- Based on the results of the IFMC'2025 Republican Modern Choreography Contest (abridged), Svetlana Gutkovskaya;
- Magazine of "Ballet" No. 2_2026 (Elena Zachinskaya);
- XXXVI International Festival in Vitebsk (Flyura Musina);
- Belarusian Contemporary Dance 2025 (abridged), Tatyana Ratobylskaya.Belarusian Contemporary Dance 2025 (abridged), Tatyana Ratobylskaya.

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Based on the results of the IFMC'2025 Republican Modern Choreography Contest (abridged).
By Svetlana Gutkovskaya (Belarus) - Honored Artist of the Republic of Belarus, choreographer, laureate of international contests, Candidate of Philological Sciences, Professor of the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts.

The festival's guest program was extremely diverse and broadcast simultaneously across several festival venues. I managed to see performances by the Moscow Ballet of the Novaya Opera Theatre, the Italian Spellbound Contemporary Ballet, and Frantiks Dance Company from Germany. I was struck by the polished skill of these creative companies' dancers, who worked flawlessly and with inspiration, with every movement precisely calibrated and the interactions of all performers perfectly choreographed. The professionalism of these contemporary dance companies was evident, above all, in the mastery of their ability to convey the core message of the works they presented.
The central event of the festival 2025 was the national contest. The Evgeny Panfilov Prize for best choreographer was awarded to Maria Isakova for her contest entry "Kin," based on a composition by the Georgian musical group "Mgzavrebi," which was based on a lullaby the group's leader heard as a child from his grandmother.
The key sculptural element of the choreographic text, in my opinion, was the graphic design of the hands, which carried the main aesthetic and semantic weight. It's clear not only that the choreographer selected gestures meticulously, each of which conveys a specific meaning, but also that he possessed a profound understanding of the symbolism and semantics of gestures, which serve as an important structural element of the artistic image.
The first-prize-winning contest entry, "Once Upon a Time..." performed by the Contemporary choreography studio of the Center of Culture “Vitebsk”, is undeniably theatrical and capable of creating a mysterious atmosphere.
The contest entry utilized various combinations of live music, dance, pantomime, and acting, incorporating elements of decorative arts (costumes, masks, and symbolic attributes). The authors drew on folk art imagery and successfully interpreted it creatively. Both Belarusian villagers and mythical characters, such as the demonic forest creatures known as Zazouki, were presented in figurative and poetic form.
The second prize was shared by two contest entries. These were choreographic compositions: "Vina Vina," (Wine’s Fault) written and performed by Yulianna Telekovets and Alina Kachan, and "Storm. Postscriptum," choreographed by Ekaterina Desheva to music by Soviet and foreign composers. The first entry was presented by the Yulia Sulyak Project of the Minsk State College of Arts, while the second was presented by the contemporary choreography group "Vtoroy Plan" (Second Plan) from Gomel.
In the work “ Vina Vina” (Wine’s Fault) where the sculptural solution is based on the movements of girls crushing grapes for wine, the artist managed to avoid illustrativeness in the sculptural embodiment of the labor process. The work, conveying a specific dramatic concept, is more complex, profound, and associative.

Third prize was also awarded to two contest entries: "A Million Years of Solitude," set to music by foreign composers and written and performed by Pavel Luntsevich, and "New Moon," a contest entry from Valentin Isakov's X-perImenty Project. The choreographer remains true to himself, writing and performing his own works and constantly pursuing creative exploration and experimentation.
Video content was used in several contest entries as a component of the scenography and an additional means of realizing the choreographer's artistic vision. The most organic interaction between visual illustrations and dance-based text was found in Valentin Isakov's choreographic composition, "New Moon." The musical mix of works by Japanese and Icelandic composers Ryuichi Sakamoto and Jóhann Jóhannsson unexpectedly concludes with the first movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's "Moonlight" sonata (see the contest entry title). The versatility of the visual illustrations contributed to the evoking of vivid emotions in the audience, capable of enhancing the overall impression of the choreographic performance. The contest entry clearly demonstrated the harmonious coexistence of two intertwined artistic fields, linked to the semantic aspect of dance. The finale of the work was paradoxical, evoking first bewilderment and then laughter: the lyrical and almost meditative scenes of the main action gave way to a comical mise-en-scène with a genuinely boiling kettle, clearly demonstrating the choreographer's original thinking.
The Special Prize "For the Meaningful Content of Dance" was awarded to Anna Leppo's contest entry "Neeuqder" (music by Aino Venna), inspired by the story of the famous Soviet fashion model that inspired the film "The Red Queen." In her piece, Anna Leppo (a project of the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts) also employed visual illustration, broadcasting the soloist's choreographic performance in reverse on a screen located at the back of the stage. Interestingly, the title of the piece (in English) spells "Red Queen" backwards.

