"I declared the establishment of the Temporary Slovene Dance Archive (TSDA) in my apartment in Šiška, Ljubljana, shortly after having moved into it in 2012. During that period, I began to systematize the materials which had been piling up for years from various donations, due to my interest in the research of historical and theoretical work in the field of contemporary dance and contemporary performance practices, produced outside of public cultural institutions. As interested users of the materials began to turn to me, I realized that the collections were being turned into an archive.
In 2011, I systematized the materials in the library of the Republic of Slovenia Public Fund for Cultural Activities, which Neja Kos, a retired independent expert advisor in the field of contemporary dance at the Association of Cultural Organizations Slovenia (Zveza kulturnih organizacij Slovenije (ZKOS), 1945–1996), now the Republic of Slovenia Public Fund for Cultural Activities (Javni sklad za kulturne dejavnosti (JSKD), 2000–), had been collecting since she began working there in 1977. This is the institution that, during a certain period, most constructively made up for the institutional deficit in the field of contemporary dance. When the employees of this institution began to throw away systematized materials, Neja Kos, Nina Meško, the new independent expert advisor for dance, and I decided to move them to my apartment. Soon after, I brought home the materials that Maska, Institute for Publishing, Production and Education wanted to get rid of when relocating from their joint offices with the Exodos Institute. In 2012, I received materials from Tanja Sciama, the sister of Ksenija Hribar, the choreographer and founder of the Dance Theatre Ljubljana. After several work visits to London, where Hribar worked between 1960 and 1978, I used the acquired and donated materials to create an extensive collection of Ksenija Hribar’s materials.
Between 2012 and 2017, I organized individual and group guided tours of the archive in my apartment, as well as short lectures on the history of dance. Ida Hiršenfelder, a contemporary sound artist, curator, and archivist who came to one of these lectures at the suggestion of Zdenka Badovinac, the director of the Museum of Modern Art and Museum of Contemporary Art Metelkova (MG+MSUM) at the time, took care of the digital Web Museum (Mrežni muzej). They invited me to move the TSDA to the Museum of Contemporary Art Metelkova. In this institution, the TSDA opened in April of 2018 as a temporary artwork, which is open to the public once a week.
I never planned to found the TSDA and, therefore, at first decided not to manage it in any way other than as a private interest and then to develop it further. It seems that, once it had entered the symbolic sphere and started to circulate as information, the TSDA took on a life of its own. It grew into something much bigger that I could have ever planned myself. Besides its materiality, the TSDA is like a fishing net strategically thrown into the sea of cultural lacks and needs that recognize it and feed it. In recent years, it outgrew its initial location. One could never ask for more."
Rok Vevar
From Nika Arhar, Jasmina Založnik (ed.), Bodies of Dance, Aspects of Dance as Cultural, Political, and Art Work in Yugoslavia and After (Belgrade, 2024)
TEMPORARY SLOVENIAN DANCE ARCHIVE
The historicization of contemporary dance is an activity that, even internationally, does not have strong institutional support. However, in order for researchers to be able to write about it, it is necessary to ensure archival materials that enable historiographic interpretations.
The history of contemporary dance is not merely a history of dance performances, but also of the ways in which they are produced; it is a history of the lives of women artists who, in the twentieth century, worked beyond the patriarchal constraints of existing artistic systems; a history of self-organized cultural and artistic formations in various cultural contexts; a history of unusual bodily and therapeutic-kinetic practices; a history of social intensities in different urban environments. Much indirect information can be extracted from the archival materials of contemporary dance activities, if the researcher knows how to read between the lines.
The Temporary Slovenian Dance Archive is an archive of materials in the field of contemporary dance and those performing arts that, in the Republic of Slovenia or in the region of the former Yugoslavia, have incorporated elements of dance and/or choreographic artistic practices into their work. In 2012 it was established by Rok Vevar in his apartment at Celovška 125 in Ljubljana. The organization Nomad Dance Academy Slovenia expressed production interest in the project, and in April 2018, at the invitation of the then director of MSUM+MG, Zdenka Badovinac, and the professional associate for digital archival activities at MG+MSUM, Ida Hiršenfelder, it moved to the Museum of Contemporary Art Metelkova in Ljubljana, where it has had its permanent home ever since.
