Jelena Kostić
Jelena Kostić (Serbia, 1976) comes to the Netherlands after classical dance training in Belgadro to continue her studies. In 2002, she completes her training at the Fontys Dance Academy in Tilburg. A few years later, a scholarship for Dance Web, ImpulsTanz Vienna led her to creatorship.
Exploring choreographic frameworks and a dance language of her own grabs Jelena's interest. She creates a number of small productions and mixes firmly in the Tilburg dance scene. In 2009, she presents March, her first larger performance for the flat floor that has been seen on a number of (inter)national stages. At the 2010 Koreografske Minijature Festival in Belgrade, Kostić receives the award for Best Choreography for her duet CPЖ. Her second larger production will follow in 2012 Yell Penelope.
Jelena creates theatrical dance performances in which socio-political themes play a prominent role. Taking her view of recent history as a starting point, it brings her to themes such as cultural identity, gender issues and civil protest. By connecting to the public debate, Kostić creates a relevance in her work that goes beyond artistic criteria. She pulls her audience out of their comfort zone by making them part of the conflicting emotions of her characters. 'Instead of steps and movements, I give my dancers characters', is her statement.
DansBrabant works with Jelena Kostić based on the conviction that Kostić's exuberant and image-rich dance language full of drama and symbolism adds extra colour to the palette of Dutch dance. From a combination of lyrical lines and martial arts|free running, she has her own style characterised by meticulous elaboration of movements, dynamic contrasts in both solo and partner work and aesthetic contrasts in dance material - ranging from tender, poetic sophistication to raw, unsubtle violence.
Jelena now works from her own Foundation Kostić. Among other things, she made the dance film Interlude and performance The Bold, The Bound and The Brittle, dance film Going home, performance (UN)BOUND, How It Ends, Only Patience Works Immediately and the dance film My Own Worst Enemy.