The contest entry "Look Up," choreographed by Anna Konstantinova to music by the "Margenrot" project (Anna Konstantinova Project, Vitebsk), was awarded the special "Postscriptum" prize. The artistic concept of this choreographic work envisioned the choreographer's idea being revealed through the use of ropes, binding the performers tightly, in addition to the inventive and technically complex dance vocabulary. This could be interpreted in various ways, one of which was the image of modern people entangled in the web of social media.

The most recent IFMC national contest demonstrated that the leading role today belongs undisputedly to the Gomel State College of Arts named after N.F. Sokolovsky. This is primarily due to the dedicated work of Valentin Isakov, who, by his own admission, after seeing Yevgeny Panfilov in Alexey Uchitel's film "Giselle Mania," was so struck by the novelty and uniqueness of his movements and choreography that he decided to devote himself to contemporary dance. The result is clear: Valentin Isakov is a two-time winner of the Evgeny Panfilov Prize (2022 and 2024), the founder and director of the "X-perImenty" dance theater, as well as the "Workshop of Creative Ideas and Experiments," a professional platform for teaching choreography to people of varying levels. His greatest achievement is the organization of the Valentin Isakov Composition Studio, which works within the college, where students interested in developing contemporary choreography can test their skills as choreographers.

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IFMC'2025, Magazine of "Ballet" No. 2_2026.
By Elena Zachinskaya - contemporary dance researcher, editorial representative of the magazine "Ballet", Russia.

For four decades now, the IFMC has been a vital professional forum for the study of contemporary dance, capturing and shaping key trends and development vectors for contemporary dance in Belarus and internationally.The main event of IFMC'2025 was the national contest. The jury and expert council traditionally included renowned choreographers, dancers, critics, ballet scholars, and contemporary dance researchers from around the world. From the 29 works submitted to the closed contest, 12 works were selected for the final round, deserving special attention and consideration, according to the two juries.

