Andrej Petrovič

dancer, choreographer, teacher

What was your first experience with dance?

As a young boy, I used to do many physical activities, which ultimately led me to join the Little Birdie Company under the direction of choreographer Eliška Hrbíková. Dance found me eventually.

What was the decisive moment in choosing your career?

My parents didn't agree that I should become a dancer, but I knew that I wouldn't fail. I was passionate about dance and felt that I never wanted to do anything else. I was always looking forward to each training session. Dancing made me happy.

Why did you choose contemporary dance?

When I went to the conservatory, I thought that I would only do folk dance because I didn't know anything else. Then I discovered the classical technique, which I found really interesting for its purity, precision and discipline. I'm greatly indebted to my professor Zlatka Vincentová for that. My interest in contemporary dance really peaked when I found out how you could work with the body and what the scale of its ability actually was. That really influenced me and my future development and career ambitions.

Have there been moments when you wanted to quit dance?

There must have been some, for sure, but never too extreme, to the point where I would actually quit. Usually it was when I was really tired, like when a person is supposed to go to work and they just don't feel like it. I'm currently at a time in my life when I don't perform as much; I work as assistant of choreography, so I only dance a lot in the rehearsal studio when we are working on new material. I've also managed to design a few choreographies. Not long ago, I premiered a solo performance which I had designed for Martina Lacová. This position, where I'm not a full-time performer, gives me greater freedom to do other things and spend time with my family, but I know that I'll be returning to the stage at some point.

Would you say that men in dance, in some ways, have it easier than women, or is it the other way around?

They do because there still aren't enough of them. But a trend is emerging – or maybe it's just me and my experience from auditions, where I have often been on the selection committee – where many dancers are only good at doing “their own thing”, whether they are men or women. When they're supposed to learn some different material or work at a different level, they have trouble. So it's really difficult to find well-rounded dancers of either gender. Their bodies and minds are really closed, much like their approach to the discipline. When I think back to my early days, I tried to go to every workshop, to study and absorb as much as possible, and I draw on that to this day. Now I feel that dancers are lazier. They feel that they don't have to train and study as much. When I look around at how many events there are and how low the attendance is, I think it may also have to do with the fact that there's just so much of it out there and the dancers don't feel they have to fight for their chance in the spotlight.

Is it possible for a man to make a living from dance? What other professions have you undertaken?

I've never done any other profession. Men and women alike can make a living from dance. The important thing is to know whether they want to actually embark on a dance career or to have a family, which, especially for women, entails some obstacles, as they have to stop working for some time. The reason I mention family is that it's the single greatest responsibility I have. Otherwise I view dance as a very generous profession. You can dance in Slovakia as well as in Africa, because dance is a universal language. If you are diligent and approach the craft with respect, if you try to do it as well as possible and you don't stop working to improve yourself, your life will pay you back the energy you invested and you don't have to do any other job but the one you love.

The dance profession is more short-lived than some other professions. Do you know what you will do once you have retired?

I believe that I'll remain active in the world of dance because dance is what I do best. I currently work a lot with Akram Khan as assistant of choreography, which allows me to learn a lot about choreography and organisation. As I've said, I've managed to design a few choreographies, and I think I really found my calling in that area, especially with my last piece. So maybe it's time that I really get into it. But I have great respect for the craft, so I don't want to overstep my boundaries. I don't want to get ahead of myself.

Daniel Raček

dancer, teacher, artist

What was your first experience with dance?

My first experience was at home in my living room, where I was destroying my mother's carpet. Then I joined the Modern Scenic Dance Company in Púchov, and later the Váh Folk Dance Company.

What was the decisive moment in choosing your career?

Come to think of it, I never really “chose” my profession. I never seriously thought about becoming a professional dancer. I remember that after graduating from the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics at Comenius University, I received two job offers. One of them was as PA in descriptive geometry (projection methods) at the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, and the other was as a member of the emerging Štúdio Tanca Dance Theatre (STDT) in Banská Bystrica. At that time, I was all about dance, so I went with the second option.

Why did you choose contemporary dance?

I find that the older I am, the less I'm comfortable with how we distinguish between ballet, folk dance, etc. I'm a dancer, and these days, a dancer has to be well-rounded. He has to be competent at a variety styles. I've tried out many dance forms, and I think that I use a little bit of everything in my expression. I admire ballet, I enjoy folk dance, I am fascinated with hip hop and I love physical theatre. I would love to know as much about dance as possible. Unfortunately, my body has lately been in charge of what I can do and what I can't. In the earlier days, I met many people and teachers who conducted me toward contemporary dance, which is why I feel most at home in that discipline.

