En–Knap & Iztok Kovač

Ant Ferocious

30 min

#at the theatre

2014

A special place within Generations belongs to Ant Ferocious, an interactive dance performance for the youngest audiences inspired by the beloved Slovenian children's song by Branko Rudolf and Marijan Vodopivec. Premiered in 2014 and performed continuously for more than a decade, the production combines dance, music, storytelling and participation to address themes of friendship, responsibility and coexistence. Children do not remain spectators: they sing, dance and join the performers on stage, while accompanying educational materials and interactive video content extend the experience beyond the theatre. Through one of En–Knap’s longest-running productions (originally created in 2014, updated in 2020), 10.000 children have encountered contemporary dance for the first time.

Suitable for ➝ kindergarten 2+, primary school 1st cycle
Themes ➝ friendship, conflict and reconciliation, emotions, communication, empathy

There once was a mischievous ant who teased the other ants at work and at play; pulling and scaring them, throwing banana peels on the ground, burping endlessly, smashing all the potter’s pots at the market, and, on top of everything, attacking a bull and gobbling it up. But such behaviour did not get her very far. Soon there was no one left she could tease or frighten. All the ants, the bulls, the potters, and the children ran away and hid. There was nothing left to break or destroy. Surrounded by ruins and broken shards, she found herself completely, utterly alone. Only then did she realise that malice and destruction are meaningless, and that life is far more pleasant when we live in harmony and coexistence with the people and things around us.

Although she had treated the other ants badly, they do not hold it against her or respond with the same cruelty. Instead, they welcome her back and give her a chance to repair the damage she has caused. While cleaning up the mess, the ants sing and dance together — and they are happiest when you, the children them on stage. 

Huda mravljica
En knap group
Spanski borci
Huda mravljica
En knap group
Spanski borci
Huda mravljica
En knap group
Spanski borci
Huda mravljica
EKG
Huda mravljica
EKG
Huda mravljica
EKG

The interactive dance performance for the youngest audiences is inspired by the much-loved Slovenian children’s song Ant Ferocious by Branko Rudolf and Marijan Vodopivec. The song, presented in various playful interpretations, runs like a red thread through the performance and, in true folk-story spirit, receives a new and unexpected ending. Through music, dance and spoken word, the performance tells a simple story about growing up, accepting responsibility, and learning to work together.

A) Dance & movement workshops

Participants discover how performances are created through easy and approachable choreographies at a practical dance workshop led by members of En–Knap Group. 

Suitable for ➝ age 5+, primary school, high school

B) Backstage tour 

What happens behind the curtain before a performance begins? This guided visit takes participants through the hidden spaces of the theatre, introducing the people, tools and processes that make a performance possible. From the stage and lighting booth to rehearsal spaces and technical equipment, students discover how many different skills come together to create a live event.

The tour is adapted to different age groups and connected to the performance they have seen, on stage or in virtual reality.

Suitable for ➝ age 5+, primary school, high school

C) Meet the artists

Conversations with choreographers, dancers and guest artists offer a closer look at how performances are created. Together, we explore where ideas come from, how movement becomes a language, and how dance can speak about identity, relationships, technology and the world around us. 
What is a choreographer actually doing? How do dancers create movement? Can a body tell a story? How does contemporary dance approach themes such as identity, belonging, friendship, difference or community? Each conversation is adapted to the performance and age group, encouraging young audiences to connect their own experiences with the artistic process.

Suitable for ➝ primary school 3rd cycle, high school

bio

Iztok Kovač is a choreographer and founder of En–Knap. Following the international success of his solo How I Caught a Falcon (1991), he became one of the key figures in the development of Slovenian contemporary dance. He founded En–Knap Group, Slovenia's first permanent contemporary dance ensemble, and serves as artistic director of both En–Knap and the Španski borci Cultural Centre. His works have toured internationally for more than three decades. Additionally, his artistic practice includes six dance films, international pedagogical work, guest choreography and the direction of major national events in Slovenia. During the Covid period, he initiated Stage360, developing dance works in virtual reality.

credits

Concept and Direction Iztok Kovač

Creators and Performers En–Knap Group (Mattia Cason, Matija Franješ, Tina Habun, Fiona Macbride, Carolina Alessandra Valentini, Nika Zidar)

Original Music Tomaž Grom

Costume Design Barbara Stupica

Set Design En–Knap

Light Design Luka Curk

Illustrations Neja Engelsberger

Dramaturgical Collaboration Jera Ivanc

Photography Miha Fras

 

Production En–Knap Productions

 

En–Knap Productions artistic director Iztok Kovač 

Managing director of Španski Borci Cultural Centre and En–Knap Productions Marjeta Lavrič 

Executive director of En–Knap Productions / Španski Borci Cultural Centre and Head of finance Julija Travančić

En–Knap Group artistic director Mattia Cason

En–Knap Group rehearsal director Ana Knez Štefanec

Executive producer Karmen Keržar

Postproduction Nataša Ramovš

Coomunication executive Valerija Intihar

Design Marko Damiš

Event coordinator and organizer Katja Gabrijelčič

Technical Production Aljaž Zaletel, Fabijan Purg, Omar Ismail, Leon Curk, Hotimir Knific, Gal Škrjanec Skaberne, Maja Pahor

The programme of En–Knap Productions, administrator of Španski Borci, is financially supported by: City of Ljubljana – Department of Culture Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia