Duncan Centre Conservatory Celebrates 30 Years

Duncan Centre Conservatory Celebrates 30 Years

Since its foundation in 1992 by Eva Blažíčková, the Duncan Centre Conservatory has made a significant contribution to the development of contemporary dance in the Czech Republic. Many of the school's graduates have permanently influenced the shape of the Czech artistic scene and/or are an important part of the system of dance and movement education for children in the Czech Republic.

On Tuesday 20 September at 4pm, a short dance performance by students will kick off the celebrations. After that, the school principal Petr Tyc and guests will speak. An exhibition of photographs by Dragan Dragin, the school's main photographer in the 90s and the 00s, will showcase a selection of the artist's never-ending attempts to capture the soul of dance at Duncan. The evening will be devoted to a discussion with guests from various artistic disciplines on the topic What place does dance have in contemporary art. The opening day of the celebrations will conclude with Eva Blažíčková, who will give an insight into the circumstances of the founding of the school, not only to students and younger audience members.

On Wednesday, 21 September, a programme for students and the public will start at 4.30pm. Student films made in the last two years will be screened, and from 6pm we will be having a debate with five alumni with different career paths in the programme The Word and the Role of KDC Alumni in Society. During the programme, Jana Bohutínská will also present the results of a survey among KDC alumni. Wednesday's program will conclude with a performance consisting of choreographic works by students, alumni and faculty of the school.

In addition to the public programme, Wednesday will be dedicated to the students of the school from the morning until the evening programme, who have been given the opportunity to choose their own programme for the day. They will have two half-day workshops with Cirk La Putyka and Kristián Mensa.

On Thursday 22 September at 6 pm, a performance composed of choreographies by students, alumni and teachers will be presented for the second time, after which the school will be abuzz with music party.

From the morning, however, Thursday will be devoted to dance and movement education. The daily program is for our students and pupils of ZUŠ (Elementary Art School). It will be led by KDC teachers Veronika Kacianová, Marta Vodenková and guests Barbora Látalová and Jan Bárta.

In October, the celebrations will continue with a series of student performances and teachers’ workshops in the regions. The events will be held in Pilsen (6/10), Litoměřice (11/10), Jihlava (14/10), Pardubice (20-22/10) and Děčín (4-5/11). In each city the programme will be partially changed.

The celebrations will be completed with a presentation of the work of KDC students at the Ponec Theatre on 11 November.

The full programme of the celebrations is available on the school's website.

Reservations for the individual evening program items (which are open to the public) will be available starting September 12 by emailing: produkce@duncancentre.cz.

Source: Duncan Centre Conservatory

Překlad: Kristina Soukupová.