MAJA DELAK (SLO)

„Expensive Darlings“

The performance in the genre of dance theater reflects reality of a woman-artist in cultural, social and political context of contemporary dance in Slovenia. Seven fighters for art represent strong social opponency. At the same time, they internally contradict each other: How do I perceive myself and how do the others perceive me? How do I match with creative enthusiasm on the one hand and with fear from failure on the other hand? How can I accept my gender and do not think of the fact that life would be easier if I were a man?

Contemporary dance was born before the enactment of general women suffrage and it is understood as an expression of emancipation of women. The choreographer uses open procedures of this genre for expression of various personal motivations, stories, attitudes and dilemmas. The critics of the Expensive Darlings performance mark it as the most committed Slovenian work in recent years.

Maja Delak belongs to modern pioneers of contemporary dance in Slovenia. She studied in the choreographic center L’Esquisse in Angeres, France. She is a co-founder of the EX-KNAP institute and she was a member of its dance company since 1993 until 2002. She was the leader of a university program of contemporary dance for education of kindergarten and school children. In 2006, she founded Emanat Institute that is dedicated to artistic, pedagogical and publishing projects. Delak is the author of 11 choreographies where we can see her setting in methods of contemporary dance, in the development of author’s dance poetics despite various topics and ways of work.

Duration: 55 min

more info: www.emanat.si

Within the project Slovenian Theatre Platform.

Supported by:

Ministry of Culture of Republic Slovenia
City of Ljubljana

Concept and choreography: Maja Delak; Authors and performers: Maja Delak, Katja Kosi, Barbara Krajnc, Jelena Rusjan, Vlasta Veselko, Urška Vohar, Nataša Živković; Dramaturgy: Katja Praznik; Set design: Marko Peljhan; Original Music: Gipo Gurrado, Atilla Faravelli; Lighting design: Urška Vohar; Costume design: Nadja Bedjanič; Dominika Zver, Executive Production: Sabina Potočki, Produced by: EMANAT Institute, Co-produced by: City of Women – Association for the Promotion of Women in Culture and Ljubljana Dance Theatre