About us
As far back as we can remember, we've been dancing. Since 2000, we've been dancing together. We had often been fantasizing about once having our very own dance school. Our dance school would be a really cool dance school that would have a café on the ground floor and a theatre in the basement. We had been discussing it over and over again, but felt that we were just building castles in the air. None of us actually believed this dream would ever come true.
In 2007, a few coincidences made our dreams come true. Well, without the café, the theatre and the great big dance studio; but we do have three just right, cute dance halls filled with creativity and good vibes. We started with lots of enthusiasm and with two flaming desires: to offer high-quality dance classes and to create our own performances.
Being an artist nowadays, means drowning in bureaucracy, fighting for time to create, and counting coins that would never be more than just enough. However, nearly every day we say to ourselves: "Friends, we have made our dreams come true. And every day we make dreams come true to at least some individuals who want to dance." This is us. This is the Dance Centre team.
Our mission
Our mission is to raise dancers who have open eyes and bodies and to create an encouraging environment in which young artists have the opportunity to mature into well-rounded individuals who might once contribute to the development of the contemporary dance scene.
Our values
Quality workshops run by educated and experienced dance instructors; perfectly executed dance productions; a kind, relaxed and creative dance atmosphere; access to expert advice for young creators; raising the dance spirit; respecting other dancers and everyone who is creative in the field of dance.
Tovarishia Dance Company
was created at the Dance Centre as the peak of education in contemporary dance. Choreographer and art director, Mark Urbanek, otherwise a teacher of contemporary dance, chooses dancers into his dance company at dance lessons that he teaches and through auditions. Tovarishia creates dance performances, outdoor performances and dance videos / movies.
Tovarishia is a Slovenian dance company that dedicates itself to physical and technical difficulties of contemporary dance and at the same time tries to and has to communicate, dare, remind, and conquer the audience and most of all not to leave the audience indifferent.
Tovarishia stands for trust, mutual development and embracement of other dancers with all their craziness. Tovarishi, who are well qualified for this task, lead Tovarishia.
Art director: Marko Urbanek
Dancers: Maja Arzenšek, Ajda Pfifer, Jure Masten, Ana Germ, Paulina Šušek, Rebeka Hanžel, Katarina Rijavec, Katarina Barbara Kavčič, Tjaša Šramel, Amy Kennedy.
is the first Slovene pole dance group and was created at the Dance Centre. Almost every day of the week you can visit educational workshops of pole dance technique. Pandora also creates on-stage productions.
is an international art foundation for the deaf, that was developed at the Dance Centre. It combines different artists, who produce art workshops, shows, international exchanges, and festivals for the deaf youth.
Founders of the Dance Centre
Marko Urbanek (degree in dance and choreography, self-employed in culture)
president, art director, designer, author of music, founder of Aerial Yoga Maribor
Maja Logar (secondary school graduate)
creative and idea lead, producer of Pandora - Art of Pole
Maja Arzenšek (medical doctor)
project coordinator
Ajda Pfifer (degree in psychology)
vice-president, stage production coordinator, project leader for Heartbeat Hears the Beat
External collaborators
Light design: Darijan Jaušnik
Recording: Studio Legen
Co-producers: SNG Maribor, KID Kibla Maribor, MKC Maribor, Lutkovno gledališče Maribor, Društvo hedonističnih kreativcev, Zavod Udarnik, II. gimnazija Maribor, Društvo za razvoj filmske kulture, Fundacija Sonda
Original music: Sašo Sandič, Tomaž O. Rous, Žan Lebe
Photography: Jure Prizmič, Miha Sagadin, Boštjan Lah, Uroš Abram, Matic Ačko, Franc Gosak
Costume design: Mira Tancer, Nina Logar - Ninarozina, Maša Gračanič, Lea Pfifer
Scenography: Nuša Katarina Murovec
Design, illustration: Sanja Zamuda
Choreography: Gregor Luštek, Vita Osojnik
Others: Rene Puhar, Vid Valič, Željko Milovanovič
