From February 17 to 28, 2025, Elena Nikolovska is a guest lecturer at the Department of Contemporary Dance at the UGD, where she works with first, second and third year undergraduate students. The workshop focuses on Macedonian traditional rhythms as an inexhaustible inspiration for movement and expression. At the center of this experience is the technique of “bouncing” – the natural pulse of the body that allows for organic integration with the rhythm. Elena Nikolovska received her education at the Secondary School of Contemporary Dance in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and completed it at the Academy of Contemporary Dance at the Anton Bruckner University in Linz, Austria. She has worked with renowned choreographers such as Stella Zanu, Andrea Miyazato and Johannes Wieland, and has performed at several projects and festivals, including Ars Electronica and Festival Leicht über Linz in Austria.
“We explore rhythms that carry ancient stories – the rhythm of 7/8, vivid and untamed, comes to life through traditional Macedonian dances such as Pajduško and Pravo oro. These rhythms are not just a metric of time; they are the pulse of a culture, a way of communication and celebration. Participants do not learn the combinations only as a composition, but as a medium for conveying emotions, stories and history through the body and technique. This workshop is an invitation to deep personal exploration – each participant is encouraged to discover their own unique dance and relationship with rhythm. We play with space, through solo, duet and group dances, through a dynamic relationship with music and our impulses. This is not just dance, but a journey into the sensations of the body, into the depths of sound and into the freedom of movement. My love for Macedonian traditional music and rhythms is particularly important in my teaching. In the workshops I lead, I combine contemporary dance with the rich Macedonian rhythms, allowing participants to feel the energy and authenticity of these sounds through movement,” says Nikolova about the way she works.
“I am pleased with the collaboration with the young artist Elena Nikolovska, who comes to us from the Anton Bruckner University, with whom we have already established a traditional cooperation through the informal network of European universities and dance academies “Share”. The Department of Contemporary Dance at the Goce Delchev University constantly conducts innovative workshops with guest lecturers, through which we provide our students with new experiences and knowledge, in order to enrich themselves as artists, while helping them in the formation of their professional dance identity. I am especially glad that Elena Nikolovska, who comes from our region, is conducting this workshop, she has a wonderful approach and leads the classes excellently,” says the Dean of the Film Academy, Professor Dr. Risima Risimkin.
Translated with Google Translate