Diana Yurchenko and Marina Bobrikova's production "Once Upon a Time...", based on images from the traditional mythological heritage of Belarusians, won first prize at the IFMC'25. "How do people create fairy tales? Legends?" the authors ask. "We closed our eyes, opened our souls and hearts, and tried to do the same in our time..." The attempt was more than successful! Meticulously crafted set design and a masterful lighting design immerse the audience in a captivating story about a beautiful girl who encounters fairytale characters along the way. A careful use of folklore, skillfully selected props such as masks, woven wreaths, baskets, haystacks, and lively Belarusian speech made "Once Upon a Time... " the undisputed winner of the contest program.
The jury divided the second prize and sent it to two cities: Gomel and Minsk. The contemporary choreography group "Vtoroy Plan" (Second Plan) turned to A.N. Ostrovsky's play "The Storm" with a proposal to give Katerina a second chance. What if what happened to the main character was just a nightmare? This chamber piece, performed by expressive dancers, is filled with warmth and faith in a bright, kind, and better future. Choreographer Ekaterina Desheva masterfully emphasizes the vulnerability of the protagonist, trapped in an ignorant society, her emotional turmoil, and even despair. The ironic ending, which consistently drew laughter from the audience, makes "The Storm: Postscript" a  life-affirming work, leaving the viewer with the conviction that there is always a choice.
The female duet with the intricate title "Vina Vina" (Wine’s fault)—performed by students of the Minsk State College of Arts—is inspired by the ancient craft of crushing grapes with feet during winemaking. Beyond the overall musical and sculptural expressiveness of the miniature (the barefoot tapping of the floor to Spanish music, imitating flamenco, the emotional intensity of the performers, the energetic interaction of the characters, etc.), it's worth noting the generation gap—the main theme of the piece, successfully explored by the choreographer and dancers. The desire of the "older" to teach the craft, to pass on experience, is tantamount to the "younger's” reluctance to learn and adopt. "Vina Vina" is an original attempt by the author to interpret the conflict between "fathers and children" with a vivid ethnic flavor.
Two works also shared the third prize. "New Moon" from the "X-perIments" project is an atmospheric performance best described by the author's annotation: "The Sun and the Moon. Masculine and Feminine. Shadow and Light. The Moon that lives within every person, revealing and concealing its shadowy and illuminated side..." The performance is an allusion to the light and dark sides of the human soul, culminating in a beautiful duet of a naked man and woman, continually rotating against the backdrop of a mirrored "moon." The choreographer masterfully manipulates the audience's attention and emotions, inviting them to explore complex themes from different perspectives: after all, everything is finite, and when, by whom, or what will interrupt this or that life process is unknown. So why not have a laugh?!
For the second consecutive year, Pavel Luntsevich has won third prize at the national contest. This time, again, it's a solo piece of his own, and again about a man overcoming the challenges of life, falling and rising again, exploring the world around him—and himself within it. The improvisational, kinetic flow, replete with twisted, contorted poses, imbues the piece with a sense of tension, coldness, and even pain. The protagonist's disturbing, all-consuming sense of loneliness, helplessness, and rootlessness is reinforced by the set design: a tent, a lantern, and a "habitat zone" strictly delineated by white tape. Pavel's character eventually leaves the boundaries of this zone, leaving the viewer alone with the question: Is loneliness a choice or a coincidence? "A Million Years of Solitude" is a philosophical work for those with a keen sense of empathy.
Maria Isakova from Gomel received the special honor of receiving the title of "Best Choreographer" in the year when the Vitebsk festival was held under the auspices of Evgeny Panfilov. The miniature "Kin" is about the deepest, most complex, and fundamental human emotion—maternal love. Thanks to the scenography and the spatial and lexical approach to the piece, the girls managed to convey not just an emotion but an entire universe, comprised of a multitude of processes, feelings, depths, and faces.
Anna Leppo Project of the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts (Minsk), presented an eccentric miniature "Neeuqder" at the contest and received a special prize "For the Meaningful Content of the Dance." "Neeuqder" (which spells "Red Queen" when read backwards) is an extraordinary tribute to the tragic fate of Regina Zbarskaya, the legendary Soviet fashion model known as the "Red Queen" and "the Kremlin's most beautiful weapon."
By decision of the expert council, the special "Postscriptum" prize was awarded to Anna Konstantinova from Vitebsk for her miniature "LOOKUP." The stream of difficulties and obstacles that the player (human) must overcome is, for the choreographer, a metaphor for our lives. The solution to one problem means advancing to the next round. Each person "extricates him/her selves" in his/her own way, follows his/her own path, and seeks his/her own answers to questions. The vocabulary, based on the periodically interrupted and renewed physical contact between the performers, bound by ropes, emphasizes the polyphony of the characters' personal and collective search for self-identity.

The evening program of the two-day festival was dedicated to a "local producer." "One Man Ball," performed by Vladislav Kostyuchenko (world champion in freestyle football), is a one-man show in which the ball becomes a full-fledged partner in dance. Choreographer Ekaterina Desheva offers a fascinating insight into the synthesis of sport, dance, and acting.
Young choreographer Kirill Baltrukov's interpretation of Nikolai Gogol's novella "The Greatcoat" explores the fate and role of the "little man" in the modern world. A poignantly social performance about each of us.
Alexandra Buyalskaya's production of "Fragility" is generally very simple, understandable, and at times childish, with a touch of verbosity. It makes up for these factors with its lack of pretentiousness and its focus on children and family audiences.

Overall, the festival's evening program was quite rich, both in the number of performances presented and in their stylistic contrasts. The "Bolero+" divertissement evening by the Moscow Ballet at the Novaya Opera Theatre included diverse miniatures staged by Russian choreographers. The slow, viscous movements of the bodies in Anna Deltsova's meditative miniature "Ondine" are accompanied by a live performance of Ravel's piano suite "Gaspard le Nuit."
Maxim Sevagin's vintage triptych "Tango, Song and Dance" is an anthology of "love dances" compiled in the aesthetics of the 1950s. The central idea of Kirill Radev's "Bolero" is the concept of self-restraint. Strictly symmetrical patterns, linear composition, graphic diagrams on the screen, laser beams—a rigid form in which the gradually condensing choreographic text builds tension on stage, as if attempting to hypnotize the audience with flawlessly synchronized crowd dancing scenes.
Each miniature is a statement: unique in style, narrative principle, and perspective on contemporary dance. The main unifying factors are the artists' brilliant performance skills and objective aesthetic perception.

