About Croatian Institute for Movement and Dance

The Croatian Institute for Movement and Dance (The Institute – Hrvatski institut za pokret i ples “HIPP”) is a not-for-profit organization that has been instrumental in pioneering and enhancing support for the independent contemporary dance in Croatia for over three decades now. It was founded by Mirna Zagar in 1990, and is an organizer that operates on local, national and international level in the field of contemporary dance practices supporting generations of Croatian dance professionals and their integration into the international world of dance.

In close collaboration with local, national and international partners HIPP curates and organizes dance productions, performances, workshops and other projects for professional development and networking and collaborative opportunities for dance artists. HIPP also engages in nurturing the public awareness and appreciation of the art of contemporary dance, inviting citizens to engage with this art form and discover first-hand the ways dance changes lives.

HIPP has been successful in lobbying for structural support for contemporary Croatian dance artists, specifically initiating the founding of Zagreb Dance Centre, Croatia’s first purpose-built facility for dance. HIPP successfully operated this facility since its opening in 2006 until eviction in 2017. Together with local and national funders as well as in collaboration with international partners, HIPP has successfully increased presence and awareness for Croatian contemporary dance and arts in general.

HIPP is also producer of international Dance Week Festival (Tjedan suvremenog plesa), Croatia’s primary festival for dance established in 1981. The festival has to date featured over 1000 internationally acclaimed dance artists and companies and produced over 100 works by national dance makers. Dance Week Festival and HIPP have been awarded for its achievements by the President of Croatia, Stipe Mesic (2010, povelja predsjednika Republike); HIPP and the Festival received recognition from the EFFE for artistic achievements 2017.