Eva Urbanová is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher of the Slovak origin whose work explores transformation, human connection, and sensitivity. Her practice is centered on the exploration of altered states of mind, the biography of the body, and the power of touch, aiming to access the creative potential and deep knowledge embedded within our subconscious. By investigating the monstrous body, she delves into its capacity to disrupt conventional aesthetics and reveal hidden dimensions of human experience, further challenging societal norms and expectations.
Her goal is to create space for the body to resist oppression, reclaim its authenticity, and reconnect with the divine. Her goal is to challenge societal norms and expectations, creating space for the body to resist oppression, reclaim its authenticity, and reconnect with the divine. In her witcho-graphy, she blends elements of dance, somatic practices, experimental drag, and immersive sensory experiences to craft performances that transcend the material realm, fostering processes of healing as well as individual and collective empowerment.
Eva holds a master degree in choreography from Prague’s AMU and has studied at Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London. Her main success is her solo piece, THE ESSENCE (2021), which has been featured at numerous international festivals. It won first place at the Gdansk Dance Festival in 2022, second place at the Tanz Theatre Stuttgart International Competition in 2021, and was selected for the Slovak Dance Platform in 2023. Her latest work, ANOMALIE (2022), was included in the main program of the Czech Dance Platform 2023.
CURRICULUM VITAE
Eva Urbanová
Residence: Vienna, Austria
Nationality: Slovak
Date of Birth: 17.12.1993
@ev_urbanova_
Pronouns: she/they
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Eva Urbanová is a dancer, choreographer and dance teacher. Her practice delves into altered states of mind, the biography of the body, and the power of touch aiming to access the creative potential and deep knowledge embedded within our subconscious. In her work Eva blends dance, somatics, experimental drag, and sensory exploration to craft immersive performances. In addition to her choreographic work, she is an experienced contemporary dance teacher, teaching both professionals and non-professionals, including students at dance conservatories and children as young as seven. Currently, she is engaged in the creation of her latest work, which focuses on developing movement practices aimed at stimulating the senses, particularly touch, and fostering an alternative, sensitive perception of materiality and connection.
AWARDS
- 1st award at the Gdansk Dance Festival 2022 for the work “The Essence”
- 2nd Choreographic Award at the Solo Tanz Theater Stuttgart International Competition 2021 for the work “The Essence”
- Public Award at the Solo Tanz Theater Stuttgart International Competition 2021 – The Essence for the work “The Essence”
ARTISTIC EDUCATION
- Master's degree in Choreography, Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, 2020
- Bachelor's degree in Choreography, Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, 2017
- Erasmus Exchange Program, Trinity Laban Conservatoire, London, 2015-2016
CHOREOGRAPHIC WORKS
WATCHOUT TOWER
- Site – specific performance in a public space
- Commission work for Kunsthalle Prague, 08/2023
IDIOSSINCRASIA
- Created during the artistic exchange with Brazilian dancers Gabriela Moriondo and Maicom Souza in Estúdio Victor Córdon (PR) and Colectivo Emarnhado Studios (BR)
- Premiered in Sesc Gloria, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil, 12/2022
ANOMALIE
- Premiered at Divadlo X10, 10/2022
- Selection of the Czech Dance Platform 2023
- Invited to Kiosk Festival 2023 (SK) and Flora Theatre Festival 2024 (CZ)
THE ESSENCE
- Solo choreography premiered at the Solo Tanz Theater Festival Stuttgart 2021
Awards: 1st place at the Solo Dance Contest at Gdansk Dance Festival 22, 2nd Prize for Choreography + Audience Award at the Solo Tanz Theater Festival Stuttgart 2021
- Invited to the Jerusalem International Solo Dance Festival 2023, Bazzar Festival 2023 (CZ), Slovak Dance Platforme 2023 (SK), Flora Theatre Festival 2022 (CZ), Mono Tancz Budapest 2022, and KoresponDance Festival 2021 (CZ)
GALLERY WITHOUT THE BOARDERS
- invited as a dancer and choreographer to co-create an evening performance at the National Gallery in Prague curated by the SE.S.TA Choreographic Development Center (CZ) and CoreDance (USA)
- Prague 10/2021
SYNC
- Dance film
- Created during the pandemic as a virtual exchange project (BRA/SK/CZ)
- Produced by Bule production
HUNGRY HEARTS
- Master's thesis
- National Gallery in Prague, 09/2020
DANCE is not DEAD!
- Collaboration with the Central European Dance Theatre – Sassi Autumn Dance Week - evening of the young choreographers
- Budapest 11/2019
THE HEAVINESS OF BEING
- Commission work for Bohemia Ballet Dance Company
- Prague 04/2018
SPRING’S ARRIVAL
- Commission work for Prague Dance Conservatoire
- Prague 01/2018
WORK AS A DANCER AND PERFORMER
WATCHOUT TOWER
- Site – specific performance in a public space
- Kunsthalle Prague, 08/2023
The Pool
- National Gallery in Prague, 11/2023
- Director: Tomáš Moravanský (INSTITUTE INSTITUTE)
WRECK/The list of extinct species
- Prague Quadrennial 2023, Tanec Praha Festival 2023, 06/2023
- Choreographer: Pietro Marullo
Intervention is enough evidence. Finally.
- Kunsthalle Prague, 06/2023
- Choreographer: Alex Mirutziu
Did you understand?
