An intro to the 16th edition by Ivana Slunjski
Over the fifteen years of performing outside the regular theatre, of testing the mental and physical potentials of dance in this atypical environment, of encouraging the local population to participate, of introducing a variety of artistic expressions and approaches, of creating an awareness of and then changing the cultural and living context, this Dance & Non-Verbal Theatre Festival has developed into a point of reference and an event on which you do not want to miss out.
Every end of July, Svetvinčenat wakes up from its small-town slumber to become a vibrant venue of theatrical verve, of meeting, laughter, comments, stories to tell - of socialising, in short. Just as the cultural anthropologist Alessandro Falassi observed about festivals, Svetvinčenat creates time out of time, in which not only cultural practices are condensed, but some of the town's slumber rubs off to slow the flow of time down to the Arcadian pace. It is the time of listening, of caring, of feeling close to people. It is also the time of Bakhtin's carnivalesque, of rejuvenated streets and squares, of poliphony, of hierarchies and canons turned upside down, of alternative models, frail and ambivalent as this newly established order may be.
This principle of ambivalence is also reflected in the Festival's programme, as it has established a fine balance between presenting the works of authors acknowledged across Europe and those who are just starting or on their way to become recognised. The selection for the 16th Festival once again brings a variety of disciplines and subjects on the stage. This year's programme rests on two thematic pillars: togetherness (and the importance of communication) and time, which is presented as different from the typical sensation of time. Consistent in its promotion of young artists, the Festival has partnered Aerowaves, a network of dance professionals, and with the representatives from 33 European countries, including the head Croatian representative Edvin Liverić, will be working on the selection and programmes for the coming dance theatrical seasons. The first in this series to be presented at this year's Festival are Ferenc Féher's Morgan and Freeman, Guy Nader's and Maria Campos's Time Takes the Time Time Takes, and Tabea Martin's Field.
Tabea Martin looks into the ways of self-realization that do not stand in the way of a true connection with other people, whereas Féher brings life to his puppet as an imaginary friend. Human relations and life stories are also an inspiration to Sunset Sorell, the female version of Sunset Fratell by Jean-Claude Gallotta, performed by two Zagreb Academy dance students. Virtus by Éva Duda's company stands out as a multidisciplinary project combining contemporary dance, physical theatre, and circus. Similarly, the Trilogy by Petra Hrašćanec and Saša Božić looks into the relationship between contemporary dance and pop-music. In their Time Takes the Time Time Takes Guy Nader and Maria Campos address the concept of the everlasting present and the flow of time and set it against the swinging motion. Time is also in the heart of One by One, performed by Arnulfo Pardo Ravagli and Dolma Jover Agulló. They study how the relations between two people change with time and distance. Anything performed by Zagreb Dance Company and coreographed by Daniel Abreu addresses the question of what can happen over one's lifetime, whereas Luna Malekova by Martina Nevistić plays with the idea of the expansion of time, body, and space, depending on subjective experience. The programme concludes with a vigorous dance show Pledging Foot by Eléonore Valère Lachky and Liberdance, with a multi-media project presentation of authentic movement entitled From Ode to Trip by Andreja Široki and Iva Korenčić Čabo, and with workshops held by the visiting artists.
For the sixteenth time in a row, this year's Dance & Non-Verbal Theatre Festival San Vincenti will take us closer to the intriguing worlds of art through current performances and encourage us to discover and exchange experiences. As we seek answers, trying to understand each other and responsibly create reality together, let's stop for a moment, give an ear to one another, and enjoy a different kind of time.
Ivana Slunjski
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