Have there been moments when you wanted to quit dance?

There have been moments, yes, but there has never been a period of time. For me, being a dancer is concomitant to being a freelancer. Naturally, sometimes, when I'm at home, fatigued, I think about what it might be like to have a nine-to-five job, to go to work Mondays through Fridays—and sometimes, on Saturdays—to have a permanent contract, to think about when I'd like to go on holiday and whether my boss would let me, and how I would spend my money. But a few days without movement, and I'm happy to be doing what I am doing. Even after all those years, I still think dance is exciting. Thanks to dance, I can travel around the world, get to know new cultures and regions and people.

Would you say that men in dance, in some ways, have it easier than women, or is it the other way around?

I think we have it easier. That's just my opinion, of course. There are fewer men in the profession, so we have more opportunities to get out on stage and thus we get more practice – and practice is priceless. There's really no point to training in the rehearsal room and polishing your technique. A dancer needs an audience. Only an audience can make him into a true professional. And simply being a man does not suffice. If you don't work, you only get to wait.

Is it possible for a man to make a living from art?

In Slovakia, there are only a few performers who can make a living from dance. People in the artistic profession have it quite hard in this country. I personally make a living from the art, but I work abroad a lot (in Greece, Norway, and the Czech Republic). I have thus far been quite fortunate in that I have always worked in the dance environment. But the term 'dance' encompasses teaching and designing choreographies, as well as performing.

The dance profession is usually more short-lived than most other professions. Do you have any idea what you will do when you have retired?

Well, it's not like I haven't thought about it. I think if worst comes to worst, I will start teaching – I trained as a maths and descriptive geometry teacher. But if I were ever to find myself in that situation, I would try to find a part-time job in dance or the theatre. I have also thought about gardening and physiotherapy.

Jonatan Lujan

Demi-soloist, Slovak National Theatre Ballet Company

What was the decisive thing in choosing your career?

Girls (laughter). I knew that there would always be a majority of girls in dance classes and that I could be in their close proximity. My mother, who signed me up for dance, knew that I had always been drawn to it more than to anything else, and that I may have even had some predispositions.

Why did you choose ballet?

When I was a child, I danced in a folk dance company in my hometown in Argentina. I transitioned into ballet much later on – I only started studying classical ballet when I was seventeen years old. I saw it as a path to a professional career in dance. I viewed it as a complex preparation for the job. I still strive to get better – in trainings with various teachers, at workshops; I try to learn new styles, techniques and so on. I view that as being essential to my professional development.

Can a man make a living from dance?

That depends on a lot of things – what company you are with and your position. Some world-class companies provide great conditions for dancers thanks to which they can live a very comfortable life. Theatres in Western Europe are much better positioned than theatres in Central and Eastern Europe, which is why the best performers go there. That's also why I want to stay in Europe. I would have it much worse in Argentina. I used to dance with the Zurich Ballet Company, which probably pays its dancers better than any other company in the world. But no-one ever gets a permanent contract, and so, when your contract expires, you have to move on. The most important thing is to have a plan B and to be able to think in context. On the other hand, a company such as the Slovak National Theatre Ballet company keeps its dancers really busy – there are trainings, ballet stagings, operas, etc. There is no way of making money elsewhere. You just don't have the time.

Do you think that dance is a “masculine” enough profession?

Being a ballet dancer is very hard work. You get up in the morning, stand up to the bar and practise – regardless of what day you are having. You have to constantly work to improve yourself so that you can leave it all on stage, and simultaneously, you have to make sure that you are a reliable dancing partner.

The dance profession is typically more short-lived than most other professions. Do you know what you will do when you have retired?

I would one day like to have my own ballet company, to be able to define its artistic direction, its style and repertory, and to design choreographies for it. I would also like to have my own school, where I could teach. I know that sounds like an ambitious plan, but I definitely want to stay in the world of dance. It's something that inspires and fascinates me, and I just love doing it.

Ján Ševčík

dancer, choreographer, Head of Dance Ensemble, Slovak Folk Dance Collective (SLUK) 

What was the decisive moment in choosing your career?