The one-woman ballets "Unknown Woman" by Maria Cossu (soloist of Spellbound Contemporary Ballet, Rome) and "The Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year" by Maria Tikhonova (soloist of the Evgeny Panfilov Ballet) opened the evening of contemporary choreography, which featured works by foreign artists. "Two Marias" is a monologue between two exceptionally talented dancers who have nothing to prove to anyone, valuing the opportunity to speak and be heard. Charm, in harmony with the inner strength and graceful grace of the dancers' experienced bodies, instantly captivates the space and the audience. Both performances are filled with philosophical generalizations and profound reflections on life, centered on women and the complex nature of their feelings, emotions, and experiences.
A very sincere and sensitive performance in terms of plastic expressiveness, “A Better Place” performed by “Spellbound Contemporary Ballet” is about the search for the ideal place for life, love, self-realization… – it leaves an “aftertaste” of movement.
"Ordinary People" by Marco Di Nardo and Juan Tirado (Frantiks Dance Company, Berlin) explores the paradox of human relationships: dominating and collaborating at the same time. The body serves as the primary expressive medium. As a "mirror of the soul," it is a direct conduit to the inner, invisible world of a person. The ability to "read" this mirror is the key to deep self-knowledge and understanding of people, and, consequently, the path to harmonious human relationships.
"Dialogues" by the Chelyabinsk Contemporary Dance Theater is Olga Pona and the dancers' reflection on human interaction. The central event is an encounter, the starting point of a story of genuine communication expressed through body language. Screens with periodically appearing texts by Platon, Dmitri Kharms, Konstantin Paustovsky, Mikhail Zhvanetsky, and Mikhail Bakhtin serve as a conceptual framework for the dancers. The choreographer, artists, and quoted classics engage in a dialogue with the audience about life, happiness and unhappiness, love and loneliness, friendship and betrayal, and the weaknesses and strengths of both physical and spiritual. Ironic, touching, at once funny and sad, the performance, full of love for life, leaves the viewer with an optimistic conviction – human needs human.
As per tradition, the festival was closed by the beloved Vitebsk public's "Yevgeny Panfilov Ballet" theater. "Eight Russian Songs" is a legendary, timeless performance that retains its artistic power and relevance for audiences of all generations to nowadays.

Year after year, the IFMC methodically expands the viewing experience of Vitebsk residents and festival guests, cultivating an audience capable of contemplating, understanding, and empathizing with the conceptual forms of contemporary dance. The Vitebsk audience is a wonderful conversationalist, attentively watching and listening, and a joy to behold from the stage. They may not understand you, but they will definitely listen, without being distracted by phones, sighs, or extraneous movements. This is one of many, seemingly unobvious, yet unique and extremely valuable achievements of the festival's long-standing ideologist and director, Marina Romanovskaya, and her team.

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XXXVI International Festival in Vitebsk
by Flyura Musina - Theatre scholar, ballet critic, director of the Public Foundation "Center for Contemporary Choreography", member of the expert commission on choreography of the National Prize in the field of art "Umai", member of the expert commission of the State Prize of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of literature and art. 