You can learn more about the Temporary Slovenian Dance Archive at the following link:
https://www.mg-lj.si/si/razstave/2288/zacasni-slovenski-plesni-arhiv-rok-vevar
CHRONOLOGY OF ZSPA 2012–2025
2012
The Temporary Slovenian Dance Archive announces its beginning at Celovška cesta 125.
2013
The Temporary Slovenian Dance Archive becomes part of the Nomad Dance Institute project.
2018
17 April 2018
Opening of the Temporary Slovenian Dance Archive at MSUM.
Link: https://www.mg-lj.si/si/dogodki/2350/odprtje-zacasni-slovenski-plesni-arhiv
9 October 2018
DRAFT | Rok Vevar and Snježana Premuš: Choreographic Statements, Physical Manifestations: The Body as Archive
(opening 9 Oct 2018, on view until 25 Nov 2018)
Link: https://www.mg-lj.si/si/razstave/2452/prepih-koreografske-izjave
10–12 October 2018
LECTURES: Poiesis of the Self (From Stage to Gallery: Meandering), for closed groups, Museum of Contemporary Art Metelkova (+MSUM)
17–18 October 2018
LABORATORY with pedagogue Lisa Clark (USA), Dance Studio Moj korak, Vilharjeva 3, Ljubljana
18 October 2018
TALK – Draft Series, Museum of Contemporary Art Metelkova (+MSUM)
19 October 2018
DRAFT | Rok Vevar and Snježana Premuš: Choreographic Statements (Talk No. 1)
Link: https://www.mg-lj.si/si/dogodki/2458/vevar-premus-pogovor-1
25 November 2018
Presentation of ZSPA and the installation Choreographic Statements, Physical Manifestations: The Body as Archive by Snježana Premuš and Rok Vevar to the partners of the project DANCE ON PASS ON DREAM ON at MSUM (within CoFestival – International Contemporary Dance Festival).
27 November 2018
Rok Vevar: Day, Night + Man = Rhythm: Anthology of Slovenian Contemporary Dance Criticism 1918–1960 – book presentation and discussion (Gregor Moder, moderator; Rok Vevar; Iztok Ilc), MSUM seminar.
Link: https://www.cofestival.si/2018/rok-vevar-dan-noc-clovek-ritem-antologija-slovenske-sodobnoplesne-publicistike-1918-1960-day-night-man-rhythm-anhtology-of-slovenian-contemporary-dance-criticism-1918-1960/
13–14 December 2018
WORKSHOP 2019 | Dance Criticism in ZSPA (co-organized with Gibanica – Biennial of Contemporary Dance Art)
2019
Continuation of the Dance Criticism 2018 workshop, led by Rok Vevar (ZSPA), 15:00–18:00:
24 Jan 2019
7 Feb 2019
21 Feb 2019
8 Mar 2019
22 Mar 2019
5 Apr 2019
26 Apr 2019
10 May 2019
24 May 2019
2 June 2019
Gestes du Contact Improvisation [Acts of Contact Improvisation] exhibition (until 7 June 2019) at ZSPA.
A travelling exhibition from the French Musée de la danse, curated by Romain Bigé. The exhibition was created to connect and inhabit the ambiguous intermediate space between the dance studio and the museum. In Ljubljana it was presented at Stara mestna elektrarna (SMEEL) and ZSPA (MSUM).
2020
23 September 2020
Publication of the book Ksenija, Xenia: The London Dance Years of Ksenija Hribar (co-published by Maska, Nomad Dance Academy Slovenia, JSKD).
2021
1 January 2021
Start of the EU project (Non)Aligned Movements, within the Balkan contemporary dance network Nomad Dance Academy.
24 February 2021
Autography, Uncanniness, Rebellion: The Photography of Božidar Dolenc – exhibition opening at MSUM (curators: Lara Štrumej, Rok Vevar; ZSPA; on view until 6 June 2021).
Link: https://www.mg-lj.si/si/razstave/3234/fotografija-bozidarja-dolenca
4 March 2021
Guided tour of the exhibition Autography, Uncanniness, Rebellion: The Photography of Božidar Dolenc, led by Rok Vevar (ZSPA).
