HOUSE BOLERO
At the initiative of the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Brussels, the performance of House Bolero in the heart of Europe will mark the year in which Nova Gorica, together with Gorizia, holds the title of European Capital of Culture 20205 - GO! Borderless. The project is being developed in collaboration with Matej Kejžar, the artistic collective Pekinpah, the Slovenian National Theatre Opera and Ballet Ljubljana, and other partners.
“It all started as an ode to Dance,” Matej Kejžar tells us. “This was about five years ago, during an experiment on learning from dance, rather than learning how to dance or how to be oneself. The crazy, odd, queer, and idiosyncratic styles in the experiment evolved around working with and respecting physical presence. They focused on kinaesthetic writing within space and time, in a common force field—a dynamic territory where a constant change of dynamics is possible.”.
The experiment continues. This time, it involves members of the ballet ensemble of the SNG Opera and Ballet Ljubljana and former ballet dancers from an older generation. House Bolero is a truly intergenerational experiment, with dancers aged 21 to 69. Working with their bodies, their diverse forms of physical presence, and a shared passion for dance, they suggest a new thought: the writing of dance is a force that challenges normalisation.
”Watching an audience watching Dance, or being in proximity to a dancer, is a completely different experience. It is precisely this different experience, even though it is the same dance, manifesting in the same space and at the same time, that I call Dance. This dance is, in my opinion, the most magical form of art.”
Matej Kejžar for Jutarnji List
Matej Kejžar for Jutarnji List
Author: Matej Kejžar
Dancers: Georgeta Capraroiu, Christian Guerematchi, Polett Kasza, Gregor Luštek, Goran Tatar, Urša Vidmar, Mateja Železnik
Set & Lights: Petra Veber
Costumes: Tina Paulin, Matej Kejžar
Producer: Žiga Predan
Production: Pekinpah & SNG Opera Balet Ljubljana
Supported by: GO! 2025, Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Brussels, SNG Opera Balet Ljubljana
Duration: 55’
Premiere: 1 October 2025 Les Brigittines, La Chapelle Petite rue des Brigittines, Brussels
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Gregor Luštek a graduate of Ljubljana’s Faculty of Sport, this artist combines classical ballet with contact improvisation, somatic practices, and martial arts. He is an acclaimed choreographer and performer who has received prestigious honors—including the Prešeren Fund and Župančič Awards—while teaching extensively at international institutions like the Beijing Dance Academy and SNDO.
Goran Tatar has been a member of SNG Opera and Ballet Ljubljana since 1991 and is a co-founder of the Fičo Ballet. Over a 35-year career, he has collaborated with numerous renowned domestic and international artists, including choreographers like Edvard Clug and the visionary director Robert Wilson.
Urša Vidmar, is a long-standing member of the SNG Opera and Ballet Ljubljana, where she debuted as Juliet in 1998 and has since performed lead roles in productions like Cinderella and La Sylphide. A recipient of multiple Lydia Wisiak Prizes for her artistry, she has collaborated with numerous international choreographers and toured extensively, including performances in the USA.
Mateja Železnik is a versatile dancer and choreographer who transitioned from a classical education at the Ljubljana Conservatory to a long-term tenure at SNG Opera and Ballet Ljubljana. Now working as an independent artist, she has collaborated extensively with choreographers like Lukas Zuschlag and recently debuted her first original project, Kvadrat1.![]()
Dancers: Georgeta Capraroiu, Christian Guerematchi, Polett Kasza, Gregor Luštek, Goran Tatar, Urša Vidmar, Mateja Železnik
Set & Lights: Petra Veber
Costumes: Tina Paulin, Matej Kejžar
Producer: Žiga Predan
Production: Pekinpah & SNG Opera Balet Ljubljana
Supported by: GO! 2025, Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Brussels, SNG Opera Balet Ljubljana
Duration: 55’
Premiere: 1 October 2025 Les Brigittines, La Chapelle Petite rue des Brigittines, Brussels
Gregor Luštek a graduate of Ljubljana’s Faculty of Sport, this artist combines classical ballet with contact improvisation, somatic practices, and martial arts. He is an acclaimed choreographer and performer who has received prestigious honors—including the Prešeren Fund and Župančič Awards—while teaching extensively at international institutions like the Beijing Dance Academy and SNDO.Goran Tatar has been a member of SNG Opera and Ballet Ljubljana since 1991 and is a co-founder of the Fičo Ballet. Over a 35-year career, he has collaborated with numerous renowned domestic and international artists, including choreographers like Edvard Clug and the visionary director Robert Wilson.
Urša Vidmar, is a long-standing member of the SNG Opera and Ballet Ljubljana, where she debuted as Juliet in 1998 and has since performed lead roles in productions like Cinderella and La Sylphide. A recipient of multiple Lydia Wisiak Prizes for her artistry, she has collaborated with numerous international choreographers and toured extensively, including performances in the USA.
Mateja Železnik is a versatile dancer and choreographer who transitioned from a classical education at the Ljubljana Conservatory to a long-term tenure at SNG Opera and Ballet Ljubljana. Now working as an independent artist, she has collaborated extensively with choreographers like Lukas Zuschlag and recently debuted her first original project, Kvadrat1.
Georgeta Capraroiu after her training in Cluj-Napoca, joined SNG Opera Maribor in 1993 before moving to SNG Opera and Ballet Ljubljana in 1995, where she remains a prominent member of the ensemble. Throughout her career, she has performed numerous lead roles in both ballet and drama, notably earning a "Best Role of the Year" distinction from Dance Europe in 2000 for her portrayal of Katherina in The Taming of the Shrew.
Christian Guerematchi is a Slovenian-born choreographer and performer who transitioned from a ballet career at the National Ballet in Maribor to working with ICK Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Known for his "De Zwaan" nominated performance in ROCCO, his creative work—including the solo N.A.M. - Non Aligned Movement—explores human existence through the lenses of the black body, gender, and social structures.
Polett Kasza is a freelance dancer, cultural manager, and intimacy coordinator for film and television. After graduating from the Hungarian Dance University in Budapest, she was the mamber of the Czech National Ballet in Prague, the Slovenian National Opera and Ballet , and Hessisches Staatsballett in Wiesbaden. Since 2018, Polett has been working as an independent artist. She has been working closely with the Slovenian Pekinpah Association and Spider Festival of Radical Bodies.
