226 participants were present. On behalf of Slovakia, the artistic
director of the Bratislava in Movement festival, Miroslava Kovářová, and the executive
director of the festival, Katarína Figula, took part in the festival.
ABP, as a member of AW and from 2021 also a partner of the EU project, presents three
works from the TOP20 every year as part of the main program of the Bratislava in Movement
festival. For 2024, we have selected up to four artists/groups for the festival: Yotam Peled &
Free Radicals, Fran Díaz (Germany), Jazmína Piktorová, Sabina Bočková (Czech Republic), Les
Idoles (France).
The goal of the festival is to present the works of artists from the AW TOP20 selection in at
least two other cities besides Bratislava, depending on the possibilities of the partners and
the availability of the artists. We believe that it will be successful this year as well and we will
bring European contemporary dance to the regions as well, expand the festival audience and
at the same time offer new quality content to the program offer in the regions.
The goal of this trip, in addition to the selection of works for the festival program, was also
the preparation of the autumn meeting of the network, which will be held for the first time
in Bratislava on October 20-23, 2024. We discussed the necessary details regarding the
preparation and implementation of the meeting with the management of the network.
The project was supported using public funding by Slovak Arts Council.
Mobility in Valencia, Spain: Dansa Valencia
14 – 18 February 2024
The advantage of the festivals and platforms of individual countries is the opportunity to get
to know the local dance scene in the space of a few days, with the most interesting works
created in the last season or two. Dansa Valencia has been presenting the works of creators
from Spain since 1988. At its 37th edition, there were 33 artists and groups from nine
regions of the country and two foreign guests.
The five days of the festival were filled with a rich program intended for both professionals
and various target groups of the general public. The performances took place not only in
theaters, but also outdoors, in direct contact with the audience, and presented a
comprehensive spectrum of creations on the Spanish dance scene. Artists were given the
opportunity to present their existing and future projects at a pitch session called Nice to
Meet you. The program also included a visit to various cultural centers of the city, where
dance artists have the opportunity to create and present their work. The program of the
entire festival was composed in such a way that the participating professionals and artists
had the possibility of constant direct contact, space for discussions, exchange of experiences
and mutual interaction.
The participation of the artistic director of the Bratislava in Movement festival at this event
was possible thanks to the invitation of Dansa Valencia and the institutional support that the
festival receives to support international cooperation and the presentation of Spanish dance
abroad.
Mobility in Vienna, Austria: ImPulsTanz
17 – 20 July 2024
The ImPulz Tanz Festival is a unique event in terms of its scope, frame width and significance
for the development and support of dance art in the European context. During four weeks, it
presents the works of top and established artists and also gives space to the emerging
generation of creators. The educational program intended for professionals, students and
the general public is impressive. It includes the Dance Web scholarship project for dance
students from all over the world, who thanks to it can participate in workshops and
performances throughout the duration of the festival.
Miroslava Kovářová and Katarína Figua from the festival program watched works by Eszter
Salamon M/OTHERS in the MOMOK museum, the latest production of contemporary dance
legend Anna Teresa De Keersmaeker and Radouan Mriziga’s Il Cimento dell’ Armonia e
dell’Inventione based on Vivaldi s Four Seasons, in the Burgtheater it was William Kentridge’s
The Great Yes, The Great No and they also visited William Forsyth’s interactive exhibition
Choreographic Objects at the MAK museum.
In addition to the aforementioned, Miroslava Kovářová also saw the performance of the
group Liquid Loft / Chris Haring IN MEDEAS RES at the Künstlerhaus Factory and the work 3S
of the group Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui / Eastman at the Volkstheater.
From the mentioned program, we were most interested in the production Il Cimento
dell'Armonia e dell’Inventione, the artistic quality of all components, the originality of the
choreographic composition and the topical theme with a strong message.