My whole family were dancers; my father was a long-term Soloist with SLUK, as well as an Accomplished Artist [state honour in former Czechoslovakia, Ed.]. My uncle, too, was a choreographer. But when I was a child, I didn't really tend towards dance, and my parents didn't force me into it. I was a rather difficult child. My parents, in an effort to protect me from myself, signed me up for the Lipa Folk Dance Company. At that time, it was intended as a punishment, but that only lasted for a month. I soon started enjoying it. I started working and I was hooked. My decision to view dance as a profession came later on, when I was dancing, designing choreographies for several companies – I was just doing many things at once. It was starting to get overwhelming, so I had to make a decision, and I decided that I wanted to become a professional dancer. I proceeded to study at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, and I now work as the head of the dance ensemble at SLUK.

Why did you choose folk dance?

I suppose it runs in the family. I was exposed to folk dance from my early childhood. But I see it through my own eyes. I try to make sure that we juxtapose folk dance with other genres such as contemporary dance, as well as to theatre and film. I view the style in broader contexts.

Have there been moments when you wanted to quit dance and do something else?

Not since I went professional. I don't care about other professions. I love doing what I do.

Can a man make a living from art?

I make a living from art. As with any other profession, you have to work hard and be assertive, come up with different activities. I think it's because I'm not just a performer but also a choreographer and director of dance that so far, I've been doing pretty well.

Do you think that dance is a “masculine” enough profession?

Absolutely! It's tough physical work – especially in folk dance.

The dance profession is typically more short-lived than most other professions. Do you know what you will do when you have retired?

I've never thought about that. I only know that in Slovakia, there is no system for taking care of dancers after they've quit their careers. In the Netherlands, for example, a dancer, after he has put in ten years, has the opportunity to requalify, and the whole process is paid for by the state. In our country, dancers have to work, remain active for twenty-two years, which is almost unthinkable these days. Then they immediately go on to a pension or they work menial jobs. Something ought to be done about that.

Andrej Štepita

student, Music and Dance Faculty, Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava

What was your first experience with dance?

I've been interested in dance ever since I was a child. I was always really passionate about music, and dance was a way of interacting with it. It didn't take long and my parents signed me up to arts school, where I started training in several styles.

What was the decisive moment in choosing your career?

When I started attending dance classes, I didn’t think of dance as a profession, because it came so naturally to me. In spite of that, I knew that I wanted to be a dancer and I couldn't imagine doing anything else. In choosing my profession, there was a moment when I was in secondary school and I realised that I was devoting more time to dance than to my studies and that it had become my life's priority.

Why did you choose contemporary dance?

When I started dancing, I really enjoyed hip-hop. It was the most attractive style as far as I was concerned, given its spontaneity, energy and room for self-realisation. I later started exploring other creative options and movement forms. At the Academy of Performing Arts, I discovered contemporary dance. It really captivated me, because I found the idea of free movement, unbridled by any specific aesthetic form, quite appealing. In contemporary dance, I have found real freedom as well as a way to channel my creativity, which is very important to me.

Have there been moments when you wanted to quit dance?

I used to have those moments back in secondary school, sitting at my desk and studying everything from maths to biology. After class, my friends would go out to have a drink and I had to go train until very late in the evening. I still didn’t know if I was going to be able to pursue dance professionally. Another moment was when I enrolled at the Academy, where I was having some trouble with classical technique because I had never done it before. There have been moments when I was thinking if it was still worth it, but I've never seriously thought about quitting.

Do you think men have it easier in dance, or is it the other way around?

It's true that there are fewer men in dance than women. The male element is indispensable, which is why there's less competition between the men and it's easier to find a job. Having said that, I don't think men have it easier. I think it's way more difficult for a young boy to start dancing and to stick with it, because dance is still viewed as a feminine profession and male dancers often don't have the support of their environment.

Is it possible for a man to make a living from dance?

It's difficult to make a living from dance, but it's certainly possible. It requires a lot of dedication, courage, patience, skill, as well as hard work. Men have a slight advantage in that they're not affected by motherhood, and so they can dance for a little longer, or rather, without having to take a break.

Have you tried any professions apart from dance?

I have worked as an entertainer at hotels and water parks. That profession has a lot to do with dance, which is why I really enjoyed it. It taught me a lot in terms of my future pedagogical work.

Do you know what you will do when you have retired?

It's true that the dance profession is slightly more short-lived, but in my opinion, if you treat your body right and you don't subject it to excessive strain, you can be a professional dancer for quite a long time. For me, I think it's too early to say, but at this point, I can't imagine doing anything else. When you devote your whole life to your calling, you gain a lot of experience which you should later put to use in the given field. That's why I want to work in the art even after I have concluded my dance career.