22 March 2021
Recording of a conversation with the recipient of the Vladimir Kralj Lifetime Achievement Award, Ivo Kralj (SLOGI; camera: Nika Ham; co-production: SLOGI, DGKTS, NDA Slovenia).
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoiUGkFVayU&t=1668s
8 April 2021
Guided tour of the exhibition Autography, Uncanniness, Rebellion: The Photography of Božidar Dolenc, led by Rok Vevar (ZSPA).
12 May 2021
Guided tour of the exhibition and presentation of ZSPA for students of AGRFT.
19 May 2021
Guided tour of the exhibition and presentation of ZSPA for students of AGRFT.
6 May 2021
Guided tour of the exhibition Autography, Uncanniness, Rebellion: The Photography of Božidar Dolenc, led by Rok Vevar (ZSPA).
15 May 2021
Article Reality Check! published on the website of the Vienna dance centre Tanz Quartier.
Link: https://www.tqw.at/blog/reality-check-in-ljubljana-slovenia-winter-spring-2021
6 June 2021
Guided tour of the exhibition led by Lara Štrumej, Dejan Habicht, and Rok Vevar.
15 June 2021
Presentation of the book Ksenija, Xenia: The London Dance Years of Ksenija Hribar, Libertas Festival, Koper (moderator: Irena Urbič).
Link: https://www.sigic.si/libertas-festival.html
24 June 2021
REALIZE! RESIST! REACT! Performance and Politics in the 1990s in the Post-Yugoslav Context – exhibition opening (on view until 10 Oct 2021).
Curator: Bojana Piškur; collaborators for the Slovenian section: Rok Vevar and Jasmina Založnik (ZSPA).
Link: https://www.mg-lj.si/si/dogodki/3396/program-spoznanje-upor-reakcija
2 September 2021
Guided tour of the exhibition led by Rok Vevar.
29 September 2021
Marathon guided tour of the exhibition with the curatorial team: Linda Gusia, Jasna Jakšić, Vida Knežević, Nita Luci, Asja Mandić, Bojana Piškur, Biljana Tanurovska-Kjulavkovski, Ivana Vaseva, Rok Vevar, and Jasmina Založnik.
2022
12 January 2022
Presentation of ZSPA for dramaturgy students (AGRFT), MSUM.
9–14 March 2022
Multi-day working meeting of dance archivists within the (Non)Aligned Movements project regarding the establishment of a digital database at project partner Tanzfabrik in Berlin.
17–20 March 2022
Visit to the German Dance Platform in Berlin.
23 November 2022
Rok Vevar: Along the Urban Paths of the History of Slovenian Contemporary Dance and Theatre – CoFestival, Ljubljana.
24 November 2022
Repeat of the guided urban tour within CoFestival.
2023
2–4 March 2023
Invitation to participate in the presentation of the BAD Co. archive at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rijeka.
26 March 2023
Rok Vevar: Introduction to Performing Arts Criticism (DGKTS and TSD), PG Kranj.
4–10 May 2023
Archival team of the project (Non)Aligned Movements residency in Skopje (partner: Lokomotiva), developing the NADA digital database.
24 May 2023
Lecture for the group Critical Practice (Stanica Belgrade, Lokomotiva Skopje) and presentation of the Temporary Slovenian Dance Archive at MSUM.
28 May 2023
Wilhelm Groener: Performing the Archive – performance at ZSPA and MSUM (DOPODO, NDA Slovenia).
30 May 2023
Guided tour Along the Urban Paths of the History of Slovenian Contemporary Dance and Theatre (Slovenian).
31 May 2023
Guided tour of the same programme (English).
20–25 August 2023
ZSPA at the summer meeting of the project (Non)Aligned Movements titled To Keep in Touch at Tanzfabrik Berlin, presenting the archival collective’s working results.
Link: https://www.tanzfabrik-berlin.de/en/to-keep-in-touch-6bc1a042-389b-4718-ba93-3f0c1efb37cb
8 September 2023
The photographic legacy of Igor Delorenzo Omahen arrives at ZSPA.
