Direct from the premiere in Ljubljana, Slovenia in late September, a hybrid video and dance performance entitled The Moment Before will take place at the Jamestown Arts Center on Saturday, October 28 at 5 pm.
The Moment Before is a collaborative piece of visual and live performance art from three Slovenian artists that incorporates the viewer’s experience into the performance; creating an interactive piece of contemporary art. Two of the artists will travel from Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, to Jamestown for the performance: Sanja Nešković Peršin, dancer and choreographer, and Atej Tuta, video artist. Blaž Peršin, the director of Museum and Galleries of Ljubljana, who was instrumental in bringing this performance to Jamestown, will also be in attendance.
Karen Conway, Exhibition Director at the JAC, says in a statement, “It is really incredible to welcome Sanja, Atej, and Blaž to Jamestown for this performance. We’re so grateful for the support of the Department of Culture in Ljubljana for orchestrating this event for a Rhode Island audience. We look forward to showcasing this jewel of contemporary dance at the JAC and creating a memorable experience for audiences and the artists alike.”
The performance was born from Peršin’s research about the limitations of the human body and an exploration of continuous repetitive movements. The Moment Before is situated immediately preceding any discernible event or occurrence, or the absence thereof. It creates a suspended moment of anticipation where the linear constraints of time dissipate, permitting a journey through past, present, and the speculative future. The dance performances are created in 15 minute vignettes, repeated throughout the evening.
The Moment Before premiered at NOT Art Space in Ljubljana in late September. Saso Kalan is the sound engineer. The performance is supported by the Department of Culture, Municipality of Ljubljana.
Advanced tickets are recommended, purchase online at jamestownartcenter.org/events for $10.
About the Artist:
SANJA NEŠKOVIĆ PERŠIN is an artist, choreographer and performer. After completing her studies at the Ballet and Music School in Ljubljana, she studied Ballet at the Rosella Hightower Ballet School in France. As a recipient of international scholarships, she attended various master classes and ballet workshops in Vienna and New York. She was a renowned ballet soloist with the Slovenian National Theatre Opera and Ballet in Ljubljana, where she served as Choreographer and Artistic Director of the Ballet between 2014 and 2019. She has participated in many dance and theatre productions by renowned contemporary Slovenian and foreign stage directors and choreographers. She has also presented her own work at numerous international festivals. In 2019, she received the Župančič Award of the City of Ljubljana for outstanding achievements in the field of arts and culture. In her latest projects, she explores and intertwines elements of performative and visual art through the reflection of intimate space and time.
