The Moving Balkans Contemporary Dance Platform is delighted to announce the selection of 10 contemporary dance productions that will be presented at the second edition of the Moving Balkans Contemporary Dance Showcase, taking place from 13–16 May 2026 in Novi Sad (Serbia).

In addition to these productions, the program will also feature six Dance Scape project pitches, offering a chance for artists to present their works to an international network of curators, producers, and festival representatives. Dance Scape aims to spark dialogue, foster collaborations, and open new touring opportunities.

Chosen from a highly competitive pool of 214 applications, the final 10 productions were selected by the Artistic Board of the Moving Balkans platform, together with two external international dance experts (Ingrida Gerbutavičiūtė, director of tanzhaus nrw Düsseldorf, and Samme Raeymaekers, former director of Dansens Hus Oslo), during a curatorial meeting held in Sofia, Bulgaria. The chosen works embody the wide range of perspectives and choreographic languages that make the Balkan contemporary dance landscape so vibrant.

The 10 selected artists/collectives and their works are (in alphabetical order):

Enya Belak & Kristýna Peldová: Unfolded Moments (Slovenia)

Ilias Chatzigeorgiou: SCARED (Greece)

Alexandra Mihaela Dancs & Vlad Benescu: Somatic Freaks – The Proprioceptors Revolution (Romania)

Adrijana Danchevska Rovchanin (Skopje Dance Theater): Mockumentary (North Macedonian)

Deyan Georgiev: Last Orbit (Bulgaria)

Ermira Goro: TELOS (Greece)

Kosta Karakashyan (Karakashyan & Artists): INSERT COIN / PLAYER ONE (Bulgaria)

Chara Kotsali: It’s the End of the Amusement Phase (Greece)

Ginevra Panzetti & Enrico Ticconi (Studio Contemporary Dance Company): ALL’ARME (Croatia)

Marta Rak: Appropriations:territory (Croatia)

The 6 selected Dance Scape artists are (in alphabetical order):

Kristina Aleksova (Via Negativa), Slovenia

Mădălina Dan, Romania

Canan Yucel Pekicten, Turkey

Neda Ruzheva (Trevoga), Bulgaria

Alexandros Stavropoulos, Greece

Sonja Stojanović-Aufreiter, Serbia

The 2026 Showcase will provide a unique opportunity for artists to present their work to a wide audience of international dance professionals, cultural organizations, and the general public. Beyond the performances and pitches, the program will include networking events, creating space for artists and audiences alike to exchange ideas, connect, and become part of a growing artistic network.

Launched in 2024 and co-funded by the European Union, the Moving Balkans Contemporary Dance Platform was created to enhance the visibility and competitiveness of Balkan contemporary dance on the global stage. Through the showcase, Dance Scape pitches, and other initiatives, Moving Balkans is committed to supporting artistic talent and strengthening the regional dance ecosystem.

After the successful first edition of the Moving Balkans Contemporary Dance Showcase, held in Ljubljana (Slovenia), Rijeka (Croatia), and Zagreb (Croatia) between 10–13 May 2025, the second edition will take place in Novi Sad (Serbia) from 13–16 May 2026.

For more information about the Moving Balkans Contemporary Dance Showcase, the selected artists, and upcoming events, please visit www.movingbalkans.eu or contact us at info@movingbalkans.eu.

The project is co-funded by the European Union.

The project is supported by: National Culture Fund of Bulgaria, Ministry of Culture of Slovenia, City of Ljubljana, Ministry of Public Administration of Slovenia, Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, City of Zagreb, Ministry of Culture of Romania, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of North Macedonia.