Oct–Dec 2023
Workshop series at MSUM led by Rok Vevar and Jasmina Založnik:
13 Oct – Introduction to Contemporary Dance
20 Oct – Analysis of Contemporary Dance
27 Oct – Introduction to Contemporary Dance
3 Nov – Analysis of Contemporary Dance
10 Nov – Introduction to Contemporary Dance
17 Nov – Analysis of Contemporary Dance
1 Dec – Introduction to Contemporary Dance
8 Dec – Analysis of Contemporary Dance
2024
Spring–Summer 2024
Preparations for the exhibition at MSU Zagreb, the accompanying publication, and optimisation of the NADA digital database.
10 February 2024
Publication of the book Taking Space: New Performance Art Practices in Yugoslavia by Jasmina Založnik (Maska, NDA Slovenia, ZRC SAZU).
18 April 2024
Presentation of the book at the forum Katastri začasnosti prostorov, Kino Šiška.
6 October 2024
Presentation of the book at the MOCA Skopje Performance Festival.
Link: https://msu.mk/event/moca-skopje-performance-festival
8 October 2024
Lecture and presentation of ZSPA for members of the international performing arts network ENICPA at the Slovenian Theatre Institute (SLOGI).
9 October 2024
Archive visit for ENICPA members at SLOGI.
14–19 November 2024
Installation and finalisation of the exhibition
Dancing, Resisting, (Un)working – Aspects of Dance as Cultural, Political and Art Work in Yugoslavia and After at MSU Zagreb.
20 November 2024
Opening of the exhibition at MSU Zagreb within the programme of CoFestival.
Link: https://nada.nomaddanceacademy.si/dance-archive/1259/en
20 November 2024
Publication of the book Bodies of Dance: Aspects of Dance as Cultural, Political, and Art Work in Yugoslavia and After (eds. Nika Arhar, Jasmina Založnik).
21 November 2024
Guided tour of the exhibition at MSU Zagreb.
5 December 2024
30 Years of Beauty, Sweat and Blisters – exhibition and dance performance marking the 30th anniversary of the Association for Contemporary Dance Slovenia (DSPS), ZSPA, MSUM (open until 31 May 2025).
2025
18 February 2025
Accompanying events of the exhibition at MSU Zagreb:
Mateja Bučar – V izvrstnem redu (dance performance) and guided tour of the exhibition (Tia Kantoci, Rok Vevar, Jasmina Založnik).
February 2025
Preparation of plans for the reconstruction of ZSPA with architect Bor Pungerčič.
19–23 February 2025
First meeting of the EU project DanceMap: Innovation Pathways and Policies to Promote European Dance Heritage at Home and Abroad (HORIZON Innovation Actions Grant) at STUK arts centre, Leuven, Belgium.
20 March 2025
Guided tour of the exhibition Dancing, Resisting, (Un)working – Aspects of Dance as Cultural, Political and Art Work in Yugoslavia and After and presentation of ZSPA for MG+MSUM staff and journalists.
20 March 2025
Opening of the exhibition at MSUM (open until 1 June 2025).
Documentation:
installation, exhibition setup, opening, and public tour.
25 March 2025
Guided tour and presentation for members of the European Dancehouse Network.
2 April 2025
Guided tour and presentation for students from the Institute for Applied Theatre Studies, Justus Liebig University Giessen (Prof. Dr. Bojana Kunst).
10 April 2025
Guided tour for students of SVŠGUGL (Contemporary Dance and Theatre programme).
18 April 2025
Screening of the documentary film Tala To-gether (2021) by Aleksandra Janeva Imfeld.
22–30 April 2025
Series of guided tours and presentations of ZSPA for various audiences (general public, seniors, AGRFT students, cultural professionals).
25 April 2025
Dance in Defiance – conversation with Dr. Aldo Milohnić (AGRFT), moderated by Rok Vevar (MSUM seminar).
May 2025
Numerous guided tours for international guests, students, cultural organisations, and festival participants, including:
– Gibanica Biennial international guests
– the Moving Balkans dance network
– SVŠGUGL students
– City of Women office
– Slovenian Book Agency staff
– individual and group visits.
14 May 2025
Accompanying event of the exhibition:
Mateja Bučar – V izvrstnem redu (dance performance), MSUM.
Total attendance
Between 2 March and 1 June 2025, a total of 262 participants attended the various guided tours of the exhibition Dancing, Resisting, (Un)working – Aspects of Dance as Cultural, Political and Art Work in Yugoslavia and After.
