I LEARNED CHOREOGRAPHY BY PRACTICE. IT FASCINATES ME AS A PROCESS OF EXPLORING THE AMAZING COMPLEXITY THAT DANCE HAS. THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW TO DISCOVER BECAUSE IT IS A LIVING ART.
Endless Shift (2019)
Concept and choreography: Marta Poláková
Music: Martin Polák, Tibor Feledi
Costumes: Simona Vachálková
Masks: Marek Štuller
Lighting design: Robert Polák
Choreography and performance: Silvia Sviteková, Lukáš Bobalík
Two beings. Two energies. Two opposites. The tension between them shifts the distance. A relationship in an infinite oscillation of reflection and repose. Who is who? The initial idea of the choreography was the search for possibilities to grasp the existential tension that is the essence of life. A tension that vibrates and oscillates, that is sometimes invisible and sometimes so indiscernible that it overshadows everything else. A particular tension sustains a circle from which we occasionally step out, but draws us back in. The project premiered on the occasion of the 140th anniversary of Rudolf Laban’s birth at the Lab Theatre of the Academy of Performing Arts on 18 December 2019.
Author of photography: Mária Drábeková
EARTH (2019)
Choreography: Marta Poláková
Music: Veronika Škutová, J.S. Bach
Costumes: Terézia Kosová
Lighting design: Michaela Pavelková
Dance: Jakub Cerulík, Klára Fábryová, Hana Gallinová, Mária Lazúrová, Viktória Malá, Kristína Miklovičová, Beáta Rekemová, Nela Rusková, Matúš Szeghő, Alica Šaling
The choreography Earth was created as an output of my choreographic research called Individuality versus Group in collaboration with students of the Department of Dance of the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava. The research and creation were inspired by Rudolf Laban’s idea of movement choirs, which were based on developing the dancers’ ability to function as a living organism, where each member of the group co-creates the group dynamics. The dance takes place in space, the ground is always somehow naturally present in it. The ground carries us. And it clearly needs more attention from us today. The premiere took place on 20 September 2019 at the Lab Theatre of the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava.
Author of photography: Mária Drábeková
Feeling (In)visible (2018)
Concept and artistic direction: Marta Poláková
Performance: Viktória Komolíková, Mária Lazúrová, Viktória Malá, Kristína Miklovičová, Rebecca Smudová, Silvia Sviteková, Michal Toman, Lukáš Záhorák
The site-specific performance realized on September 21 and 23, 2018 in the city park in Bratislava was the result of a research project in cooperation with students of the Dance Department of the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava. The main topic of choreographic research was the search for intersections between architecture and choreography using Rudolf Laban’s movement theories. The work in the park supported the investigation of extended sensory perception by deliberately limiting visual sensations, its effect on the experience in the body (feeling what is happening in the present moment here and now) and subsequently on the performance in the given space with its special atmosphere.
pODPORa (Support) (2017)
Choreography: Marta Poláková
Director: Tomáš Procházka
Dramaturgy: Marta Poláková, Tomáš Procházka
Musical concept and supervision: Daniel Matej
Music: Martin Polák & Tibor Feledi
Costumes: Simona Vachálková
Scenography: Zuzana Hudeková
Lighting design and objects: Robert Polák
Partnering assistance: Daniel Raček
Dance, movement material and texts: Barbora Janáková, Eva Priečková, Silvia Sviteková, Matúš Szeghő, Andrej Štepita
The project explored both physically and metaphorically the question of the relationship between support and resistance, which is interestingly expressed by the Slovak word support (both expressions are part of the same word). In this project I worked with a unique group of dancers of the youngest generation. My intention was to stimulate their authentic statement and give space for the development of their individual performative potential within the frameworks of my perception of dance and choreography. Another special contribution of the project for me was the enriching collaboration with the young director Tomáš Procházka. The premiere took place in October 2017 at the Ifjú Szivek Dance Theatre.
Author of photography: Noro Knap
Dance Lesson (2016)
Text, choreography, performance by Marta Poláková
Dramaturgical collaboration: Tomáš Procházka
A shorter solo piece in which I transformed the experience of being in the body into thought movements about (contemporary) dance. The project was performed in December 2016 in the Studio of the Slovak National Theatre.
