Between tradition and contemporary
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Katalena, one of the most unique Slovenian bands will stage a concert where almost half of the concert will be accompanied by 13 ballet dancers of The Slovene National Theatre and the Maribor City Ballet. Their dancing will be under the leadership and choreography of the renowned Edward Clug and Valentina Turcu.
The Phenomenon
The story of Katalena goes back to the summer of 2001, when six outstanding musicians brought to life archival folklore material and rejuvenated its rustic image in line with their art rock, funk, jazz, and blues pedigrees. They combined their rich backgrounds with an integral youthful vision that was as much philosophical as it was musical. The members come from different musical backgrounds; from classic rock, folk, blues, to trip hop.
Katalena deals with the folk music legacy of Slovenia, reinterpreting and performing it in its' own way. The basic presumption in the work of the group is faith in the timelessness of folk music, which is, in the band's opinion, still a part of young people's lives and a vital tradition. The goal of Katalena is to revive this tradition, to give it a wave of fresh energy, to pull it out of the dusty national subconscious, and present it in a way that is at-ease and unburdened. They have created a very special mixture of rhythms, temperament, of the old and the new. Their music offers inspiration for the young, pride for the elder generation, and much fun for everybody. Many people characterize Katalena as the most inspirational voice of 21st century Slovene folk music.
Ballet Master-in-Chief
Contemporary Slovenian ballet artist Edward Clug was born in 1973 in Romania. In 1991 he became the Principal Dancer at the Slovene National Theatre (SNG) in Maribor, where he interpreted roles in the classical and modern ballet repertoire. As a dancer he performed as a guest artist outside his parent theatre, and several times danced in repertoire performances for the Zagreb Ballet. In 1996, famous Slovene director Tomaž Pandur asked him to choreograph his performance of Babylon, with which "a new period of artistic creativity began," he says. His most famous ballet with the Maribor ensemble was Tango in1998, which was an absolute hit performance. A solo from this performance ('Blind Tango') was presented at the international competition in Varna and was awarded the prize for the best contemporary choreography for a period of five years. It also was given a special award for best choreography at the international ballet and contemporary dance competition in Nagoya, Japan, and the award of the Society of Ballet Artists of Slovenia for best dance performance in 1999. These choreographic works were followed by many other, prominent awards as well. Clug danced a tremendous variety of roles with the Maribor City Ballet and as a solo artist throughout the world, and was lauded for his outstanding skills and noble stage presence. Working with Katalena is not his first experience with folk music, as he performed with Goran Bregović's Orchestra for Weddings and Funerals, where he choreographed 50 dancers.
Špic-Cvak!
The meaning of the title lies in the hybridization of music and dance to be played and performed. Since the band's inspiration comes from folk music played in Rezija (an area on the border of Slovenia and Italy with a distinct dialect and specific type of music), Cvik-Cvak! - also the title of Katalena's last album - is an expression used at the end of a Resian song. Špic means standing on tiptoes typical for ballet, although Clug and fellow choreographer Valentina Turcu are specifically focused on contemporary dance.
The idea for cooperation is not new. Clug's first contact with Katalena was back in 2003 when he was developing a solo for a performance in Riga for the celebration of Slovenia's entrance to the EU. Looking for specifically Slovenian music, he found Katalena's first album in a store which inspired him instantly. "There was something distant in this marvelous atmosphere with a very precise composition," he recalls. Later on, this solo performance was shown on National Television and soon after, Katalena made the next step, inviting Clug to join them at a concert in 2004. This live interaction created even more interesting feelings and was repeated in 2005, when Clug was asked to direct the Awards of the Prešeren Foundation - and amazingly also won this highest prize for achievements in culture that same year. The pieces they put together were inspirational and interesting enough for both, and Katalena and Clug continued working along with Valentina Turcu, also a ballerina and choreographer in Maribor City Ballet. What they are about to present is a rich variety of pure Slovenian tradition with contemporary elements, both included in music as well as dance. It is the kind of spectacle, almost experimental, that we aren't able to see every day.
12 Oct at 8 pm, Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana, EUR 17-35