The presentations of the 11 works developed as part of the CNDB Academy of Dance and Performance Laboratories not only fostered direct encounters between artists and the public but also gave rise to a series of texts that document and reflect on this artistic journey.
After attending the performances presented over the three evenings of the program, students and young professionals in the fields of theater studies, cultural journalism, and studies of image and performance were invited to write about the works they encountered, developing their own perspectives on the creations and on the pedagogical and artistic approach of the Laboratories.
The resulting texts take various forms, ranging from reviews of performance series and articles dedicated to specific works to overarching pieces that examine the entire program and offer insight into the artistic concerns and languages developed by the participants.
Ruxandra Barna, a master’s student in the CESI program—Theory and Practice of the Image—wrote an overview article about the 11 plays and the program’s progress, which was published in Matca Literară.
Ana Medeea and Mara Mihai, master’s students in the CESI program—Society, Multimedia, and Performing Arts—wrote reviews of a series of presentations: Ana Medeea wrote about the events on August 21, and Mara Mihai wrote about the presentations on August 7.
Alexander Hartmann, a graduate of the Theater Studies (Theater Journalism) program at UNATC, reviewed the collection of 11 works in his article, which was published in B-Critic and is also scheduled to appear in Teatrul Azi.
Alina Maer, a graduate of UNATC’s Theater Studies program (Theater Journalism), reflected on the performances in several articles, offering a multi-stage perspective on the works presented as part of the program:
- https://agenda.liternet.ro/articol/31646/Alina-Mariana-Maer/Primele-cinci-incercari-de-a-intelege-lumea-prin-dans-11-piese-proaspete-la-CNDB-2026.html
- https://agenda.liternet.ro/articol/31715/Alina-Mariana-Maer/Inca-trei-incercari-de-a-intelege-lumea-prin-dans-Ziua-II-11-piese-proaspete-la-CNDB-2026.html
- https://uzpr.ro/11/08/2026/in-lumea-dansului-de-alina-maer
From the perspective of both the viewer and the critic, these texts complement the journey of the 11 creations and offer a second space to engage with the works developed in the Dance and Performance Academy Laboratories. They also serve as records of an edition that does not end with the stage presentation, but continues through dialogue, interpretation, and reflection.
In closing, we would like to thank everyone who contributed to the documentation and presentation of this edition of the Academy of Dance and Performance Laboratories. Special thanks go to Karina Bărbulescu, creator of the program trailer, as well as to Arsenia Brănescu and Christian Zidros, a master’s student in the Photo-Video program at the National University of Arts in Bucharest, for their contributions.
We would also like to thank Alexia Nedeluț, a master’s student in the Visual Communications Design program at UNArte, for creating the graphics for the performance presentations, as well as coordinators Andrei Turenici and Adelina Butnaru, professors at the National University of Arts in Bucharest.
We would like to thank all the photographers who documented the events and performances in the program: Maya Karina Hasan, Bianca Oprea, Sebastian Antal, Luca Șerbănoiu—students or graduates of the National University of Arts in Bucharest—and Maria Bărbulescu, a student at the “Ion Mincu” University of Architecture and Urbanism.
Last but not least, we would like to thank all the artists and participants who responded to the open calls, as well as everyone who stood by us throughout this edition. Their contributions made it possible for the Laboratories to become not only a space for creation and presentation, but also a space of intersection.
About the CNDB Academy of Dance and Performance Laboratories
The Dance and Performance Academy’s labs are dedicated to emerging artists and aim to provide them with the tools they need to generate, develop, and realize their own ideas. The program combines artistic practice, research, analysis, and reflection, creating a working environment in which participants can develop their own voice in contemporary dance. More information about this program can be found here.
Cultural program co-funded by the Administration of the National Cultural Fund. The project does not necessarily represent the position of the Administration of the National Cultural Fund. The AFCN is not responsible for the content of the project or for how the program’s results may be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the grant recipient.