Feeling Understanding (2015)
Concept: Marta Poláková
Choreography: Marta Poláková, Yuri Korec, Peter Šavel
Director: Tomáš Procházka
Music (live): Martin Polák, Tibor Feledi
Dancers: Barbora Janáková, Lukáš Bobalík, Eva Priečková, Branislav Bašista, Simona Droppanová, Andrej Štepita
The performance was created for the space of the Bratislava café Urban House with the aim of bringing contemporary dance closer to the audience. who do not expect it in this place. Together with choreographers Yuri Korec, Peter Šavel and director Tomáš Procházek, we asked dancers who were just about to enter the contemporary dance scene at that time: Why do you do dance? Why dance like this? Why do you want people to notice it? How can contemporary dance attract the viewer? How to draw audiences to an unusual experience? The choreography and performance focused on maximizing the use of the senses, which form the gateway to feeling and understanding not only the dance, but also the world around us and ourselves in it. The premiere took place in October 2015 as part of the international festival of contemporary dance Bratislava in Motion. Reperformances have taken place at the Urban House and since 2016, in the production of the MimoOs group, in many other cities in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
Author of photography: Vladimír Slaninka
SOLO: Endings / Beginnings (2013)
Choreography and performance: Marta Poláková
Dramaturgy: Maja Hriešik
Music: Martin Polák & Tibor Feledi
Costume: Simona Vachálková
Visual: Branislav Vincze
Lighting design: Robert Polák
Choreographic assistance: Yuri Korec and Peter Šavel
This solo project was my look back at over twenty years of work. The intimate statement touched upon the theme of aging (in the context of dance art, perceived even more delicately than in everyday life). Through my choreography, I created an imaginary in-between space for reflection on development, maturation, and the blending of layers of old and new. The premiere took place as part of the project Roots of contemporary dance in December 2013 in the Slovak National Theatre Studio.
Author of photography: David Trčka
Heat (2012)
Choreography and direction by Marta Poláková
Dramaturgical collaboration: Zuzana V. Očenášová
Music: Martin Polák & Tibor Feledi, Peter Tóth/DanFerenčík/Peter Čaputa
Costumes and set: Zuzana Hudeková
Light design: Robert Polák
Choreography and performance: Magdaléna Čaprdová, Anna Hurajtová, Barbora Janáková, Ladislav Cmorej, Emil Leeger, Lukáš Homola
A dance theatre about what happens to us when the temperature rises. When the movements slow down and the pulse quickens. Water makes the skin slippery, what happens in the soul? Between men and women? This project was a challenge for me because I had a great team of performers – experienced with a distinctive charm, as well as novice professionals with enthusiasm. The alchemy between them made it possible to create a performance that resonated with humor and commitment. The premiere was staged in November 2012 as part of the LabanFest 2012 festival in the Slovak National Theatre Studio.
Author of photography: David Trčka
Soft Edge (2009)
Choreography and direction by Marta Poláková
Script: Zuzana Vasičáková Očenášová
Music: Michal Novinski, Oskar Rózsa
Dramaturgical collaboration: Jozef Dolinský
Costumes and set: Zuzana Hudeková
Light design: Robert Polák
Choreography and performance by Renáta Ptačin, Magdaléna Čaprdová, Miloš Galko, Marian Labuda, Martina Lacová, Benito V. Šoltys
A dance theatre about the relationships in a model Slovak family that come to the surface after the death of granny, when each family member is forced to sand down the edges of their relationships. In this project I used Laban’s movement analysis for the first time as a choreographic tool in the creation of the characters. Together with amazing team of dancers, we were able to create a performance that appealed to the general audience. The project premiered in December 2009 at the Hviezdoslav Municipal Theatre as part of LabanFest 2009 – a festival on the occasion of the 130th anniversary of the birth of Rudolf Laban.
Author of photography: Noro Knap
Fully (2008)
Concept and choreography by Marta Poláková
Dance: Magdaléna Čaprdová
Music: Michal Novinski, Eno
Light design: Robert Polák
A solo piece created for dancer Magdaléna Čaprdová explored the confrontation of the intimate and the public, the performer and the audience, whose positioning created an unusual playing space. The premiere took place in October 2008 at the Four (+1) Day of Dance for You festival in Banská Bystrica.
Spontaneously Incompatible (2006, 2007)
Concept and choreography: Marta Poláková
Music: Peter Machajdik a Boris Lenko (2006), Adam Kuruc (2007)
Costumes: Alena Kobielska
Text: Jana Skořepová
Light design: Robert Polák
Movement material and performance: Magdaléna Čaprdová, Martina Lacová, Benito V. Šoltys, Radomir Milič
In this performance I explored the relationship between movement and words. The creation of the movement material was inspired by contemporary poetry, which was further shaped by an attempt to capture certain character traits through movement vocabulary and the specific quality of the movement. Later, Jana Skořepová’s text formed another layer of communication between the characters.
