East European Performing Arts Platform (EEPAP) supports the
development of contemporary performing arts (dance and theatre)
in 18 countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

ZeroPlus Contemporary Dance Workshop (Budapest, Hungary)

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Zero Ballet: DANCE WHERE YOU ARE

Description
Information about institution: 

Operating since 2015, ZeroPlus Contemorary Dance Workshop combines Eastern and Western traditions in its philosophy of art and education as well as in its technique and creative methods.

The concept of ZERO, as history records, was India's contribution to the world. For the hindu sages zero was not merely a number, but the origin of the world, the “seed” which gives birth to everything. Its first notation was a simple dot: ·

In the name of the studio the word zero refers to our intention to start from the mysterious centre, as zero is the place for transformation: it is the place where negative numbers turn into positive, night turns into day, virtual becomes real. Thus zero also becomes the symbol of the creating process, since in this process we attempt to reveal something that was so far hidden, we aspire to make a bridge between the spiritual and the corporeal. From time to time, Zero Ballet searches for ways to involve the audience into its performances by encouraging them to step across the border between in and out.

ZeroPlus Dance Studio functions as a school specializing in somatic activities. We ask our students to begin a spiritual quest to uncover their inner selves. The methods may vary - contact improvisation, different body awareness techniques, release technique, composition, classical ballet, etc - but our messages are consistent: discover yourself and the other, attend to the other, be conscious of your presence, relax, create. 

Short history: 

The leader of the studio, Gyula Berger, is one of the pioneers of Modern Dance in Hungary, established his first dance group in 1984. The group worked for 9 years with lots of successes and difficulties. As a dancer, teacher and choreographer Gyula Berger has constantly been looking for new ways of moving and composing and finally this thirst for knowledge took him to the Netherlands, to the European Dance Development Center, Arnhem where he had studied for 4 years. His masters were the great figures of American post-modern dance, amongst others: Steve Paxton, Nancy Stark Smith, Simone Forti, Sally Silvers, Amos Hetz, Mary Fulkerson, Eva Karczag. Returning to Hungary in 1997 he continued teaching workshops and choreographing and performing his own work for his second company, Zero Ballet and participating in international collaborations. He is co-founder of L1 Association, a unique collective of choreographers, musicians, fine artists, theoreticians. ZeroPlus Contemporary Dance Workshop was born out of the company's work focusing on education in contemporary dance based on a somatic approach.  

The most important projects: 
International cooperations: 

Your body – My landscape - collaboration project with Dutch performer, teacher, choreographer Roos van Berkel. Teaching exchange program and performing together.

Hopes & Memories – a contemporary opera (as a choreographer) in collaboration with French, Czech, Slovakian, Hungarian and South African artists. The project was funded by the European Culture Program.

Collaboration with director Kristof Szabó in Budapest (choreography for 567 C.O.O.L.a movement theatre piece based on the short story with the title of "Five Six Seven" by the famous Hungarian writer Ervin Lázár). Premier: BAKELIT MULTI ART CENTER Budapest/Hungary, on 13, 14 April 2010

Collaboration with Zenon Dance Company - USA (renewing my Vermont Counterpoint with the Company). Premier in Budapest: 10th March 2007 at National Dance Theatre, in the frame of the 6. L1 Contemporary Dance Festival. Premier in USA: 26th April-6th May 2007 at Ritz Theater, Minneapolis.

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