The International Festival in Vitebsk is undoubtedly a global event not only for the city but for the culture and arts of the Republic of Belarus as a whole. And in the post-Soviet space, it is the first and most prestigious festival of modern choreography.
At first glance, it seems like a cross-section of contemporary dance in the country. And since it's held annually, it provides a good overview of the current state of contemporary dance in the country at any given time. And today, it's clear that, over its nearly 40 years of existence, this festival has created the phenomenon of Belarusian contemporary dance. Technically strong, distinctive, and possessing a unique identity on the global choreographic map. The abundance of choreographers, both young and established, represented at the festival, also highlights the creative nature of this project. Undoubtedly, the primary goal is not only to showcase new productions by international colleagues and trends in contemporary dance developments around the world, but also, most importantly, to give domestic choreographers the opportunity to realize their projects, to discover and support new talent, and to nurture young talent carefully.
Meanwhile, the festival organizers haven't forgotten about the audience. Moreover, judging by the sold-out crowds, they've cultivated a literate and engaged audience over the years. Alongside the contest screenings, there was a well-organized and engaging guest program. The "After the Curtain" lecture-discussion format allows everyone to speak up and share their impressions, which is also very valuable.Special lectures for modern choreography enthusiasts (lecturer: V. Khlopova, France) are also an important educational aspect of the festival program. The lecture format is easy and informative, designed for a general audience. A rich and personal presentation of the material by renowned theater critic L. Barykina on the work of Russian choreographer Yevgeny Panfilov was presented to festival participants, professional artists, and choreographers. According to the roundtable participants, Panfilov had a profound influence on many Belarusian choreographers. The performances by choreographers Valentin Isakov, Dmitry Zalessky, and Diana Yurchenko, delivered with great emotion and love, vividly demonstrated the indelible mark the legendary choreographer left on their work and souls.

It's worth noting that the 36th festival was dedicated to this outstanding choreographer and extraordinary person. And the festival organizers, led by Marina Romanovskaya, made the evening dedicated to Yevgeny Panfilov extraordinary and equally heartfelt. Along with the Yevgeny Panfilov Ballet Theatre, Belarusian companies also participated: D. Zalessky's D.O.Z.SK.I. Theatre, V. Isakov's project from Gomel, and the Vitebsk Contemporary Choreography Theatre Studio, all of which were undeniably influenced by Panfilov's work.
It's wonderful that, following established tradition, the organizers didn't forget the educational aspect of the festival. The project included master classes in various contemporary dance techniques: Marco Di Nardo (Italy) – breaking; Juan Tirado (Spain) – improvisation; Maria Cossu (Italy) – contemporary; Dmitry Zalessky (Belarus) – human anatomy and contemporary; and Dmitry Chegodar (Russia) – partnering. The results of such a careful approach to the theory and practice of contemporary dance could be appreciated by watching the contest program. All participants possess excellent technique and are fluent in various styles of contemporary dance.

It's worth noting that the 36th festival's contest program was very rich: 30 projects by Belarusian choreographers from across the country were presented. The distinctive styles of these choreographers, from different cities and regions, were immediately apparent, demonstrating the creative diversity and independence of their thinking. This is encouraging. Among them were established artists with their own companies and who had already won recognition at prestigious European festivals, as well as very young choreographers, including students from choreography departments at universities and colleges.
This, however, created certain difficulties for the experts and jury, as they sometimes wanted to recognize the work of young artists, but when compared to the work of more mature choreographers, they sometimes fell short in terms of staging effects and technical aspects of the production—lighting, spatial design. Perhaps establishing a separate category for young choreographers would have solved this problem. Anyway, the jury rightly resolved the situation by dividing the third and second prizes between the young and more mature choreographers.
Thus, Valentin Isakov, in his work "New Moon" ("X-perIments," Gomel State College of Arts named after N.F. Sokolovsky, third prize), demonstrated an excellent mastery of form and masterful use of lighting. The choreographer literally sculpted a melting, shimmering set from smoke and light, in keeping with the performance's theme. He seamlessly integrated his choreography into these spatial compositions. The dancers' excellent technique allowed them to convey the choreographer's mood, the shimmer of moonlight, through movement. The choreographer followed the principle of circular sculpture, never breaking or interrupting the line of movement, immersing the audience in a meditative state of contemplation of beauty… And then, with postmodern cynicism, he subdued the moment's pathos with the next scene featuring glasses and "Moonlight Sonata." The performance was cohesive, imbued with meaning, carefully crafted in form, and featuring interesting staging effects. I'd also like to highlight other works by the Valentin Isakov Composition Laboratory, such as "Temple" by choreographer A. Fedorenko, which also features excellent use of form-creating light. Choreographer Pavel Luntsevich from Minsk also won third prize for his project "A Million Years of Solitude." This is undoubtedly a talented and original project in its concept and design. However, since the choreographer was also the performer (demonstrating, incidentally, excellent technique, both external and internal), he naturally failed to observe certain technical details. For example, the lighting from the stage equipment blinded the audience in the stalls, and the artist's eloquent, fluid monologues were simply lost to view. (Fortunately for the contestant, the jury was located at amphitheater level, and from that vantage point, everything was interpreted as intended.) Furthermore, the number was likely designed for a small venue, so the entire stage was not utilized.