- Nu Dance Fest 2023, Kunsthalle Bratislava, 03/2023
- Choreographers: Giulia Cermelli and Tommaso Cavalcanti
Bariolé
- Galéria Umelka, Bratislava, 02/2022
- Choreographer: Jana Tereková
Tour of the Winners of the 25th Internationales Solo Tanz Theater Festival Stuttgart 2021
- Germany (different cities), 11/2021
Soft Play
- Performance in a public space
- Prague, 10/2021
- Choreographers: Bianca Hisse, Shahrzad Malekian
Collectron
- Digital interactive performance
- KoresponDance Festival (CZ), 07/2021
- Concept: Jana Bitterová, Ian Biscoe
Movement Collaboration on NIVVA Project
- Use of the xses motion capture technology
- Lunchmeat Festival 2020, Prague, 10/2020
Suburbia
- interactive performance in public spaces
- Prague, 06/2020
- Director: Jana Stárková
Whistleblowers
- International Studio Farm in the Cave
- Prague 05/2019
- Director: Viliam Dočolomanský
Adeiu
- dance movie
- Film Academy Prague, 04/2018
- director: Hasan Can Dagli,
... (and other relevant experiences)
SELECTED TEACHING EXPERIENCE
- The Essence workshop – Prague, Czech Republic (2024)
- Anomalie: Exploration of the new body forms workshop – Žižkostel in movement festival, Prague, Czech Republic (2024)
- Sensations in Movement workshop – Telohra, Bratislava, Slovakia (2024)
- Workshop of a contemporary dance for a dance group Storm Ballet, Czech Republic (2023)
- Dance Conservatory Liptovský Hrádok, Slovakia (01 – 05/2023) – contemporary dance teacher
- Workshop of a contemporary dance in Colectivo Emaranhado Studio in Vitória, Brazil (2022)
- Body Zero workshop (practice based on the use of the biography of the body) in Telocvičňa, Bratislava, Slovakia (2022)
SCHOLARSHIPS
2024
- Tanzquartier scholarship
- Scholarship granted by the Slovak Art Council for movement research for a choreographic work titled “Next New Collection”
2023
- Scholarship granted by the Slovak Art Council for movement research on a project titled “Hitting the Sweet Spot”, a research on the use of alternative states of mind and sensation in dance practice
2022
- Scholarship granted by the Slovak Art Council for movement research on a project titled “Body Zero”, a research on the biography of a body
2021
- Scholarship granted by the Slovak Art Council for movement research on a choreographic project titled “With Light into the Darkness and Further”
OVERVIEW OF THE RESIDENCY PROGRAMS PARTICIPATED IN RECENT YEARS
2025
- January - Creation of the production "ALLEGORY OF THE TOUCH" - Hellerau - European
Center for the Arts (Dresden, Germany)
2024
- January - Creation of the production "ALLEGORY OF THE TOUCH" within the residency program Jobel Art for Earth (Sabina, Italy)
- April - Creation of the production "ALLEGORY OF THE TOUCH" - Telocvična (Bratislava, Slovakia)
- August - Creation of the production "ALLEGORY OF THE TOUCH" – Bears in the park (Vienna, Austria)
- September - Creation of the production "ALLEGORY OF THE TOUCH" – Plam yard (Malovice, Czech Republic)
2023
- August 2023 - February 2024 (various time blocks) - Movement research "Hitting the Sweet Spot" – Theatre Malý Berlín Trnava, Studio Alegria Trnava, Telocvična, Bratislava (Slovakia)
2022
- March - Creation of the production "Anomalie" within the residency program of the Center for Choreographic Development SE.S.TA (Žďár nad Sázavou, Czech Republic)
- March - Creation of the production "Anomalie" within the ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE 2022 program at Rezi.dance v lese (Komařice, Czech Republic)
- May - Creation of the production "Anomalie" during the dance residency at Estúdios Victor Córdon (Lisbon, Portugal)
- June - Creation of the production "Anomalie" at the Telocvična residency space (Bratislava, Slovakia)
- October - Creation of the production "Anomalie" during the dance residency at KC Vozovna (Prague, Czech Republic)
- November - Creation of the production "Idiossincrasia" at Coletivo Emaranhado studios (Vitória, Brazil)
COUCHING RESIDENCIES FOR THE CHOREOGRAPHERS
Couching residency for choreographers - SE.S.TA, Prague 2021, coached by Alice Chauchat
Couching residency for choreographers - SE.S.TA, Prague 2020, coached by Kathy Casey
Couching residency for choreographers - SE.S.TA, Prague 2017, coched by Jean-Christophe Paré
SELECTED WORKSHOP/MASTERCLASSES
- Dramaturgy Blind Inclusive - Fia Neises and Liv Schellander - Brut, Vienna 2025
- Adrien Hód/Hodworks: Inclusive vibe - WUK, Vienna 2024
- Jess Curtis – Accessibility in Arts, Bratislava 2023
- Benoîte Lachambre – ImpulsTanz 2023
- Keith Hennessy – Bratislava 2023
- Maria F. Scaroni –Bratislava 2023
- Adrien Hód – B12 Festival, Berlin 2022
- Hannes Langolf – Share workshop, Berlin 2022
- Theatre Continuo Summer Residency, Czech Republic 2020
- Butoh workshop by Tiziana Longo, Berlin 2020
- Emanuel Gat Intensive, Rome 2019
- Tina Afiyan Breiova – contemporary dance, Prague 2019
- Stories in Movement – dance film workshop, Bucharest 2018
- Gaga Intensive, Tel Aviv 2018
- Martin Kilvády – contemporary dance 2018
MOVEMENT BACKGROUND
- Rhythmic gymnastics – 1st place in the Junior B category at the Slovak Championship
LANGUAGES
- English – Fluent
- Japanese – Intermediate
- Czech – Fluent
- Slovak – Native Speaker