The first version of the project was premiered at the festival Four (+1) Days of Dance for You at the Dance Studio in Banská Bystrica (October 2006) with live music by composer Petr Machajdík and accordionist Boris Lenko. The second version of the project to the music of Adam Kuruc was presented as part of the project Dance under the Pyramid in the Slovak Radio Chamber Studio in June 2007. The project was also adapted as a performance for secondary schools called Manual of Contemporary Dance (May 2007).
Stroke (2005)
Concept and choreography by Marta Poláková
Directed by Peter Bebjak
Music: Martin Turčan
Visual: Branislav Vincze
Costumes: Alena Kobielska, Zuzana Hudeková
Light design: Robert Polák
Movement material and performance: Danuša Hruškovičová / Katarína Vlniešková, Magdaléna Čaprdová, Marta Poláková, Radomir Milič, Milan Chalmovský, Peter Šavel
The ambiguity of the English term stroke was the inspiration for exploring the interconnectedness between contrasts as an integral part of interpersonal relationships. The premiere took place in January 2005 in Culture House Petržalka in Bratislava. The performance was hosted at the Theaterkarussel Festival in Vienna and was also performed at the Pergola Theatre in Florence. The solo part of the performance called Bounded (danced by Marta Polakova) was a reflection on the depth of the primary bond in life – the relationship with the mother. The solo was also performed at the 2006 MonoDance Festival in Hungary.
Not Only the Body (2003)
Choreography: Marta Polakova
Music: Jozef Vlk, Jozef Lupták
Set and costumes: Alena Kobielska
Visual: Branislav Vincze
Light design: Robert Polák
Movement material and performance: Danuša Hruškovičová, Linda Konrádová, Stanislava Vlčeková, Juraj Korec, Andrej Petrovič, Marta Poláková
In this project I explored with a great team of performers the expressiveness of the body and the intensity of different levels of relationships. The premiere took place in May 2003 as part of the Bratislava in Motion festival and the 2003/04 season, and the performance was performed the following season in the repertoire of the Arena Theatre. The performance was also presented as part of the presentation of Slovak culture in London and Dublin under the title Slovakia goes ahead 2003.
Body Thoughts (2002)
Choreography by Marta Poláková
Live music by Jozef Lupták, Jozef Vlk
Costumes: Alena Kobielska
Light design: Robert Polák
Performance: Danuša Hruškovičová, Linda Konrádová, Marta Poláková
In this choreography, I immersed myself in the body and explored the identity of its different parts while imagining what story they could tell.
The premiere took place in October 2002 at the Theatre Studio of Adacemy of Performing Arts in Bratislava as part of the Contemporary Dance Association’s project Dance in the Arena, which regularly presented contemporary dance performances between 2000-2002. The performance was also presented as part of the Art of Dance from Central Europe project in Copenhagen (2002) and as part of the Semain de cultures étrangères in Paris (2004).
e-motions (2001)
Concept: Marta Poláková
Live music: Jozef Lupták, Jozef Vlk
Light design: Robert Polák
Performers: Peter Jaško, Milan Herich, Danuša Hruškovičová, Anton Lachký, Marta Poláková, Daniel Raček, Zdenka Brungot Svíteková
The performance was based on structured and free improvisation and was performed at the Arena Theatre in December 2001.
Rooms (2001)
Choreography by Marta Poláková
Music: Jozef Vlk
Set and costumes: Anita Szökeová and Alena Kobielska
Light design: Robert Polák
Thin walls separate the intimacy of lives and (cannot) protect from the desire (to know, love, understand, help…) – I created the project for the Studio of Dance Theatre in Banská Bystrica. Premiere in October 2001.
“… Real theatre magicians make us see what actually exists, even though we can neither see nor hear it…” Zuzana Uličianska, magazine Dance (Tanec)
Together (2000)
Concept, choreography, and performance by Marta Poláková
In this shorter humorous piece, I played with the situation when one of the dancers does not show up for the performances and the other tries to bring the entire choreography to the audience by describing and performing it without a partner.
The premiere took place within the Platform of Slovak Contemporary Dance at the Arena Theatre in November 2000. The project was also presented at the Dance Prague 2001 festival at the Ponec Theatre.
Women (1999)
Choreography by Marta Poláková
Set and costumes: Marija Havran
Projection: Miriam Petráňová
Music: Martin Burlas, Jozef Vlk, Tipsy, Gejza Dusík, Michal Nyman
Light design: Robert Polák
Dancers: Lucia Holinová, Eva Klimáčková, Katarína Zagorski, Marta Poláková
In this project, I was inspired by exploring the question of women’s position in society. Part of the performance was a stage rendition of Kate Chopin’s short story Silk Stockings by actress Milka Zimkova. Premiere in June 1999 at the Arena Theatre.