Fortunately, I had the opportunity to see this performance twice, in the first and second rounds, and watched from different vantage points, allowing me to truly appreciate both the production itself and its intriguing staging techniques. However, the skill and preparation of large professional companies' productions differ from the capabilities available to single-production projects. I must commend the professionalism of the jury, who saw and recognized truly creative projects by choreographers with original ideas.
The latter undoubtedly includes students from the Minsk State College of Arts, Alina Kachan and Yuliana Telekovets, who presented two productions – "Numinosum" and "Vina Vina." Their choice of music, their movement, and their performing – and the girls danced themselves – all speak to the uniqueness and talent of these young participants. Incidentally, they used virtually no additional stage props, expressing profound philosophy and emotion through movement alone, while also demonstrating excellent technique. It's no coincidence that the contest work "Vina Vina" by Alina Kachan and Yuliana Telekovets won second prize at the festival. Here again, the prize was shared between two nominees.
The other winner of second prize was the conceptual and profound work "Storm. Postscriptum" by choreographer Ekaterina Desheva (“Vtoroy Plan” Contemporary Choreography Group, Gomel). The choreographer's masterful use of musical and literary material, conceptual approach, conciseness, and careful selection of expressive means are noteworthy. All of this speaks to the choreographer's creative maturity.
Many works featured interactions with an object, which became a kind of embodied metaphor, and the artist, imbuing this play with their energy, initiated the birth of new meanings in the space between dance and object. This happened in E. Naumenkova's "Hanged" (though the coat trick isn't new, it was used in an original way here), and in Anna Leppo's dramatic novella "Litvyak," where shoes and a helmet became equal participants in the action and symbols at the same time. Or the virtuoso rope work, which is literally woven into the choreography in Anna Konstantinova's "Look Up." This production is remarkable for many other qualities as well—a good rhythm, precise execution, excellent technique, and a striking finale. The performance was deservedly recognized by the jury and received a special "Postscriptum" prize. Certainly, not all the performed works were of equal quality. Some of them lacked a conc But in choreographer Maria Isakova's competition entry, "Kin," everything came together in a perfect harmony—the music, the lighting, the choreography, the concept, and the execution. It's no coincidence that this subtle and stylish work won the Yevgeny Panfilov Prize.ept or a clear idea, or their simple meaning was duplicated not only by the movements but also by the text; some works seemed derivative in their thought and movement. But this is a general trend in global practice: choreographers are increasingly focused on technique, ignoring content. As a result, the audience sees a collection of master-class sequences on stage, which, at a time when the language of contemporary dance is well-established and incredibly diverse, no longer arouses interest.
But in choreographer Maria Isakova's contest entry, "Kin," everything came together in a perfect harmony—the music, the lighting, the choreography, the concept, and the performing. It's no coincidence that this subtle and stylish work won the Yevgeny Panfilov Prize.
And of course, Diana Yurchenko's work "Once Upon a Time... There Were..." (Folk Theater-Studio of Contemporary Choreography, Center of Culture “Vitebsk”) stood out definitely. Based on folklore, the performance included not only dance but also interesting costumes, live sound, singing, and recitation. The result was an unusual choreographic performance with its own unique atmosphere, with numerous references to folk legends and traditions (experienced people undoubtedly saw much more meaning in it). It's no coincidence that it was unanimously praised by both the jury and the expert council. In a sense, the emergence of such a performance is the result of the work of the close-knit IFMC team in Vitebsk, which has been contributing to the emergence and development of Belarusian contemporary dance for almost 40 years.

