Ponec – Dance Venue opens for its 25th anniversary season, marking a quarter of a century. The venue, once a factory, later a cinema, and eventually a run-down warehouse has transformed into what is known today as a vibrant center for contemporary dance- providing a sanctuary for artists and audiences of all generations to come together. The evening program will feature Lípa, a dance performance, along with a dance film and montage from the documentary Tance kolem Ponce (Dances Around Ponec). As well as, a photography exhibition representing the theater’s evolution. This evening will not only serve as a celebration of the past, but above all an invitation into the future.
Lípa (lime tree)
The dance and musical performance by Lenka Kniha Bartůňková and Antonie Nyass is an intimate dialogue between two women, where the roots of the past intertwine with a view to the future. Live music and dance become a bridge between loss and renewal, between silence and emotion, and between body and voice. Their encounter evokes the image of a linden tree – a sturdy, noble, and immortal tree that symbolizes the power of identity and hope.
Insanity
Adriana Štefaňáková's dance film tells the story of an individual longing to break free from constant control and the grip of dictated standards. Their journey is both a search for freedom, but also a question of whether we are truly able to bear it. The film reflects on the boundary between madness and reason, decadence and escapism, and leaves viewers to ponder the question of: what does it truly mean to be free?
Dances Around Ponec
After 25 years, the footage of the reconstruction of the dilapidated warehouse of the Film Enterprise feels almost unbelievable. This historical reminder of the beginning of the millennium, and the thorny path towards creating Bohemia's first permanent dance scene may both surprise and amuse you. Remarkably, much of what was said back then still holds true today.
The Journey of Ponce
This exhibition of historical photographs follows the reconstruction of the theater and its transformations over the past 25 years. The images depict the journey from a dilapidated warehouse to its present form – a theater space that has become home to Czech and international contemporary dance. The photographs capture not only the structural changes, but also the energy, determination, and dreams that continue to keep Ponec alive and growing.