Author: Emese Szabó.

The Beyond Front@ project’s stipend for young critics was an important opportunity for me. In Romania, most of us consider critical work a supplementary job, almost a hobby. The theater magazine I usually write for can very rarely afford to send its writers to international festivals. BF gave these rare opportunities for me.

Audience of the Dance Week Festival in Zagreb, 2024.

In June 2024, I traveled to Zagreb for the Dance Week Festival. Thanks to Ivan Mrdjen, the organizer, I not only had the chance to see all the festival’s performances, but I also visited the Zagreb Dance Academy, where I spoke with two teachers who gave me a tour of the university. Additionally, I met Ida Jolic, a dancer at the Studio Contemporary Dance Company – she also gave me an extensive tour of the company and its building. Then I traveled to Rijeka with Mirna Zagar, the festival’s chief organizer, where I attended another performance. Mirna kindly shared her professional journey and explained how the festival operates. Thanks to these encounters, I gained a comprehensive view of the Croatian dance scene, which not only influenced my perspective on the performances but also allowed me to contextualize the Croatian system compared to my own country. Mirna and Ivan introduced me to several critics and choreographers during the festival, and I exchanged contact information with many of them in the hopes of future collaborations.

At the end of June, after the Zagreb Dance Week, I participated in the Flow Festival in Sfântu Gheorghe, Romania. Among other performances, I watched Pál Frenák’s choreography “Boys,” but in my critiqe, I wrote about the Ivan Vazov National Theatre’s production “Fiesta” and the performance “BLOT – Body Line of Thought,” which was a coproduction of Tangaj Collective and Action at a Distance. State support for culture in Romania is steadily decreasing, so it’s always a joy when the organizers manage to pull off another Flow Festival, offering the Romanian audience an international perspective.

Third, I traveled to Sweden and visited the Vitlycke Center of Performing Arts. Francesco Scavetta, choreographer and teacher, picked me up from the bus stop and took me to the residency, a truly inspiring and unique place. I watched the Krakow Dance Theatre’s performance “Treatise” by Milan Tomášik. After the show, there was a public discussion where I had the chance to speak with the local audience and the members of the Krakow ensemble.

The fourth and final stop was the Drugajanje Festival in Slovenia. Over five days, I had the opportunity to watch performances in three cities: Celje, Ljubljana, and Kranj. At that time, the young critics’ residency was also taking place in Celje, so it was a great opportunity to meet young critics from different countries, watch the performances together, and have in-depth discussions about them.

Critics Residency at the Drugajanje Festival in Slovenia, 2024.

The organization and travel arrangements went smoothly in every instance. The local representatives in each country helped organize my trips. In Croatia and Slovenia, I received special attention, as mentioned earlier. Financially, I managed well, considering that one of the four countries was my own. In the other countries, I had to be mindful of prices, especially when it came to meals. I tried to choose more affordable accommodations and often received recommendations from the organizers.

The collaboration with editor Pia Brezavšček had a significant impact on my critical career. Her suggestions and insights helped me view dance from new perspectives, allowing me to express fresh critical voices in my writing. I will definitely carry these observations forward in my future work.

Emese Szabó’s critical reviews created within the Beyond Front@: Bridging Periphery project:

• Questions Around Dance – Dance Week Festival Zagreb – 2024.
• Note for note – Krakow Dance Theatre – Treatise by Milan Tomášik
• Three performances from the Flow – Flow International Dance Festival, Saint George 2024.
• Tinnitus and Patriarchy: The Responsibility of the Stage – This is my truth, tell me yours (Drugajanje Festival, Slovenia)