Dancing Histor(y)ies Workshops in Viminacium

In March, dancers Arunas Mozuraitis and Elias Khanamidi visited Viminacium and explored historical monuments and performance spaces, while also led workshops with local communities.

Workshop 1

During their first workshop, they met with the local community group, From A Book To The Soul. They learned about their traditional hand crafts and cuisine while sharing insights into their work.

They visited the Archaeological Site of Viminacium and gained a deeper understanding of the past and the lives of its former inhabitants. The artists reflect that: “Walking through history, we felt a strong connection to the theme of TIME, which we wished to explore in our performance. The site itself became a wellspring of inspiration, fuelling our creative brainstorming sessions later in the day.”

Additionally, they met with a local librarian that guided through an analysis of the poem Epitaph of Alia Postestas. They explored how the text could be integrated into their performance, both in its literary depth and movement interpretation.

On the last day, they had their first movement workshop with the Psychological Center, where the students´ involvement brought a fresh perspective on integrating movement with the proposed text.

Watch more about their experience at the first workshop in Viminacium here:

Workshop 2

The second workshop started with a visit to Požarevac, where dancers explored Tulba National Park and a museum showcasing 18th-19th century homes for inspiration for stage materials and costume design.

They also met with drama school students and reflected together on the poem Epitaph of Alia Postestas, offering valuable inspiration to their creative process. They also did a movement-based exploration in the studio and worked more deeply with the poem, selecting inspiring passages and creating phrases using choreographic tools.

Additionally, Ilija, an archaeologist, made a presentation on the Life of Women in the past and its connection to the performance site. This deepened the artists´ understanding and connection to the performance place. 

The workshop ended with a performance by young dancers at the local dance club Amadeus and a discussion on the life and challenges of professional dancers. Also, a movement workshop with Contra Dance Theater was realised where dancers shared individual practices and explored collaborative choreography.

Watch more about their experience at the second workshop in Viminacium here: