Short form
The festival brings together three worlds of contemporary dance: the stage, film and virtual reality. It explores what happens when these different media meet within a short, playful and intense format. What emerges when the power of cinema intersects with the experience of live dance and the possibilities of emerging technologies?
Film screenings, live performances and VR installations are woven into a single temporal flow, allowing audiences to experience movement as a continuous continuum—from the physical stage to digital space. This transmedial structure challenges established festival formats and redefines the ways audiences gather, experience dance and engage in dialogue about it.
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“In a time of accelerated information flow and limited attention, the short form in dance reflects the spirit of our age,” says the festival’s artistic director Iztok Kovač. “Precisely because of its brevity, it must be taken with utmost seriousness. In short form, there is no space for excess—the idea must be sharpened, purified, and delivered as a concentrated result.”
This exploration of condensed artistic expression speaks to different generations, particularly younger audiences, for whom the screen is increasingly becoming the primary space of experience and connection. The festival seeks to meet them where they already are, while encouraging cultural curiosity and fostering sustained attention and sensitivity to the art of dance through the very media that shape their everyday lives.
Future editions of the festival will continue to connect stage, film and virtual reality, further increasing the visibility of short dance forms, promoting international exchange and strengthening critical discourse within the broader field of contemporary performing arts.contemporary performing arts.
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The EFFE Label of the European Festivals Association.
NaKnap, a festival of short dance form has been awarded the EFFE Label by the European Festivals Association (EFA). The recognition strengthens their visibility and connections within the international festival community. The EFFE Label recognises European festivals that stand out for their artistic quality, international openness, community engagement and commitment to innovation. For En–Knap, the EFFE Label is an international recognition of the work of both festivals, their commitment to artistic exchange and engagement with the international dance community, as well as their efforts to develop new formats and make contemporary dance more accessible to wider audiences.