Danijela Zajc: Forest

In the fusion of aerial acrobatics and contemporary dance, the performer’s presence, her entire physical expression, and the stage imagery reveal the inner world of a woman striving to free herself from the suffocating constraints of society. The intensity of the performance keeps us in a state of trance as we watch, accompanied by live, atmospheric music, the slowly unfolding images of the heroine spinning around her axis a few meters above the ground.

In an aesthetic, poetic, and humorous way—and above all through its inspiring set design and circus-dance skills—the performance Forest reexamines the problems of our time. Together with the first performance Niti and the second performance Prag, Forest completes a personal trilogy entitled Niti PraGozd in 2023. Forest explores what are the drivers of social changes and the position of the individual woman in a patriarchal society. It addresses the relationship between the individualization and collectivization of society, delves into the dynamics between social and personal crises, and seeks parallels and points of conflict between the individual and the patriarchal, neo-capitalist, consumerist society in which we live in.

The title of the performance seeks symbolic parallels with the importance of preserving trees and forests. According to some data, this is even more important than reducing fossil fuels. Science predicts our doom if we continue at today’s rate of pollution. And the absurdity of our situation? That while most of society is aware of it, jet we still do not demand radical change. The movie “Don’t Look Up” beautifully illustrates this situation through the metaphor of a falling comet that will destroy all life on Earth.

Idea, choreography, direction: Danijela Zajc
Performers: Alja Lacković, Lucia Bielik, Tajda Podobnik, Kristina Rozman, Mojca Sovdat, Veronika Valdes, Danijela Zajc
Adviser for direction: Jaka Andrej Vojevec
Live music: Maja Pahor in Pia Skušek
Light design: Hotimir Knific
Lighting operator: Lira Jurković
Program flyer design: Nevena Aleksovski
Costumography: Katarina Zalar
Video recording and editing: Petra Hrovatin
Technical assistance during the show: Jaka Andrej Vojevec, Gala Jarc
PR: Gala Jarc
Production: Danijela Zajc
Coproduction/coorganisation/partners: Asociatia Solidart (Temišvar, Romunija), Cirkuška rezidencialna mreža, Prostor Plus (Reka, Hrvaška), Društvo Matafir, Društvo Mismo Nismo
Partner: Moja kreacija
Financial support: Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia