Graffiti at The New Stage

In 2002 contemporary dance stepped onto the stage of Laterna Magika in the presentation titled Graffiti. The scenario and stage direction were entrusted to students of the College of Film at the Academy of Performing Arts, Ond?ej And?ra and Petr Kout, thus giving space to the truly young generation. This composed evening in four parts was created by three choreographers whose names were not yet so well known as they are today.

At that time people knew the dancer Ji?í Bubení?ek, who contributed two choreographies for our program (Graffiti and Absinth), mainly as a ballet performer of world calibre and partner of his no-less famous brother Otto. Václav Kuneš, who created the choreography On the Step 2…, was a member of the Netherlands Dance Theatre under Ji?i Kylian, and today wins honours and popularizes modern dance in the Czech Republic as choreographer and head of the dance group 420PEOPLE. Petr Zuska is now head of the National Theatre Ballet in Prague, and his choreographies have been seen by audiences in many countries. His duet Les Bras de Mer, included in our presentation, counts among his most often-performed works, and its premiere at Laterna Magika brought honours also to the performers of this duet: Eva Horakova and Pavel Knolle were both nominated for a Thalia Prize, and they were declared the best dance couple of the year.

But this would not be Laterna Magika without enhancement of choreography by something from the realm of visual art. The sets for the presentation are the last work of the set designer Josef Svoboda, who in Graffiti utilized special projections on a thin sheet in front of the stage (a ‘virtual screen’), supporting the impression of space. This presentation will certainly not disappoint any lover of modern dance.