and

Better to want to be alone than be left alone.

Jiří Pokorný is presenting a new dance production for DEKKADANCERS – entitled ‘and’ – on the proximity and distance between us. It portrays our social environment as a collapsing system in which relationships falter and perish.

Solitude can mean hitting reset, a new beginning, independence and strength. Being alone does not necessarily mean being lonely. But we do become lonely when we stop seeing ourselves as part of a whole – no man is an island.

‘and’ is the ideal symbol for connection. It represents unity and a place in which we can discover entirely new horizons in forging interpersonal relationships. It unifies the contradictions of our lives and leads us to a higher state of mutual understanding, because the meaning of ‘and’ is common to all, without exception.

For artistic reasons, the stroboscopic light effect is used in the show.

“You think because you understand ‘ONE’
You must also understand ‘TWO’
Because one and one make ‘TWO’
But you must also understand AND”
– Rúmí

About the company

We are a project-based dance company from Prague. The group was established in 2009 as a sister company of the Czech National Ballet. In 2015, the group became an independent dance company. The DEKKADANCERS group has created a number of productions and performances across various genres – from full-length dance productions to diverse projects such as fashion shows, music videos, and concerts. The company is directed by the duo Štěpán Pechar and Ondřej Vinklát.

We make dance more accessible to the general public – authentically, without condescension, and with a unique approach to each performance. We take pride in working with the very best talent, among which are not only critically acclaimed dancers and choreographers, but also musicians, renowned theatre actors and other artists. A DEKKADANCERS performance brings more than just a movement-dance experience to the viewer; it brings a complete theatrical experience, often accompanied by a specific kind of humour that breaks down the boundaries between the audience and the performer.

Jiří Pokorný (1981) is currently one of the most prominent Czech dancers, choreographers, and teachers to have made a name for themselves abroad. As a performer, he worked at the Nederlands Dans Theater under the directorship of Jiří Kylián and later continued his career with Crystal Pite and her company, KIDD Pivot. He is one of only an elite few to have gained Pite’s confidence to stage and present her choreography to select ensembles. The creator of a series of acclaimed dance productions, Pokorný returns to collaborate with DEKKADANCERS ten years after making his debut for the ensemble with the piece Černé mraky nepláčou (Black Clouds Don’t Cry).