DREAMS BEHIND THE MASKS

A co-production of the Institute for Artistic Dance and the Madlenianum Opera and Theatre

BALLET

A double bill featuring two ballets: Dreams and Masquerade

Music: Aram Khachaturian – Masquerade Suite; Dmitri Shostakovich – Ballet Suite No. 1; Johann Strauss II – Pizzicato Polka, alongside a contemporary composition by the group The Dreamliners

Choreographer: Aleksandar Ilić

Soloists: Z. Purić, A. Damjanović, A. Marin, H. Boček Lokner, S. Madžgalj, I. Trbojević, D. Strniša, E. Mladenović, T. Međo, Lj. Stanić, P. Blešić, E. Išutina, A. Babović

DREAMS

The ballet Dreams explores the universal theme of human aspirations, the courage to dream, and the perseverance required to turn dreams into reality. Through a powerful contemporary dance vocabulary, the audience follows an emotional journey filled with hope, challenges, fears, and the inner strength that drives individuals towards achieving their goals.

Dreams are a driving force in life: they shape our decisions, inspire us to push beyond our own limits, and determine the direction of our personal growth. The performance explores the space between desire and reality, between imagination and fulfilment, conveying a powerful message: with dedication, focus, and self-belief, dreams can become reality.

Performed by: Iva Ilijevski, Lucija Oroz, Marija Bazanova, Anja Stojankić, Tanja Ivanov, Anja Milovanov, Aleksandra Timofeeva, Megi Tomić, Teodora Đorđević, and Katarina Bućić.

Alongside choreographer Alex Cross, the creative team includes costume production by DAIRE, featuring artistic interventions by painter Snežana Arnautović Stjepanović, with Ognjen Vučinić and Katarina Bućić as assistant choreographers.

Rehearsal Director and Coach: Jovana Ikonić

MASQUERADE

The ballet Masquerade presents a poetic story of longing and the blossoming of love, told through a dance of attraction and separation. At its heart is the dynamic of relationships among young people, with one young man emerging as the centre of attention and setting the emotional events on stage in motion. The action unfolds in an atmosphere of night and light, where a single glance can mean everything and one step can change the course of destiny.

Khachaturian’s final waltz brings the ballet to a climax in a lavish whirlwind of movement, allowing the neoclassical style to shine in all its brilliance. The choreography combines the technical precision of classical ballet with a contemporary theatrical language.

Choreographed by Aleksandar Ilić and performed by: Andrej Damjanović, Zara Purić, Sara Madžgalj, Andrijana Marin, Hana Boček Lokner, Elena Mladenović, Teona Međo, Anđela Babović, Petra Blešić, Lea Radosavljević, Helena Kurtušić, Aleksandra Drakulović, Ivana Trbojević, and Danijel Strniša.

Rehearsal Director and Coach: Milica Bezmarević