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Belarusian Contemporary Dance 2025 (abridged)
by Tatyana Ratobylskaya - Candidate of Art History, musician, journalist, researcher in the field of contemporary dance and theater

As an observer of the Belarusian choreographic movement for many years, I can confidently say that Belarusian contemporary dance is in its prime.
The idea of ​​staging the contest program alongside the anniversary performances of the Yevgeny Panfilov Contemporary Dance Theatre, timed to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the choreographer's untimely death, proved incredibly fruitful and confirmed that the master's legacy, consistently loved and cultivated in Vitebsk, the city where Panfilov first gained recognition and became a legend, has deep roots and numerous fruits. A remarkable photo exhibition in the foyer of the Concert Hall was dedicated to the choreographer's work.
But the main witness to the blossoming of Belarusian contemporary dance, its Tree of Life, was the contest program, which also demonstrated how deeply it was nurtured by Panfilov's legacy and the importance of the festival's Golden Fund, which shapes the preferences and self-awareness of dancers and audiences. The Vitebsk Festival has long been legendary in the minds of contemporary dance practitioners, both at home and abroad.

The Panfilov Theatre was not the only one to create the festival's evening program, but also the Moscow Ballet of the Novaya Opera Theatre, which performed three virtuoso plays: the nostalgic "Tango, Song and Dance," staged in the retro style of the 1950s, and two interpretations of the music of Maurice Ravel, "Ondine" and "Bolero," moving in dance from the piano, a quiet pool of peace, to an almost ecstatic picture - an image of raging elements or a strictly accumulating crescendo, enclosed in the strict square framework of the musical text with a repeating leitmotif.
Another evening featured pieces by Spellbound Contemporary Ballet from Rome, Maria Tikhonova, and dancers and choreographers from Berlin's Frantiks Dance Company. Olga Pona's Chelyabinsk Contemporary Dance Theater presented a deeply intellectual work, "Dialogues," with contemplative islands of reflection and pauses, in the choreographer's signature style.
The evening programs also featured productions by Belarusian choreographers. I'll focus on them. Arriving at the evening of Belarusian contemporary choreography on the new chamber stage of the Concert Hall “Vitebsk”, I was struck by how many young people were in the audience. It was a full house, with chairs provided, despite a parallel evening of international dancers and groups. Both productions, "One Man Ball" and "The Greatcoat. Gogol," showcased the range of imagination and unexpected directions in the artistic explorations of Belarusian dancers.
The one-man performance "One Man Ball" by Vladislav Kostyuchenko (choreographed by Ekaterina Desheva) demonstrated not only a virtuoso, a master of tricks, brilliantly wielding a ball as if glued to his feet, but also the multivariate meaning of the object in choreography.
We saw, one might say, an encyclopedia of the relationship between man and thing. It had it all: the ball as a plaything and a partner in play, as a companion and friend, as a gentle kitten you can pet and it will jump onto your back and settle on your shoulders. Philosophical associations were born from the multiplicity of relationships. The ball—the globe, or Newton's apple, whose fall sparked the physicist's thought, or Yorick's skull, gazing upon which Hamlet plunges into an abyss of contemplation on the frailty of existence. The concept is completely unlike the 2012 performance by the Norwegian group Jo Stromgren, "A Dance Tribute to the Art of Football," in which Stromgren, himself a former footballer, used dance to depict "how this energetic and rough game is presented to us on television"* (see the description of V. Mozuraite's choreography, "Ballet with a Foreign Guest at IFMC" // Dance Labyrinth. Minsk, 2013, p. 74).

In recent years, Gomel has become one of the epicenters of Belarusian contemporary dance development. The choreographic style of Valentin Isakov, one of the city's most prominent figures, is distinguished by a profound philosophical understanding of sculptural space and a tendency toward a harmonious aesthetic of choreographic design, reminiscent of a sculptural group ensemble painting. His new work, "New Moon," is imbued with the mystique of lighting effects, where a mirror, viewed from a certain angle, suddenly transforms into a deep tunnel, and a man and woman spinning in a circle are linked into one, like the black and white halves of the moon. The directors interpret the moon as a symbol of the human soul, at a crossroads, faced with a choice, caught between the sun and the earth. And yet, black and white, like opposing charges, are inexorably drawn to each other.
Gomel choreographer Maria Isakova's composition "Kin" is imbued with the tenderness of lullabies, an almost ritualistic invocation of love. It won the Panfilov Prize 2025. Second prize in the contest went to the Gomel group "Vtoroy Plan" for their composition "Storm. Postscriptum" (choreographed by Ekaterina Desheva), staged as a meditation on Ostrovsky's drama and an argument with him about the protagonist's fate. Ekaterina, the main character of Ostrovsky's drama, is inserted into the sentimentally cloying musical style of 1950s songs about flowers, sung in obnoxiously shrill female voices. This is truly a provincial swamp.

