PRIMA

One of the most successful and award-winning Czech artists of Slovak origin, Viktor Černický, features at Divadelná Nitra for the first time. He combines various art disciplines, while dance remains at the core of his work. Dance as a dialogue with the public, as a value, as a physical reflection and expression of the relationship between subject and object. In his latest work, groups of local residents become the actors of contemporary dance: They create “cohesive groups consist of individuals. These appear seemingly randomly at a given moment, while being organised under the unobtrusive supervision by professionals. … Everyone intervenes in the event with a different physiognomy, movement potential, intensity, mentality. Tomáš Janypka, Lukáš Karásek, Jaroslav Ondruš and Tinka Avramová – as professionals they ensure security and safety.” (Taneční aktuality) At Divadelná Nitra, based on a call, residents of Nitra will join the project. Prove to yourself that everyone can really dance and move – with pleasure, enthusiasm, respect and empathy, spontaneously, and without inhibitions. 

concept, choreography, directed by: Viktor Černický
performers: Tomáš Janypka, Lukáš Karásek, Jaroslav Ondruš, Tinka Avramová and people from local community
dramaturgy: Sodja Lotker
lights design: Zuzana Režná
costume consultant: Kasia Pol
production and coordination: ZDRUHESTRANY & Petra Hanzlíková, Tanec Praha z.ú.
coproduction: Tanec Praha z.ú. / TANEC PRAHA Festival (CZ), Cafè de las Artes Teatro (ES), Teatrul national RaduStanca (RO), CapoTrave/Kilowatt (IT)

 main support: Creative Europe programme of the European Union; Performance was created withn european project Be SpectACTive! 

Associazione Culturale CapoTrave / Kilowatt (IT), Artemrede – Teatros Associados (PT), Bakelit Multi Art Center (HU), Koproduktionshaus Wien / Brut (AT), Kunstencentrum BUDA (BE), Café de las Artes Teatro (ES), Domino Udruge (HR), Asociácia Divadelná Nitra (SK), Dublin Theatre Festival Company (IE), Göteborgs Kommun – Göteborgs Stads kulturförvaltning / Stora Teatern (SE), Institution Student Cultural Centre (RS), Occitanie en scène, Réseau en scène Languedoc-Roussillon (FR), Plesni Teater Ljubljana (SI), Tanec Praha (CZ), Teatrul Naţional Radu Stanca Sibiu (RO), Fondazione Fitzcarraldo (IT), Universitat de Barcelona (ES), Université de Montpellier (FR), Centre national de la recherche scientifique / CNRS (FR).

support: Project is realized with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, Statutory city of Brno and city of Prague.

Research in 2019 supported also by: 4+4 dny v pohybu, CIRQUEON – centrum pro nový cirkus a Invalidovna.

thanks to: Zuzana Sceránková, Inga Zotova-Mikshina, Roman Zotov-Mikshin, 100+ ľudí z miestnych komunít z Prahy, Sansepolcra, Sibiu a Santandera / 100+ people from local communities of Prague, Sansepolcro, Sibiu and Santander

presentation at Divadelná Nitra supported by the Slovak Arts Council, the Nitra Self-Governing Region, The City of Nitra, SPP Foundation, LITA — authors’ society

Viktor Černický (1990) is an interdisciplinary dance artist, dramaturge and teacher. His works oscillate between dance, physical theatre, circus and visual arts. A native of Trenčín, he completed his studies at the Author’s and Physical Theatre Studio at The Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno. He is the laureate of a number of awards, such as the grand prix and the 2019 Czech Dance Platform Audience Award and was nominated for the 2019 Divadelní noviny Award. His works featured at major European and Asian stages and festivals. It is part of the Aerowaves Twenty20 selection, the prestigious European contemporary dance network. In addition to his own author’s work, he collaborated and performed with, for instance, Dominique Boivin (FR), Sonja Pregrad (RS/DE), Cirk La Putyka (CZ), Compagnie Mossoux_Bonté (BE). Since 2019, he is a visiting teacher at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague.

Viktor Černický, a native of Slovakia and graduate of the Physical Theatre Studio at The Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts, presents his works at home and internationally. Two years ago, in a Czech Radio programme, he reflected: “I accepted the role of an outsider within the local dance scene. I do enjoy that. It gives me a sense of freedom; when I’m interested in a theme, I am free to deal with it as I wish.” The success that came with his performance PLI winning the 2019 Czech Dance Platform Grand Prix and Audience Award, and featuring at the Paris Théâtre de la Ville in May 2022, did not make him rest on the laurels. He creatively develops methods to work with space and the body. At least this is the direction he now took with his new piece PRIMA.

With thirteen performers, five men and eight women, he developed a consistent stage shape, the core of which is work with a group that defines its own limits: how, when, where and why it will move. Its members are self-sufficient among themselves; one must not lose focus and adhere to the given scheme of imitating movement and tuning in to colleagues. (…) “The point is to stay connected to the energy wave of the others, join them, come up with your own idea, and, that failing, you can leave and sit on the chairs placed on the sides of the white ballet floor. It shines like an ice surface onto which the actors set out from their positions. Their figures are reflected on the floor and on the bright horizon, creating a visually interesting minimalist image made up of body contours and projections.”

Lucie Dercsényi: PRIMA – the piece (not just) of the moment [PRIMA – dílo (nejen) okamžiku]. In Taneční aktuality [online]. 3. 7. 2022. Available at: https://www.tanecniaktuality.cz/recenze/prima-dilo-nejen-okamziku