Branko Potočan: Circus to the Moon

Old Power Plant (SMEEL)

Tuesday, 18 August 2020 at 7:00 p.m.

Circus to the Moon – a circus cabaret is composed as a series of circus performances (aerial disciplines and more) presented at the end of each month throughout the school year. Each performance consists of a series of short acts that constitute a balanced whole. Demonstrated acts are the result of the educational process of aerial disciplines and modern dance that the group Fourklor has been intensely developing over the past years.

Young old friends of aerial disciplines will be performing, and this time we will be focusing on the rope and rope only and only rope, and maybe something else.

Of course, our indispensable and desired Maestro Gorsky will be hosting the evening alongside the seamstress of scenes and weaver of the common thread Rose.

Life is a circus.

The performance has evolved from occasional workshops of aerial disciplines led by Branko Potočan since 2002, and in 2012 he began conducting regular organized training as the first in Slovenia. During this time the level of the quality of the trainees has risen sharply, which has created the desire to articulate the acquired technical knowledge at a higher level. This led to the production of many aerial silk performances with which the group Fourklor toured at home and abroad. Branko Potočan also conceptually established a production model - the circus cabaret Circus to the Moon, which is designed as a set of circus performances of aerial disciplines.

Branko Potočan, Slovenian choreographer, director, dancer, artistic director and educator joined Dance Theatre Ljubljana in 1986 and as a member of the avantgarde group led by Ksenija Hribar participated in all its major productions. Between 1990 and 1993 he collaborated with renowned choreographer Wim Vandekeybus and with his group Ultima Vez crossed the world dance and theatre stages. In 1994 he set up the non-profit organization for the organization and implementation of cultural projects Vitkar and a physical theatre group of his own, Fourklor. In his prolific creative career as a choreographer and a director he conceived over 40 original performances from 1994 until today. For several years he has been an active choreographer and movement adviser in many theatres at home and abroad. He also works as an educator and runs workshops with young people (modern circus, physical theatre, aerial silk, hoop, rope,..). He is the Artistic Director of Rdeči revirji, International Festival of Performing Arts in Zasavje region.

Branko Potočan

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Credits

Concept: Branko Potočan
Performers: Nina Grguraš, Kristina Martinc, Nina Bučuk, Katarina Krapež, Danijela Zajc, Anamari Bagarič, Veronika Valdes, Tini Rozman, Tajda Podobnik, Jana Menger, Branko Potočan
Rose & Maestro Gorsky: Anja Bezlova, Goran Završnik
Produced by: Vitkar zavod, KD Priden možic

Organised by: Emanat
In collaboration with: Bunker/SMEEL

Photos: Drago Videmšek, Nada Žgank

Quotes

“Branko Potočan, the founder of the Fourklor dance group, was – together with his dancers – always looking for new ways of expression that never followed the already established dance directions and movements. At the same time, they kept to their well-known guidelines throughout the years – less is more.”
- Ajda Šubelj, City Magazine

“The modern circus transcends the boundaries of circus, movement, dance, performance and drama (with the development of stories and characters), extends the boundaries of physical and object theatre, uses the elements of visual, musical and street theatre, mime and in clowning, which in its contemporary form develops independently from circus, also commedia dell’arte.
Choreographer Branko Potočan combines in his performances elements of modern circus techniques with dance and physical theatre, and conducts pedagogical work with silk and rope dance, which also flows into regular events Circus to the Moon. The presence and visibility of this young and demanding circus practice is all the more open to the possibilities of education and other developmental incentives; it is therefore not unusual that it has developed most prominently in countries with reputable circus schools, to which a handful of Slovenian artists have also enrolled.”
- Nika Arhar, Neodvisni