ALTERA PARS

SUPPORTED BY NATIONAL CULTURAL FUND (HUNGARY)

Melinda Virag?s first independent choreography entitled Altera Pars ? The Other One Concerned (premiered in 2007, renewed in 2012) is a charmingly ironic simultaneous duet of monologues inserted in a grotesque and surreal atmosphere and seasoned with slight self-irony. Two independent subjects constitute a closed bipolar system. Nothing exists outside their system, while within there are only the two entities constrained by mechanical necessities. The necessity of exploring the other.

Her sensitivity as a performing artist makes Melinda Virag become an outstanding dancer of the
Hungarian contemporary dance scene. Her emphatic and intense stage presence manifest depth and a high degree of professionalism. Her works completed so far represent a raw physical, yet
philosophical approach to the fundamental questions of life. As a fresh artist, she is characterized by a radical view almost tragic and crudely comic at the same time. She has a grotesque world departing from contrasts and opposites and balancing between outbursting and repressed laughter. The conscious and continuous unfolding of her personal and characteristic realm of movements points towards the emergence of a unique and distinct style.

?A bare stage, darkness. Not a single thing. Here come two similar. Their similarity is dangerous, it might seem to be oneness. They are entities. They were happy by themselves until the ?Other? crossed their ways. From that time on they are parts concerned. From that time on we belong to each other. We organize ourselves. We turn to and against each other.
We define ourselves with each other. For a while. To find two things absolutely complementing each other is just as improbable as to find two things identical.?

• The Central Europe Dance Theatre (CEDT) boasts a great past: being the first dance theatre of Hungary, it has become one of the best-known independent dance ensembles in the country and abroad. As it is represented in its name, CEDT defines itself with its attachment to a given geographical region. It undertakes the task of exploring and interpreting the fate which has been coded in the movement culture of this region. At the same time, it endeavours for a presence that is full and exquisite, and capable of invoking and congregating past and future, memories and expectations preserved in the movements of our and most inner nature.

  Under the leadership of Csaba Szögi, founder and director, CEDT has been serving as an open workshop to like-minded artists since 1989. Since that time more than 30 choreographers have worked with the company that has been renewed from time to time, too. We work with artists who are ready to leave the secure grounds of the old, familiar clichés in the language of movement and face the difficulties of untrodden paths, creating dance theatre performances with bold and original methods of expression. Three of the choreographers worked with the company as artistic directors as well. The leaderships and unique performances of István Énekes, Miklós Köllő and Csaba Horváth have become the hallmarks of the three different periods of CEDT, each of them giving a unique and always charismatic image to the company. Since parting with the ensemble, the three choreographers have followed their own path and worked individually.

  The theatre season of 2006-2007 was the beginning of a new era for the company. CEDT still undertakes the task of being open to experiments. This year young and talented choreographers, who have become famous for their suggestive performances in the past few years, were given the opportunity to deepen and intensify their already characteristic voice. As a result, CEDT created five performances: Zero Celsius by the choreographerGábor Katona, Mandala by József Hámor, ninetynineminutes and T.E.S.T. by Krisztián Gergye and last but not least Arena by Éva Duda, which piece was a bombshell in the Hungarian dance scenery and the choreographer was proclaimed the greatest surprise of the season by critics. All af them were re-invited since then for new performances, and we also invited new choreographers to the company, like MelindaVirág, Anna Réti, Klári Pataky and Zsuzsa Jónás.

Choreographer ? Melinda Virag

Co-author ?Gaspar Teri

Music composer ? Gyorgy Philipp, Laszló Tomoskozy, John Cage

Light ? Zoltan Fogarasi
Performers — Melinda Virag, Laszlo Madi

DURATION ? 45 minutes

AGE ? 16+

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