Waiting for Didier

On September 4 and 5 Ponec theatre, the venue for contemporary dance hosted a premiere of a brand new project Mah Hunt created by the internationally renowned ensemble DOT504 Dance Company (the rerun is planned for October 24th). The theatre also continues with a dramaturgy project entitled T.VAR, a programme that enables Czech artists residing abroad to present their recent work in their home country. September 13 will thus see Nikola Křížková presenting her piece Waiting for Didier. The next to present his work within T.VAR project is Jiří Bartovanec: he is coming to the Czech Republic with a solo named Aneho, a performance inspired by the intriguing story of his own family. Other artists who will perform at Ponec theatre within the project during autumn season are Jan Bárta, Klára Alexová, Eva Šusová and Kateřina Dietzová.

At the beginning of October Kateřina Stupecká, the winner of 2009 SAZKA Prize for “discovery in dance”, will for the first time present her brand new piece Shuniana crated from the very prize. The same as in the preceding seasons, the spectators can enjoy live shooting of Jan Kraus´talkshow – newly in the production of Prima television. There´s still much more coming, though: in addition to DOT504, another hosting ensemble will perform at Ponec in November. This time it is Farm in the Cave, Viliam Dočolomanský´s ensemble which, despite having acquired international reputation, have lost their rehearsal and presentation space in Prague. Ponec theatre has thus, logically, “lent” them a few dates in an otherwise full thetre diary. Last but not least, in each autumn month there are performances and programmes for kids and school classes coming. Find out more at www.divadloponec.cz .

After the ensemble DOT504 lived a great success with the piece 100 Wounded Tears which was awarded a prestigious prize at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the director Lenka Ottová decided to give a chance to two faithful members of the company, the young Czech artist Lenka Vagnerová and Pavel Mašek. Their brand new piece Mah Hunt is about two people who decide to experience hunting. What the hunting will be like depends on what rules will be set for it. One of the co-authors of the piece, Lenka Vagnerová, explains more: “During the creative process we were discussing such issues as why and in what way animals are hunted, tortured and killed by people. We were looking into what it is like to be a hunter, what it is like to be a prey, how to lure an animal, how to reinstall a lost trust or what are the rules that exist in the animal community.” The premiere was shown at Ponec theatre on September 4 and 5 at 8 pm and the nearest rerun is planned for October 24th.

A dance meeting of three young women coming from different parts of the world who currently work in France – that is a piece entitled Waiting for Didier, a merge of dance, theatre and video projection. It was created in the workshop of A.N.I. which stands for Africa Manso (ESP), Nikola Križková (CZ) and Ioulia Plotnikova (RUS). One of the creators, Nikola Križková, explains: „Waiting for Didier is a very feminine piece. We are three young women going through similar situations, each of us, though, with a different temperament, a different type of energy. Each one of us is taking a different road, these roads, however, cross at a certain moment and it is this moment that gives rise to the desire for creating and discovering.” If you want to find out more about desire, joy of life, friendship and diverse dreams, come to Ponec theatre on Monday, September 13 at 8 pm. “The shortest way from one point to another is not a direct line but a dream…”

Kateřina Stupecká, the last winner of SAZKA Prize has created her project Shuniata from financial means awarded within the prize. Stupecká comments: “The certainty of having financial means to cover the piece allowed me to concentrate properly on the very creation. The secure financial situation permitted me to carry out my visions of other segments of the piece but dance, all the segments that are a coherent part of every bigger theatre project.” The author found inspiration for the piece in Dark Night of the Soul, a book written by Thomas Moore, a writer and a psychotherapist. She explains: “His works are noteworthy in that they treat the issues of psychology of archetypes, mythology and arts and the interlinks between these. A dark night of the soul is a term for the search of meaning we experience in the darkest moments of our life. It is a chance, a challenge, a transformative ritual.” The piece Shuniata – fertile emptiness will be premiered at Ponec theatre on October 4 and 5.

Jiří Bartovanec is such a good dancer that he has been chosen by one of the internationally renowned dance ensembles – the Berlin Sasha Waltz Company. Due to a project called “The Choreographers of the Future” he has the opportunity to work on his own projects besides dancing at the Sasha Waltz. On November 1 and 2 Jiří will present his second choreography Aneho in the Czech Republic. In this piece he aims at dealing with his family´s complicated past; during the creative process he decided to find his alleged African roots. His quest was shot by the director Nenad Djepičov in a documentary entitled African roots – Czech dancing. The film, produced by Czech Television, will be shown during both nights at Ponec. Among other things, the documentary sees Jiří meeting his long lost grandfather. Jiří comments upon this: “After the documentary was finished, my grandfather, sadly, died under rather unclear circumstances. This sad fact added another dimension to my choreography.” The name of the piece, Aneho, is a name of a small town by the sea in Togo – a place from which Jiří´s ancestors come from, a fact found out during the work on the documentary.

Last but not least, the autumn season means a number of opportunities to come and see popular pieces of Ponec permanent residents such as VerTeDance, NANOHACH, DOT504 or 420PEOPLE. Ponec continues in its activities as an open venue providing space and maximum quality conditions to selected artists so that they could carry out their projects. Choreographers, dancers and ensembles co-operating with the theatre provide for constitutive part of the theatre dramaturgy while remaining independent units within the field of progressive art.

Tickets are on sale from the 15th day of the month preceding the respective performance. The advance ticket sale prices are 160 CZK and 90 CZK (reduced price). Tickets purchased on the day of the performance cost 190 CZK / 120 CZK (reduced price). Tickets for Ponec theatre shows are also sold at Celetná Theatre box office and at Ticketpro and Ticketstream networks. Tickets for Jan Kraus´show are sold for 390 CZK at the Ticketportal network.
Ponec theatre is operated by Tanec Praha civic association (founded in 1991), a non-profit organization that organizes festivals of contemporary dance and movement theatre (TANEC PRAHA, Czech Dance Platform).
With the support from the City of Prague and the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic.