Master's student at the Academy of Dance Milan Tomašik, a recognized and successful choreographer and dancer, focused in the final part on bodily and choreographic concepts through the lens of modern, postmodern, and contemporary dance practices.
“I focused on a broader analysis of bodily, kinesthetic approaches and dance compositions, addressing different historical periods,” emphasizes Tomašik. His performance Treatise does not belong exclusively to any of these periods but combines their elements. “The kinetic approach to the body, characteristic of modern dance, remains relevant today, especially in the form of somatic practices.”
Besides kinetics, rhythm also plays an important role in the performance. “Rhythm in Treatise permeates all actions,” explains Tomašik, who explored a wide range of rhythmic variations through a combination of structured and improvised material. The postmodern dance era opened new doors for creation by breaking the traditional connection between body and movement, thus expanding the definition of choreography. “Instead of a structured whole, viewers are often faced with open dance forms, fragmented parts, and collages,” he says.
Contemporary dance continues to blur the boundaries between structured and improvised, which is also evident in the performance Treatise. Tomašik points out that dancers, with their past, education, and experiences, shaped movement that in the contemporary context intertwines different approaches to composition. “The structure of the performance, which includes three different approaches to composition, shows that it is possible to create a homogeneous dance performance without disruptions to its integrity,” he adds.
Tomašik places special emphasis on the body in space and time, where sensitivity, awareness, and connection among dancers become key factors. Dancers shape the space, and the space shapes them, influencing their decisions and interactions.
Tomašik concludes: “In the performance Treatise, body and space create dynamic rhythmicity, where past, present, and future intertwine, action and non-action, in movement that constantly oscillates between visible, invisible, and felt.”
Source of photographs and content: Milan Tomašik
