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TANJA SKOK is a dancer, choreographer, teacher, and researcher in the field of historical dance. She trained at the London Contemporary Dance School in the United Kingdom and deepened her specialization with renowned international artists and researchers in the field of historical dance. Throughout her artistic career, both as a choreographer and dancer, she has participated in various international productions, covering contemporary and historical genres. These include productions such as Johann Christian Bach’s opera “Amadis de Gaulle” at the Opéra Comique and Opéra Royal de Versailles, as well as her regular collaboration with the Laberintos Ingeniosos ensemble led by Xavier Díaz Latorre.

She also collaborates with the Musica Cubicularis Ensemble from Slovenia, Ars Musicae-Baroque Orchestra (Mallorca), and Hirundo Maris (Catalonia-Switzerland). Tanja Skok is co-founder of ARTS Alchemy, which, together with the Vespres d’Arnadí Baroque Orchestra, has presented its works at the Peralada Festival in Girona. Notable is her frequent collaboration with Andrew Lawrence King and Studio Opera Omnia in Moscow, as a movement advisor, pedagogue, and choreographer, participating in the staging of operas such as Henry Purcell’s “King Arthur” and Stefano Landi’s “Sant Alessio”. She is currently collaborating on the staging of Monteverdi’s opera Orfeo for the prestigious Birgitta Festival in Tallinn, Estonia. For 8 years, she worked as the rehearsal director of En-Knap Group, a major contemporary dance company in Slovenia.

She has taught contemporary and historical dance courses at numerous institutions, including the Master of Guitar at the University of Alicante, Amherst Early Music Festival in the United States, Musica Locopolitana Festival in Slovenia, and the EEEmerging program at the Ambronay Baroque Music Festival in France. Tanja Skok is a professor of historical dances, movement composition, contemporary dance, and improvisation at the Alma Mater Dance Academy in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

18 & 19 Sept
Multicultural Center of Transilvania University
Tanja Skok - Historical Dance Masterclass

THE MASTERCLASS
On historical dance. Dance has long been a hallmark of sophisticated society. Renaissance dance theorists revered it as the pinnacle of individual artistic expression, a means to reflect inner beauty and the harmony of celestial order. In this era, strict social norms dictated formal dance occasions, allowing for personal connection and bodily expression. However, reconstructing dance forms from before the 15th century remains challenging, relying only on rare descriptions, images, and preserved musical forms. In the 1950s and 1980s, researchers began to delve deeply into European dance traditions, especially court dances, which were meticulously documented. Examining surviving treatises, dances were divided into six groups, starting from the 15th century. These manuals detail steps, posture, and behavior, shedding light on the complex relationship between music and movement. The richest sources of Renaissance dance come from Italy, followed by the French Renaissance, English country dances, Spanish court dances, and the French Baroque. Each group presents distinct movement codes, shaped by steps, musical forms, social norms, and costumes. Today, reviving these courtly dances involves more than just steps; it entails cultivating musicality, body control, and refined interpersonal connections. Through dance, we penetrate the cultural tapestry that shaped our ancestors’ lives, enriching our understanding of European history.

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