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History
Mission
Development
2003, space in Maruliceva street no.8
Adaptations of the space
Aims
Awards
Call to donors
History
Out of a need for profound experimental work, directors Jadranka Anđelić and Dijana Milošević formed Dah Theatre. From the beginning in 1991. actress Maja Mitić joined them and in 1993 they were joined by actress Sanja Krsmanović Tasic. In 1993 enlarged its activities by founding DAH Theatre Research Centre to deliver an ongoing program of workshops, lectures, seminars, guest performances and festivals. |
In 1991, when the war started in Yugoslavia,
DAH Theatre immediately had to face these questions: "What
is the role and meaning of theatre? What are the responsibilities and
duties of artists in times of darkness, violence and human suffering?''
The group decided to interrupt their work on the performance "Gifts of Our Ancestors" to
begin work on a new piece that could provide them with the answers
to these questions. Dah's first performance "This Babylonian Confusion" was
based on the songs of Bertold Brecht. An anti-war performance; it
was presented outdoors in the centre of Belgrade at a time when it
was forbidden to even mention the war.
"The forming of DAH Theatre and
its cry of creation coincided with the fall of ex-Yugoslavia and
the general destruction that followed. Theatre directors Jadranka
Andjelic and Dijana Milosevic, together with the actress Maja
Mitic, decided, perhaps subconsciously, to oppose the destruction
with creation, to create, in the midst of a world falling apart,
a microcosmos of theatre."
Dubravka Knezević
("Till the Last Breath", SCENA no. 5/6, Sept/Dec 1995.)
Through time great theatre masters have said that
the first steps of a theatre group determine its destiny. This
performance absolutely determined the destiny of DAH Theatre, forming
the main postulates of its practice. The themes through which DAH
Theatre expresses its poetics are always connected to the position
of an individual in dark times and history.
From 1997 to 2003 Jadranka Anđelić
cooperated with "OM" Theatre in Denmark.
Since this moment
Dijana Milosević has led the work of DAH Theatre, expanding the programs of
the Center along with
Maja Mitić and Sanja Krsmanović Tasić.
In 2002 they were joined by Aleksandra Jelić, in
2004 by musician-actor Jugoslav Hadžić and in 2008 by actress Ivana Milenović.
In 2003 Jadranka Anđelić
returned from Denmark and formed the
Jadranka Anđelić Project - a group based at and collaborating with the centre.
Jadranka Anđelić currently lives and works in Barzil.
DAH
Theatre Research Center are:
(in alphabetical order)
Jugoslav Hadžic - actor and musician
Aleksandra Jelić - actress
Sanja Krsmanović Tasić - actress
Ivana Milenović - actress
Dijana Milošević - directress
Maja Mitić - actress
Collaborators:
Aleksandra
Damnjanović - musician
Nebojša Ignjatović - musician
Lidija Milić - dacner
Neša Paripović - visual artist
Radomir Stamenković - light designer
Donka Torov - dancer
Actors who have participated in Dah Theatre performances:
Vladan Avramović
Slobodan Beštić
Nenad Čolić
Varja Đukić
Valentina Milivojević
Alister O'loughlin
Tatjana Pajović
Mirela Pavlović
Petar Pjer Rajković
Kathy Randels
Dragan Simeunović
Zoran Vasiljević
Mission
To be an independent non-govermental group in this
country, during the last years, has been a great challenge. Through
their work the members of DAH Theatre have strongly opposed the
war and violence.
"In the contemporary world, destruction and violence can
only be opposed by the creation of sense"- is the founding
and continuing motto of DAH Theatre.
"Breath (DAH) is spirit, movement of air, wind.
Hermes- Mercury, God of the Winds, is called psihopompos- guide
of the souls, because he escorted them to the other world."
Jan Kott
("Stone Brook'')
 "Breath: Life, Soul, Life-Force, Spiritus Mundi, Spiritual
Power, inhalation and exhalation symbolize the alternation of
the rhythm of life and death, the manifestation and repetitive
absortion in space."
Jean Campbell Cooper
(The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Traditional Symbols)
For the creators of DAH Theatre "Breath"
also means to breathe in, to gather strength, to persevere, to
be spiritual, to honor the spirit of life - warmth, movement,
creation.
Development
Between 1993 and the present day the Centre has organised
and produced many events including specialised workshops (Laban
techniques, Alexander technique, Maga Magazinovic heritage, Stilt
workshop, Buhto, Suzuki techniques), international festivals
and meetings and has brought many important artists from around
the world (Odin Teatret - Denmark, Joshi Oida - France/Japan,
Shiro Daimon- France /Japan, Sonia Kehler - Germany, Jill Greenghalgh
- UK, David Zinder - Israel, Ron Jenkins- SAD, 7 Stages Theatre
-SAD, Bond Street Theater - USA, Stella Chiweshe - Zimbabwe, to
mention just few).
During this time Dah Theatre has continued to tour extensively in Europe, USA, Australia and New Zealand.
| In 1997 DAH Theatre was
among several companies with whom the director of ODIN Theatre,
Eugenio Barba, shared the "Luigi Pirandello award that
he received that year. |
Space in Maruliceva street no.8
After 12 years of work DAH Theatre Research Centre
at last moved into its own space in Maruliceva street 8 in Belgrade,
with the support and recommendation of the Ministry of Culture of
the Republic of Serbia, the Ministry of Education of the Republic
of Serbia, Cultural Department of the Municipality of Belgrade and
Department of Education of the Municipality of Belgrade.
Adaptation
With our own means we financed the initial adaptation of the centre
but in order to host the full range of the centre's activities it will be necessary to adapt
the entire space for use as a multi purpose performance venue.
When the full adaptation is complete we will gain two performance
spaces, an access corridor and reception hall, wardrobes, public toilets,
and storage space for technical equipment, costumes and props.
[drawing]
 Projects (arh. Ivana Milosevic and Jelena
Dakic) [drawing
1 , drawing
2]
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In spring 2004
Dah opened a performance space of 100 m2. Financial support from the Ministry of Culture and City Council
of Belgrade funded the equipment for the space.
Dah are now seeking support to continue the work in order to provide the neccessary conditions for the Theatre Research Centre's full program of activities. |
AIMS:
LOCAL
The DAH Theatre Research Centre
is addressing the general public interested in contemporary theatre
and culture through its program of activities. The Centre has the goal of becoming a place of gathering for the Vracar Municipality. This local community will, through various programs encounter the performing
arts through Dah Theatre in collaboration with other artists (visual, video, film,
writers, theoreticians etc).
Likewise the Centre wants to collaborate with
different organisations and associations that would find
this mutually beneficial - such as informal initiatives,
networks, women's associations, peace organisations, special needs and ethnic minority groups.
REGIONAL / INTERNATIONAL
Based in Belgrade, Serbia, our centre has a central
geographical position in the region. We are easily accessible and our programs are attractive and affordable for the participants
of the region. The Centre itself, with its two performing spaces,
offices and adjoining facilities will be an ideal environment for
running the programs.
We want our centre to be a meeting place for
artists, managers of culture, specialists, different organisations and
initiatives, young people and audiences regardless of age or gender
from the local community, the region and beyond by:
- Bringing the cultural worker, artists,
managers, and experts from the region to meet among themselves
and with the local community
- Creating the conditions for collaboration and
common projects
- Touring our productions in the Region
- Exchanging experiences between young people
from our country and countries in the region through working together
for longer periods.
- Developing a modern educational centre for contemporary
arts and management that gives an opportunity for practical
work in the organisation and realisation of the programs.
Our goal also is to create a place that can empower
people in facing the difficulties of society in transition.
The Dah Theatre RESEARCH CENTRE can represent
a bridge between our region and the wider community. By bringing
leading artists and experts to our centre we can provide for them
information, exchange of knowledge and learning under affordable
conditions.
In this direction we have already initiated
some projects.
AWARDS 
CALL TO DONORS
WE INVITE ALL DOMESTIC
AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS WILLING TO PARTICIPATE
IN CREATING A MODERN CULTURAL CENTRE IN BELGRADE TO PLEDGE
DONATIONS TO THE DAH THEATRE RESEARCH CENTRE |
We are creating a WALL OF DONORS that occupies the main
hall of our theatre. On this wall brass plaques will be fixed with
the names of all the donors that have helped us (Anonymity will be respected if requested). The plaques will be engraved in the
finest material.
Contact us for any
additional information or explanation. If you wish to talk with
us or visit us in Maruliceva No.8 in Belgrade, you are very welcome!
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