Dance Performance ‘Bark’

The dance performance “Kora”, which we saw for the first time as part of this year’s Kaleidoscope of Culture, will be performed on October 22 at the Youth Theater, starting at 8 p.m.

The play, inspired by Aleksandar Tišma’s novel ’Faith and Treason’ and directed by Maja Grgić, will be performed by the dancers of ’Vuk Karadžić’ Cultural Association from Temerin. 

Combining elements of contemporary and traditional dance, the performance tells a story from the past of Novi Sad, exploring the lives and identities of people altered by the events of war. It delves into the eternal dilemma: what causes evil to sprout within a person when it could have been good?

Through topics of friendship, love, war, and post-war life, the performance poses the question of whether we chart our own path or if it is predestined by fate.

If there is no meaninglessness, it can easily be created by war…

Seven young people, searching for meaning and their own unique path, realized overnight that they do not choose the path—the path chooses them. On this path, which was just beginning to take shape, war emerged. And when we pass through war, we then understand that meaninglessness exists and that we never had to search for it.

After the war, we must relearn how to walk. Otherwise, we float, pushing off whatever surrounds us, not knowing what to hold on to, nor how to plant our feet on the ground.

The path that was supposed to continue—winding or twisting—no longer exists…

So we create bark… it is a shield, a mask, and protection. But even bark cracks, revealing the truth.

Loneliness is not when you are alone, but when a part of you is missing.

With choreography by Darko Stantić and dance collaborator Anđelko Đukić, music by Fran Pogrmilović, lighting design by Marin Jaramazović, and vocal pedagogue Svetlana Pešić, ’Bark’ promises to be a visually and emotionally powerful experience.