The program of the festival successfully contradicts the opinion that dance and physical art are for intellectuals only. This year it offers the mixture of acrobatics, parkour, original dance workshops, energies and rhythms in breathtaking environment of the baroque castle in Žďár nad Sázavou to convince the visitors that actually everyone can dance.

The program of the festival starts on Friday, July 13 with original intergenerational and multicultural productions.

The afternoon will be dedicated to children, who will perform at the courtyard participating in the project School is Dancing, which is a long-term systematic activity of the Centre for Choreographic Development. Dance artists participate in education at basic schools in the forms of projects and they interpret a topic in cooperation with teachers in a dancing way – they deal with mathematics, languages, human biology etc. The projects have taken place regularly since 2012.

The festival also provides interesting intercontinental cooperation embodied in cooperation among French countertenor Sébastien Fournier, French choreographer Jean Gaudin and dancers from the Ghana Dance Ensemble in the R&B-Rhythm and Baroque production.

Can Mexico and a group of active seniors from Vysočina be put together?

Yes, it can as it is proved in an original concept of the Mexican group Foco alAire together with local seniors in the Pivovarský dvůr space. “Interesting workshops and a link between young and older generations are the means for us to demonstrate to the festival participants that dance breaks all deep-rooted stereotypes, and everyone can practice it regardless of their age,” says the director of the festival, countess Marie Kinsky, and adds that the function of dance is also an international means of communication. “In dance, we understand each other without using words, it is the expression of emotions and the inner self,” says the founder, who organizes the dance festival for the sixth time.

The program continues with the production of the world-famous Greek dancer Christos Papadopoulos and the OPUS company presenting the interpretation of classical music in new versions. The multicultural evening will finish with Hungarian dancer Rita Góbi’s fascinating solo, which could be the remake of the Dying Swan, as well as the performance Bromance presented by dancers from Great Britain combining entertaining show and acrobatics. “The performance is the highlight of the festival. It tells the story about modern relationships between men in the early 21st century, when a simple handshake changes into an acrobatic push-up, and describes competitiveness among men,” Marie Kinsky explains.

A dancer in every one of us!

The festival program also includes interesting workshops for the public, in which the visitors may try what dance is all about.

The young emerging Czech dancer and illustrator Kristián Mensa will convince you at his workshop that everyone can dance wherever they want anytime. “I will focus on internal expression of emotions. Participants will be able to portray elements like water, fire, earth and air,” says the dancer, who has recently participated in the popular Eurovision 2018 contest as Mikolas Josef’s support.

You will be able to practice the traditional Ghanian dance full of energetic rhythms of drums at the Ghana Dance Ensemble workshop. And if you still do not have enough, come and see the Spanish duo Lali Ayguadé Company with an intimate dance performance or you can dance at the afterparty with DJ Sanchez and Armenian dancer Wahe Akopyan, who is going to perform a series of improvisation performances.

The program on Sunday will be dedicated to various art workshops with topics like theatre, dance and contemporary circus. Wahe Akopyan and his dancing group BKP (Bachtale Kale Phrala) will perform in the evening again. The dancers will present an original dance style: urban folklore.

The end of the program will see the work of young choreographers at the FILLIMIT platform or you can enjoy yourself at a festival show of an internationally acknowledged company Foco alAire from Mexico. Artist prepared two Czech songs for the audiences in Žďár, so there is much to look forward to!

About the festival

The KoresponDance festival has been trying to interconnect unique historical heritage and contemporary culture and art. This is the reason why the area of a family chateau opens for the visitors not only for watching the productions outdoors and indoors, but also to relax, go sightseeing the mysterious places and experience many family activities. The surrounding areas are worth mentioning as well. You can draw energy in a beautiful countryside typical for the Vysočina region or cool down in local reservoirs. The festival received the EFFE label last year and thus it now ranks among the most interesting festivals in Europe. “KoresponDance intentionally has informal atmosphere – we invite famous personalities and world-class stars, but we are all together in the chateau area and we can discuss, enjoy and enrich ourselves. We wish that Žďár inhabitants and other visitors have non-traditional experience with dance and know what it can mean for them. Any art is the key to personal and social development,” says Marie Kinsky, the festival director.

The organizer of the festival is the SE.S.TA., the Centre for Choreographic Development, whose aim is to support professional contemporary dance in international and interdisciplinary contexts.

More information at: www.korespondance.cz