MU Terminal Contemporary Dance Company

MU Terminal Contemporary Dance Company seeks to achieve three main objectives and several smaller aims. Our three main objectives are:

- to accomplish high quality dance performances,
- to help young dancers and choreographers, by giving them the chance to extend their experiences with the guidence of prosfessional instructions.
- to raise the standard of the contemporary dance scene.

Audiences will regularly attend dance performances that demonstrate consistent high quality, a thorough knowledge of the artform, and sincerity of purpose. We strive to achieve this in all aspects of the work we produce: the dancers develop strong technical skills, humility for the profession, and persistence; the choreographers possess inspiration, interest for the dancers, and the ability to motivate others. Through our dual focus on the dancer and choreographer we
The process starts with the selection of young dancers, followed by purposful and appropriate training. Next we find choreographers who represent diverse genres of modern, contemporary dance, but who share the same the artistic determination, without compromises.

Our ambition is to produce high quality dance performances and to acquaint young dancers with as many creative styles and methods as possible. For this reason in the past five years we have invited the following choreographers:

István Juhos (HUN)
József Hámor (HUN)
Ádám Fejes (HUN)
Vera Ondrasikova (CZE)
László Hudi (HUN)
Gábor Goda (HUN)
Krisztián Gergye (HUN)
Stefanie Blatten Band (FRA)
Sebastian Jongserius (SWE)
Attila Kun (HUN)
Jurij Konjar (SLO)
Katalin Juhász, Dr. (HUN)
Riina Saastomoinen (FIN)
Zoltán Nagy (HUN)
Zoltán Fodor (HUN)
Lukács Bicskei (HUN)
Éva Duda (HUN)
Dóra Barta (HUN)
Andrea Boll (NL/CZE)
Vladka Malá (CZE)
Jens Bjerregaard (DK)
Mariann Gaál (HUN)
Ferenc Fehér (HUN)

We have undertaken the task of providing a learning which specifically helps young dancers find employment. The following dancers demonstrate how this idea has materialized into excellent results:

Dóra Asztalos Central Europe Dance Theatre
Eszter Czédulás Szeged Contemporary Dance Company
Dorota Lecka Company Krisztián Gergye
Ádám Frigy Company Krisztián Gergye
Zoltán Grecsó Company Pál Frenák
Anna Gulyás Central Europe Dance Theatre, Co. Projects, PR revolution
Mariann Hargitai Central Europe Dance Theatre
Máté Harka Ballet Pécs
Adrienn Horváth Central Europe Dance Theatre
Adrienn Hoffmann Company Krisztián Gergye
Ilkay Türkoglu Réka Szabó (The Symptoms)
Zoltán Katonka Central Europe Dance Theatre
Róbert Kiss Central Europe Dance Theatre, Badora Dance Company
László Mádi Central Europe Dance Theatre
Viktor Pelle Experidance
Tamás Tuza Yvette Bozsik Compagnie/ Iztok Kovacs Dance Company
(SLO)
Melinda Virág Central Europe Dance Theatre, Artus, Company Krisztián
Gergye

The concept of raising the standard of dance art scene is simple. Well-trained and motivated dancers are more likely to become professionals, and, thus, better performances can be created. Our goal is to make the younger generation see the solution in the cooperation of the dancers. They must succeed with the respect of each others` work and achievements, and live their individual freedom through their phisical and spiritual training with openness.

We are convinced that a dancer must be motivated to learn. In order to be able to express art in motion (dance), and to use their body as an instrument, dancers must learn!!! The more, the better. Everything else comes after that. While inspiration is necessary for the art, inspiration must be rooted in knowledge. And knowledge comes through consistent, daily practice!

We know that the intensity of the meeting of the artist and the audience is determined by the experiences of both parties, so we feel the importance to work with artists who get inspiration from their own minds, therefore they represent unique styles.

In 2009. we started our new PreDance series. It is a simple and sensible pursuit for young, beginning choreographers to introduce their talent - in 10 minutes - before our performances, since we already have professional interest. It is simple because only desire is needed, and it is sensible because reduces professional isolation.

