The Biennial of Slovenian Contemporary Dance Art – Gibanica is the Slovenian platform presenting a selection of contemporary dance performances created in Slovenia to domestic and foreign guests. The selection of performances for the main programme is entrusted to invited selectors on the basis of applications for an open call. The winner of the main award is presented directly at the next edition of the festival according to the carte blanche principle. The international jury of experts selects the Gibanica Award for best performance. The festival’s partners support the award by including the award-winning performance in their programmes and festivals and offering the award-winner support in the form of residencies, presentations or workshops.
The Biennial also offers an accompanying programme organised jointly with the partners, including in-depth and content-rich discussions, workshops and numerous opportunities for international professional exchange.
The festival, which has been held since 2003, offers domestic and foreign organisers and curators a unique opportunity to get to know the lively dance scene in Slovenia. At the same time, it offers artists in Slovenia the opportunity to expand their professional networks and enter into new collaborations. In addition, the Biennial of Contemporary Slovenian Dance Art offers to the general public a condensed insight into a selection of exciting dance performances of the previous two seasons.
The name of the festival means “moving cake” and is a pun on the Slovene verb for moving and a traditional Slovenian pastry.
Partners of the Biennial:
Cankarjev dom
The Cankarjev dom Congress and Cultural Centre is the largest cultural and congress public institution in Slovenia. It is visited by half a million art lovers and participants in congresses and social events every year.
Bunker – Old Power Station
Bunker is a non-profit organisation for the realisation and organisation of cultural events. It manages and runs the programme of the Old Power Station In Ljubljana, which is a space for rehearsals, education and research as well as a performance venue for contemporary theatre and dance.
EN-KNAP – Španski borci Culture Centre
EN-KNAP is a production house for the presentation of contemporary art with a focus on contemporary dance. It manages the Španski Borci Culture Centre and is also the producer of performances by the EnKnapGroup (EKG) dance group.
Kino Šiška – Centre for Urban Culture Kino Šiška
Centre for Urban Culture is a municipal public institution whose main activity is music concerts. It combines its music programme with visual and performing arts programmes, with an emphasis on contemporary dance.
Dance Theatre Ljubljana
The Ljubljana Dance Theatre is a non-governmental organisation that designs the theatre’s programme, which primarily aims to present contemporary dance. The theatre offers rehearsals and training courses and organises festivals and performances.
DUM Association of Artists
DUM – Association of Artists acts as a producer of contemporary art. It runs the project space, which serves to present, support and reflect on various areas – from performance and visual art practices to theory and criticism of visual art.
Public Fund for Cultural Activities of the Republic of Slovenia (JSKD)
JSKD is a public cultural network that provides professional and organisational support for the cultural activities of amateurs throughout Slovenia and neighbouring countries and runs programmes to promote artistic creation, including in the field of contemporary dance.
Emanat
The main activity of Emanat, Institute for the Affirmation and Development of Dance and Contemporary Art, is the production of performances and video art, but the institute also promotes educational and publishing activities as key elements in the development of art of dance.
Pekinpah
Pekinpah Association is active in the fields of design, music and dance. It brings together internationally renowned designers, theorists, architects, choreographers, dancers and musicians to organise performances, concerts, festivals and other events.
Nomad Dance Academy Slovenia
Nomad Dance Academy Slovenia is a non-governmental organisation active in the fields of advocacy, artistic research, historicisation and production with the aim of professionalising contemporary parforming arts in Slovenia and the Balkans.
NEST Platform
NEST Platform is a not-for-profit organisation that brings together a range of artists from the performing arts and music sectors. NEST produces artworks, organises cultural events and educational programmes.
Maska
Maska is a non-governmental organisation with a wide-ranging publication and production programme in the field of contemporary performing arts and theory. It publishes the performing arts journal Maska, which has played an important role in shaping the theoretical and critical space in the former Yugoslavia.
City of Women
City of Women is a pioneering feminist non-governmental organisation working in the field of cultural production and promoting gender equality in arts and culture. It organises the City of Women International Festival of Contemporary Arts and supports the development of feminist pedagogy and theory.
Moja Kreacija Maribor
Moja Kreacija Maribor is a non-profit institute for contemporary dance art, creativity and the art of living based in Maribor. It produces projects, hosts a festival and organises expert seminars, creative dance workshops and programmes to improve the quality of life.
NAGIB
NAGIB Association is an organisation dedicated to cultural production and the promotion of artistic processes and is based in Maribor.
Slovene National Theatre Nova Gorica
Slovene National Theatre Nova Gorica is a public institution with an ensemble. In addition to a repertoire programme, it also supports independent projects and co-productions in the field of dance.
Kultivarnica
Kultivarnica is a cultural-artistic association based in Celje. It develops educational, production and promotional projects in the field of contemporary art and urban culture.
Associated partners: