- FULL NAME:  Fluid balance-creative acrobatics (Katjusa Kovacic & Nikola Oreskovic)

- PHONE NUMBER: +386 31 43 42 41 (SI – Katjusa) +385 91 513 48 50 (HR – Nikola)

- EMAIL: kaatuka@gmail.com, nikola@amazonas.hr

- SHORT BIOGRAPHY (400-500 characters) – relevant to the proposal, Symposium theme

Nikola Orešković - Croatia (1976)

Teacher and artist in different mind/body/movement practices; works with individuals from different walks of life. Engaged in taekwondo, tricking, stunts, contemporary dance, capoeira, circus and gymnastics. Merges these disciplines and passes knowledge to students for 20 years. He created many projects in different public spaces, overcoming all obstacles of no/low financial resources, space requirements and cultural differences, with his passion to create.

Katjuša Kovačič - Slovenia (1986)

Freelance artist active in the field of performing arts and pedagogics. She is engaged in movement disciplines since five (expression & contemporary dance, improvisation & physical theater, street theatre, circus and capoeira). Merging her knowledge in her unique movement expression. She teaches children, adults and persons with disabilities over a decade; co-working with artists from different disciplines, in various circumstances, spaces, countries, always ready to share and collaborate.

Fluid balance project is inspired by our knowledge of  physical/creative disciplines. By fusing them we have developed a specific teaching method and movement vocabulary.

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- TITLE OF THE ACTIVITY: Outplaying the limitations (workshop & performance)

- DETAILED CONTENT DESCRIPTION (max. 2000 characters):

We can see compromise as something restraining us to create the totality of the idea/ project, like compromising with low financial resources. On the other hand we can see it as an opportunity of emerging of something new, unplanned like in group creation process, where you compromise with ideas of others.

We think all of us artists are fed up with compromising with circumstances of financial lack and therefore unability to manifest our artistic ideas. But nevertheless our urge to share passion for movement led us to work with children, professionals, beginners and persons with disabilities in Slovenia, Croatia, China, Italy, Izrael, Hungary, India, Mexico, Brazil, Bosnia, Macedonia, Cambodia and Serbia. We meet with compromising circumstances and had to be creative, think and work out of the box; and in this way learn that there is always a way. We took our practices to street, galleries, diverse floor, forest, very small studios/rooms, different cultural spaces, beyond language/cultural/bodily barriers, never compromising with the concept of impossible. And this trained us to work, perform and teach in extreme situations.

By this specific workshop and performance we will explore body/movement in public space. We would like to lead it in a space that includes stairs, fences, objects, platforms and random people. How does this “compromise” affect the body expression? Creative process will help students to become aware of their body in any situation/position, exploring the possibilities of smooth transitions, reactions of the body encountering obstacles, enriched with acrobatic movement. The goal is to encourage creative thinking, space/body perception and improvement of individual movement vocabulary to use this in each creating his own playground. We don’t have to compromise to dance and move; we don’t need studio, flat floor, the right music and people etc; all you need is you. Playing like a child being present in the moment. And in this way we believe fluid balance can be an never ending exploration of movement, cultures and individual expression.

For the final performance we will co-work with all the participants to create a movement game which includes a lot of momentary reaction on space, objects and public. We hope to encourage students to realize they can create and dance in any circumstances that is presented to them.

- SUMMARY OF CONTENT DESCRIPTION AND MOTIVATION (max 400- 500 characters; for publishing)

We will explore body/movement in public space that includes objects and platforms. Creative process will help students to become aware in any situation/position; exploring the reactions of the body encountering obstacles, enriched with acrobatic movement. The goal is to encourage creative thinking, space/body perception and improvement of movement vocabulary to use this in each creating his/hers own playground, on final performance we will co-work with all the participants to create a movement game.We don’t have to compromise to dance and move; we can do it anywhere, any time!

- SHORT BIOGRAPHY (max 60 words for publishing (if co-taught all in all max 60 words)

Fluid balance-creative acrobatics: Nikola Orešković & Katjuša Kovačič

Freelance artists and pedagogues; worked with individuals from different walks of life. Practice, contemporary dance, physical theater, acrobatics, handbalancing, street theater, capoeira, martial arts, circus and gymnastics. They merge these disciplines in their own system, passing knowledge to students through classes and workshops. Creating performances, events and collaborations.

- GENERAL INTERESTS, CODE/KEYWORDS

- movement, acrobatics, capoeira, contemporary dance

- creativity, improvisation, expression

- reaction to unconventional space and public

- merging, sharing, communicating

- ending performance

- performing and dancing in any circumstances

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- Participating requirements (for whom is this workshop for?)

Suitable for beginners as well as for professional movers (dancers, capoeira players / other martial artists, acrobats, actors, circus performers, yogis, pole dancers, fitness practitioners and others). It’s meant for anyone who wants to explore vast spectres of expressing through unique movement and creation systems. Injuries, age and/or physical impairments will not interfere with performance – fluid balance is suitable for all body types. All the elements are passed to participants gradually in a safe environment, with professional assistance.

- TIME REQUIREMENTS (how much time do you need for sharing?)

90 minute sessions each day (if possible 120 min); 20-30 min ending performance

- SPACE REQUIREMENTS (what kind of space do you require for your sharing? studio size etc)

Unconventional - public space for workshop and end performance (gallery, shopping center, street etc)

- TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS (what kind of technical support do you require? audio, beamer etc)

- speakers

- co-working with live musicians for ending performance (optional)

- OTHER REQUIREMENTS – comments.

Workshop can be held in english, slovene, croatian, portuguese, spanish or chinese language.

We prefer afternoon schedules for teaching.

Slovenia and Croatia are small countries with a range of great artists and little resources given to culture, especially to more alternative ones. But not to be all pessimistic about it, we also learned to create rich projects with small resources. We believe artists are here to overcome cultural, mental and physical borders, to see the wider picture and differences/challenges as wonderful opportunities to expand and grow.