By now, MU Terminal has grown bigger than to give the young candidates only a one-year training program. So parallel to the training program, we are building a strong structure of a professional company, and as a result of this, this year we are creating our fifth production that is realised by our professionals. Meanwhile our training conception has changed to serve even more the benefit of professional training. We are through with the tradition which meant that we replaced the whole line of young dancers every year. So since September 2010. the dancers can extend their stay at MU Terminal. They leave our workshop after one year only of their own free will or in that case if we realize in the first year that we failed to recognize their professional competence. If a dancer is talented and determined enough, we won`t say goodbye just because the training year is up, but we will work with them until they receive favourable offer. This change has been made because of our professional experience. We believe that training of young dancers is only needed when it is effective. So we have made a decision to decrease the number of the apprentices, but increase the number of those who succesfully find careers. Last but not least it is important for us to provide participation in high quality performances for those dancers who stay with us over the first training year.

Our structure and the working method could not give opportunitie for the creators to keep even the most significant performances on repertoire with MU Terminal Dance Company. Krisztián Gergye has managed to enhance his choreography (`Zyklon B`) for Central Europe Dance Theatre after he made it for our first training semester. It wasn`t a coincidence that most of our trainee dancer that year signed a contract with CEDT. It was a great example from our Company, just like when Krisztián Gergye`s second choreography - for us - `Danse Macabre` is still being performed with the cooperation of MU Terminal and CEDT. This cooperation has created a temporary company that first performed at Festival Fringe in 2008, and later that year at Pécs International Dance Festival. The work of this project company continued with the renewal of Éva Duda`s `Plain` and Ádám Fejes`s `Femina` choreographies that led to more performances in April 2009, but this time in MU Theatre. In our next project with CEDT, Mu Terminal took on the overall organization and financial process of the performance, that was accomplished with Andrea Boll (NL) choreoghrapher. As a result of this international cooperation our season was opened with this performance in 2009, and was performed again in December.

Mu Terminal Workshop Company 2010-2011 season:
12-13 November 2010, Terminal A-Night premiere with Dóra Barta and Ádám Fejes
21-22 January 2011, Terminal B-Night premiere with Vera Ondrasikova and
Krisztián Gergye
May 2011, Terminal C-Night premiere with Ádám Zambricky and Zsófia Nemes

Mu Terminal Project Company 2010-2011 season:
10-11 September 2010, choreographies of Ferenc Fehér and Ádám Fejes at MU Theatre
21-22 January 2011, choreography of Andrea Boll
27-28 May 2011, choreography of Massimo Molinary

Festivals, guest performances:
2006, Tanec Praha Festival, Prague
2006, Ponec Theatre, Prague
2006, National Theatre, Hradec Kralové
2006, National Theatre, Győr
2006, Dance Festival, Veszprém
2007, Inspiration, Trafó House of Contemporary Arts, Budapest
2007, Budapest Autumn Festival
2008, Inspiration, Trafó House of Contemporary Arts, Budapest
2008, Fringe Festival, Budapest
2008, Dance Festival, Veszprém
2008, International Dance Festival, Pécs
2010, International Dance Festival of Kalisz, Poland
2011, CaDance International Dance Festival, Den Hague Nedelrand

Coproductions:
2007, Trafó, Juri Konjar (SLO), Trafó House of Contemporary Arts, Workshop Foundation, Departs and MU Terminal
2008, Trafó, Riina Saastamoinen (FIN) Rushes, Trafó House of Contemporary Arts, Departs and MU Terminal
2009, MU Theatre, `Plain`: Company Éva Duda and MU Terminal
2009, MU Theatre, `Therminology`: Central Europe Dance Theatre, BollWerk (NL/CH) and MU Terminal
2009, MU Theatre, `Eight Meat Down`: Central Europe Dance Theatre, Bollwerk and MU Terminal
2011, MU Theatre, Wa(h)rEsGelogen BollWerk (NL/CH), MU Terminal, MU Theatre, Korso Theater Den Hague, Grand Theater Groningen,


Our Company has been building the professional and artistic aspect consciously for 5 years, and has been communicating it clearly. Our ideas - of course - outshine our present possibilities, but we can see the direction that leads to our improvement. Which is persistent artistic and professional work - without compromise.

www.muterminal.hu