Decentralisation takes centre stage
The result of last year’s crisis surrounding Tanec Praha and PONEC theatre is the decentralisation of the dance scene and the depopulation of this Žižkov hub. On the one hand, this is no bad thing. Audiences will always find their favourite ensembles wherever they are, whilst the infiltration of a large number of dance and movement projects into spaces where they have previously not been regularly seen, attracts new audiences who are not looking for a specific genre, but prefer to stick close to their cultural space. The cause of this situation where we do not have a specific place “go see some dance”, but instead a network of alternative theatre and performance venues, where dance makes an appearance, is in part due to last year’s rift between the residents at PONEC and the organisers, but also the fact that Studio ALTA is not operating as a theatre space during its reconstruction. Suddenly, there is a lot more dance at Theatre X10, Venuše ve Švehlovce, and Archa (the latter styling itself as ARCHA+ as of this year, with a repertoire for younger viewers), as well dance performances in galleries and in outdoor spaces. Production is complicated and it is a little inconvenient for audiences, but I think it is preferable to seek out the positives and take this change as part of the transformation of the dance community. A new centre for contemporary dance with an emphasis on its theatrical, stage form will surely reemerge. Will that be ALTA? Will PONEC rise like a phoenix? Maybe it will be something else completely. Maybe it is necessary that this space is created through a different mechanism to “imagine, finance, build, fill, manage”. Let’s allow ourselves to be surprised.
PONEC takes a breather
Perhaps it is simply getting its breath back so that it can once again fill its walls with spectators. Last season, there was more dance at Studio Krenovka as part of various classes and workshops than on stage. The organisation’s financial troubles are evidently affecting its operations. The artistic council, still made up of Dagmar Bednáriková, Sylva Šafková and Honza Malík, introduced Nataša Novotná as the main resident artist in September, but little else has been produced. Also in September, the council announced that, as part of an open call, they had decided to support the 23 Poems Collective (Eliška Benešová, Karolína Šnajdrová, Kristýna Peldová a Tereza Krejčová), FARO Moving Space (Lenka Kniha Bartůňková and Petra Pellarová’s platform), and Adriana Štefaňáková, however, none of them premiered anything in the first half of 2025. We have been promised four ‘open stage evenings’, a newly created programme type. Two have already taken place. The first was put together by choreographer Kristýna Peldová and visual artist Enya Belak, who both operate in Slovenia, the second was Daniela Hanelová’s surrealist choreography Cadavre exquis and her dance films.
. Foto Vojtěch Brtnický.JPG)
Student choreography evenings were due to take place but ultimately did not and it has been announced that Ester Trčková will present her work to date. Nataša Novotná revived her solo piece Sacrebleu with two new casts as part of Theatre Night. She is due to stage a new piece in the autumn… However it seems that her plans may be scuppered by the financing. Czech Dance Platform went ahead, attracting foreign promoters, whilst the traditional June festival was produced by Tanec Praha. It took place in full, including a grand finish at the Karlin Musical Theatre, to which they keep coming back. The stars of the festival were choreographers Idio Chichava and his Mozambican collective, the multi-genre YAV, and Amala Dianor and a group of dancers bursting with urban dance energy, i.e. an explosion of dance with African roots, topped off by Israeli artists Emanuel Gat and his ensemble. The festival was further enriched by Simone Sandroni’s co-production premiere, Let There Be Light. One could never characterise TANEC PRAHA festival as mainstream, naive, and pandering, but this year it definitely did not revel in serious societal questions and the main programme was all directed towards a celebration of dance, towards more natural, rather than virtuosic choreography, but with unrivalled energy and the message that life is found in movement.