Keith Hennessy - Healing Play / movement workshop, photo by Michal Liner
Guiding principles
PLAST (Slovak Contemporary Dance Platform) is a grassroots organisation of independent Slovak dance artists. It was created to contribute to the creation of sustainable infrastructure and institutions for contemporary dance and systematically work on its growing visibility as a respected art form and a vital part of Slovak society.
Its guiding principles are based on holding space for collaboration, exchange and dialogue and contributing to the growth of a complex dance ecosystem.
PLAST supports creation, training, and research through residencies and workshops. It also encourages international exchange, dance criticism, and innovation within dance art. PLAST's educational activities bring dance closer to dance lovers of different ages and abilities.
History
PLAST was initiated as a community project in 2016 by dance creators striving for better representation and a platform for dialogue. With over 50 members currently—dance professionals and their dance associations—it grew into a small association with diverse projects and kept artists as its board members. In 2018, it launched a project of a dance residency space, which allowed it to hold a physical space for contemporary dance in Bratislava with rehearsal and storage rooms, as well as offices for the core team.
Since 2020, PLAST has organized a biennale showcase of the Slovak Dance Platform with a partner organization, Bratislava in Movement Association, alongside several international collaborations and research projects.
Building and facilities
PLAST coordinates the Telocvičňa Dance Residency Center, a former gym with essential facilities and equipment for dance and movement. Telocvičňa is the only space solely dedicated to contemporary dance in the capital city of Bratislava and a venue for many public dance programmes.
The Residency Center has contributed to the emergence of young artists and intergenerational cooperation, as well as the development of larger-scale stage works. Currently, it hosts rehearsals, presentations of WIP, discussions, symposiums, and workshops and serves as a storage facility for freelance artists and their companies. It runs an international residency programme and is part of a European research project, Nature of Us.