Communication Performance Project (1997)
Concept: Marta Poláková
Dancers: Danuša Hruškovičová, Lucia Holinová, Marta Poláková
Musicians: Boris Lenko, Marek Piaček, Peter Zagar
Costumes: Klára Soukupová
Set design: Laura Mešková
Light design: Robert Polák
The project was based on the open form of the performance and live communication between dancers and musicians. The premiere took place in November 1997 at the Theatre Club in Bratisalva. Its form has been transformed in various performances thanks to the invited guests.
Though I closed myself as fingers creative (1996)
Concept by Willi Dorner
Choreography: Willi Dorner and Marta Poláková
Music: Peter Zagar
Costumes: Simona Vachálková
Scene: Andreas Braito
Light design: Martin Walitza
“He’s looking for her, she’s looking for him, he’s looking for himself, she’s looking for herself. He is looking for her, she is looking for herself…” The project, produced by Cie Willi Dorner, premiered in February 1996 at the Künstlerhaus in Vienna.
What I See, What I Hear (1995)
Choreography by Marta Poláková
Music: Peter Zagar, Ľubomír Burgr
Light design by Robert Polák
Performed by Marta Poláková and Martin Ondriska
In this solo project created in collaboration with Martin Ondriska, I was inspired by dream elements. The premiere took place in March 1995 at the Culture House Ružinov in Bratislava.
Fivelines (1994)
Choreography: Marta Poláková
Music: Jozef Vlk
Costumes: Simona Vachálková
Set design: architectural studio Bogár, Urban, Králik
Light design: Robert Polák
Dancers: Martina Bicáková, Monika Horná, Marta Poláková, Ľuboš Kľučár, Martin Piterka
Choreography for five dancers was based on their individual “drawing” in space. The premiere took place at the Culture House Ružinov in Bratislava.
The Circle (1993)
Choreography by Marta Poláková
Music (live): Jozef Vlk, Martin Burlas
Dancers: Martina Bicáková, Monika Čertezni, Katarína Krnová, Martin Piterka, Marta Poláková
The project inspired by different life cycles premiered in June 1993 at the Astorka Theatre in Bratislava.
The New Project (1992)
Choreography: Marta Poláková
Music (live): Jozef Vlk and Peter Machajdík/Martin Burlas
Costumes: Danica Morárová
Light design: Robert Polák
Dancers: Marta Poláková and Monika Čertezni
The project was created in the special underground space of the M+ Gallery on Laurinska Street in Bratislava, where it premiered in March 1992. Its stage adaptation was staged at the Astorka Theatre (Korzo ´90) in June 1993.
The project was created in the underground premises of the M+ Gallery on Laurinská street in Bratislava, where it premiered in March 1992. Its adaptation for the stage was presented at the Astorka Theatre (Korzo ´90) in June 1993.
Somthing in the way (1992)
Choreography: Marta Poláková
Music: Jozef Vlk
Costumes: Simona Vachálková
Lighting design by Robert Polák
Performance and dance: Martina Bicáková, Monika Čertezni, Luboš Kľučár, Katarína Krnová, Martin Ondriska, Martin Piterka, Marta Poláková, Jozef Vlk.
The project was created in cooperation with members of the Hubris Theatre Company. The premiere took place in December 1992 at the Astorka Theatre (Korzo ´90).
Catch the Fall (1991)
Choreography: Marta Poláková
Music: George Winston
Costumes: Danica Morárová
Light design: Robert Polák
Dancers: Monika Čertezni, Marta Poláková, Anna Sedlačková, Martina Bicáková
Choreography was inspired by the quality of water. The project premiered in December 1991, at the Culture House Ružinov in Bratislava.
Point on the Horizon (1991)
Choreography by Marta Poláková
Music: Jozef Vlk
Costumes: Danica Morárová
Light design: Robert Polák
Dancers/Performers: Monika Čertezni, Marta Poláková, Martina Bicáková, Jozef Vlk
The project premiered in June 1991, at the Culture House Ružinov in Bratislava.
Aspects (1990)
Choreography: Marta Poláková
Music: Jozef Bán, Jozef Vlk
Set and costume design: Slavomír Fondrk and Simona Vachálková
Light design: Robert Polák
Dancers: Otto Adamec, Martina Bicáková, Marta Poláková, Kamila Nováková
The performance in two parts (Encounter and Aspects of Space) presented one of the first independent contemporary dance groups in Slovakia a dato. The premiere took place in December 1990, at the Hviezdoslav Municipal Theatre in Bratislava.