Another group from Gomel, "Segment," drew attention in the contest program with their polyphonic composition "Cohesive" (“Sviazuyuschee”) (choreographed by Evgeny Sugak). This rather abstract and poetic piece reads like the self-expression of a new generation. Meanings emerge from the varied mise-en-scènes. In a matter of minutes, the dancers literally inhabit the entire stage, dissecting it into individual segments with the leitmotifs of "stories." The dance technique utilizes breakdancing, a diffuse, sprawling mass of dancers, and playing with a paper airplane. However, a few individuals stand out from the crowd, and the twists and turns of their relationships and self-affirmation are fascinating to watch. The performance was also distinguished by its sophisticated costumes. All the dancers wore various versions of beige suits, some with long tails reminiscent of the princely formation of the Belarusian national costume.
Another memorable performance is "City Inside" by the Minsk Theater “Otrazheniya” (Reflexions) (choreographed by Polina Chekhova). It's a precise depiction of a modern industrial city with its noise, the nighttime roar of motorcycles, and the sirens of emergency vehicles. The realistic soundtrack contrasts with the almost childish view of the urban chaos—children's cars, flashlights in hand. The dancers' movements are dominated by the movements of zombies, people deafened by the city's nighttime noise, frightened and unfeeling.

As the festival demonstrated, Belarusian choreographers love to engage in dialogue, challenging famous literary works and cultural stereotypes, often using black and red contrasts in costumes and stage props. One of this year's prize-winning performances, "Red Queen" (choreographed by Anna Leppo), features a solo dancer in a red wig and red leotard. Every gesture and movement is meticulously crafted down to the smallest detail. In the expressive duet "Vina Vina" (“Wine’s fault”) (Yulia Sulyak Project), the dancers wear black dresses. Only their bare feet, frantically trampling invisible grapes, are highlighted by the contrast.
Belarusians tend to delve deeper into mythology when reflecting on humanity and the world, whether in a plot or a chosen theme. This is evident in the compositions "Vina Vina" (Wine’s fault) and "Rod" (Kin); it is also directly addressed and demonstrated in D. Yurchenko's theatrical composition "Zhyli...Byli..." (Once upon a time) based on themes from Belarusian fairy tales, specifically magical, ritualistic, and mystical tales. Therefore, a huge puppet, a fairy-tale giant, made from traditional Belarusian folklore materials—wood, straw, and netting—is brought onto the stage. The imagery of this act, its costumes, its “zhyvyols” (creatures) also have much in common with contemporary Belarusian painting, for example, with the illustrations of Belarusian fairy tales by the “Belarusian Bosch” – the outstanding artist Valery Slavuk.
A costume, a garment—a greatcoat—that has grown into a symbol and takes on a life of its own on stage, is featured in one of the spectacular performances, "Hanged Up" (Choreographer Ekaterina Naumenko), by the TEG Contemporary Dance Studio of the Vitebsk College of Culture and Arts. Here, a headless man-coat, emerging from the darkness of the stage, captivates with the slightest movement of his hands. A black coat, moving squarely across the stage, is interpreted as a person's struggle with the stigma attached to them, a struggle against imposed roles.

A huge grey chair, like the throne of an industrial society, is the centrepiece of the set for the Youth Theatre's evening programme performance "Fragility", directed by Timofey Buyalsky. The Greatcoat. Gogol," based on the writer's novella, deserves special mention. It was staged by the Minsk Youth Theater (choreographer Kirill Baltrukov) and became one of the festival's best performances. The performance is crafted in a black punk aesthetic. A colossal figure of the Greatcoat emerges from the darkness. It's half sculpture, half human. What imagination the virtuoso dancers display, trying on the greatcoat, turning it inside out, stroking invisible epaulettes, rolling up the sleeves, and constructing incredible figures from the greatcoats. The expressive movements of the actors seated at the table, banging on it in virtuoso flights of movement, evokes Kurt Jooss's "Green Table" and the aesthetics of German Expressionism. What imagination and dynamism the Belarusian dancers display! It seems to me that contemporary Belarusian dance and choreography is moving toward expressionism, "black irony," and demonstratively contrasting, open expression. This is a mature dance theater, the text of which is interesting to read, empathize with, and reflect upon.