Platform for contemporary dance: twenty years of integration, cooperation and mirroring

The 20th edition of the Contemporary Dance Platform began in Maribor on August 30, 2026, with a focus on connection and collaboration. The festival will run until September 5, offering a diverse international program, three new productions, and a range of performances by both local and international creators. This year’s theme, centered around connection, reflects the festival's ongoing commitment to fostering dialogue between artists, communities, and cultures. The opening performance was a dance-theater piece titled Impostor, created by Spanish choreographer Thomas Noon. The work explores self-awareness, the understanding of good and evil, and the search for balance between them. The festival will also feature Baržun 442 Hz, a performance by the group 3vium, which blends contemporary composition, baroque music, electronic soundscapes, improvisation, movement, and poetry by Srečko Kosovel. The project includes the participation of the dance duo Jasmina Križaj and Simon Wehrli, creating a dialogue between different artistic practices. Another key production is Sopotja, which features choreography by Beno Novak, Enya Belak, and Jerca Rožnik Novak. The piece involves a large group of young and established dancers from various backgrounds, symbolizing the international connections within Slovenia’s contemporary dance scene. The production is organized by the Moja Kreacija organization, which emphasizes the significance of these collaborations in expanding the reach of the festival. The third production, Shizen'na, is a duet by Ree Vogrin and Bora Prokofjev. Through improvisation, listening, and responding, the performance investigates the balance between individual and collective motion, blending modern and urban dance styles. These three productions represent the creative diversity and collaborative spirit that define the festival. On September 3, the festival will culminate in a performance titled Mojstrovina za šest plesalcev at the Lutkarjevski gledališči in Maribor. The piece, created by Hungarian artist Eme Cuhorka and Csaba Molnar, is performed by the group En-Knap. Originally developed in 2023, the performance uses a series of vignettes to explore how the body can liberate itself from cultural symbols and social meanings that accumulate over time. On September 2, the festival will move into public spaces, with a gathering at the Main Square featuring a joint dance event involving local dance schools and guests from Slovenia. In the afternoon, the performance Veličastno epsko mokro by Greek choreographer Sofia Mavragani will take place, focusing on questions of community, connection, and survival during times of instability. The production is part of the European project Moving Balkans, aimed at strengthening recognition and connections within contemporary dance on the Balkans. The festival will conclude with a walking performance titled Galebi odletijo, created by Bojana Robinson and Gyule Cserepes. The piece explores themes of migration, cultural identity, belonging, and the feeling of home through personal experience and reflection. Mojca Kasjak, the artistic and program director of the festival, emphasized that contemporary dance does not need to be understood, it simply needs to be felt. Her statement underscores the emotional and sensory depth that defines the festival’s approach to art and expression.