About us — Center plesa

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.

 

Heartbeat Hears the Beat.

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