About
Increasingly, young dancers and dance graduates are required to have a broader set of skills and knowledge even prior to being offered an audition. Such expectations include: professional performance experience of some kind; a sound understanding of multiple dance techniques and methodologies; multidisciplinary knowledge and experience; and essential professional skills. The reality of professional life can come as a shock, given highly competitive environments and demanding schedules which often lead to despair, and even early departure from the profession.
SUB.LAB.PRO The Ensemble Program is designed to foster a realistic appreciation of a company-like working environment offering a complete toolkit to thrive in the professional artistic field. Our goal is to train young dancers on a technical and creative level, nurturing the skills necessary to forge individual career paths as well sustaining, developing a personal artistic identity. To facilitate this, a safe and creative environment is necessary where the dancers can experience and create as an Ensemble, within a company-like context supported and guided by a team of experienced professionals.
The dancers will gain experience from four different creation processes during the program. The creations are led and choreographed by internationally acclaimed choreographers who will challenge the Ensemble by bringing a variety of creative processes, physical modalities and contrasting considerations on performativity. Working together with choreographers who represent European contemporary dance today, will give the dancers the possibility to evolve and mature artistically as co-creators and performers. The creations will be premiered at Trafó House of Contemporary Arts, the “citadel” of Hungarian contemporary dance. The dancers are also offered the possibility to create and present their own work within the program in collaboration with MU-theater, the “plunge board” for Hungarian underground of performing arts.
The Ensemble is offered the chance to develop an extensive dance technical vocabulary through daily morning classes with teachers rotating on a weekly basis. These teachers are chosen carefully in order to provide a variety of styles and techniques that are relevant to the dancers’ progress and the corresponding choreographic creation.
We highlight conscious training and education of the body in order to manifest its full potential. With weekly ‘body-care’ classes, guided by personal trainers and physiotherapists, our focus is on the prevention of injury while also providing rehabilitation support when necessary.
Besides physical training and choreographic creations, the program also provides essential, theoretical components called ‘Tools’. These are weekly, professional lectures concerning self-management, networking, light and sound design, video editing and artist talks to broaden the Ensemble’s set of skills before entering artistic careers. The program provides monthly group coaching sessions for the Ensemble to reflect and strengthen their collective energy and function. We believe that individual growth is very much dependent on its positive surrounding and well-bonded community.
The founders of SUB.LAB.PRO provide personalised mentoring for their dancers to empower each individual’s potential; finding solutions together to overcome obstacles and providing support during the process of becoming self-reliant artists.
We won’t stop supporting our dancers after the program.
Our website will serve as a promotional platform with a collection of images, videos and biographies of each dancer as well as guaranteed visibility by numerous Hungarian and international choreographers, each invited to performances of the Ensemble. The Ensemble will get the opportunity to perform at International Dance Week Budapest the following summer.
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Professional artistic quality, deep care of our community, transparent communication, circulation of ideas and acceptance regardless of sexual, ethnic, political or religious background are the fundamental core values of SUB.LAB.PRO. We aim at establishing an egalitarian environment where dancers, tutors and directors operate on a level playing field.
The program is financially self-sustained where the participation fee covers the salary of teachers and choreographers, studio rental, video and photo documentation fees, costume, administration and other organisational expenses. The program receives minimal government support.
THE FOUNDERS
Péter Juhász (HU) is a co-founder and artistic director of SUB.LAB Event Production which gave birth to ‘International Dance Week Budapest’ workshop – festival and ‘SUB.LAB PRO The Ensemble Program’.
Since 2017 he has been working with Emanuel Gat Dance company (FR). Previously he has collaborated with various dance companies and directors such as Thierry De Mey (BE), Les Ballets C de la B (BE), Mátè Mèszáros (HU), Kubilai Khan Investigations (FR), Eleonore Valere (FR), Roberto Olivan (ESP). In 2010 Peter finished his studies at Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance (SEAD).
Since 2011 he has been actively teaching at international dance workshops and festivals in France, Belgium, Germany, Croatia, Spain and Greece.
His main ambition is to create supportive environments where artists can live up to their creative potential.
Jenna Jalonen a.k.a triplejay is a finnish born dancer, choreographer and producer. She is the Co-owner of SUB.LAB Event Productions – a performing arts organisation behind SUB.LAB.PRO The Ensemble Program, International Dance Week Budapest, Collective Dope and SeeThrough Agency. Since her graduation from the Hungarian Dance University in 2011 she has been collaborating and working for international companies and choreographers such as Eva Duda Dance Co (HU), Kubilai Khan Investigations (FR), Kwaad bloed/Ugo Dehaes (BE), fABULEUS (BE), Notch Company (BE), Thierry de Mey (BE), Unusual Symptoms/Theater Bremen (DE), Máté Mészáros (HU), Untamed Productions (PT) and HODWORKS (HU).
Her choreographic works Long time no see! and BEAT ‘I just wish to feel you’ were part of the Aerowaves selection of Twenty19 and Twenty20. She has been awarded twice with the Rudolf Lában Prize for the best contemporary dance performance in 2019 with BEAT and in 2021 with RING, a creation for the 1st generation of SUB.LAB.PRO.
She is hosting [D]OPEN your move mini-festival – a melting pot platform to support Hungarian and international dancers coming from contemporary and urban dance.
LOCATION
“Some call it Paris of the East, Pearl of the Danube, Little Berlin or the Heart of Europe, but we call it Budapest the home of SUB.LAB.PRO The Ensemble Program.”
Divided by the Danube, the two cities Buda and Pest form the city we know today and are connected by beautiful bridges such as the Chain Bridge and Liberty Bridge. A city of around 1,7 million inhabitants, cheap living costs and easy accessibility both locally and internationally – Budapest has something for everyone. Dramatic history and flamboyant architecture to healing thermal waters and a nightlife that is unrivalled in Eastern and Central Europe. Budapest has preserved its cosmopolitan nature, its openness and diverse cultural life throughout the decades, centuries of history. It’s home to a number of great locations, festivals and venues that have showcased the best of local and international art scene throughout the centuries. Although Hungarian cuisine is mainly meat with paprika (love it), in Budapest you can find anything from Jewish to Asian and from French to African food without forgetting the amazing wines and pálinka. The city has easy access to nature and several hiking routes, not to forget Margaret Island ( just a tram ride away from the city center!). There is a lot to see, taste, visit and experience – at the bottom of this page you can find a collection of our favourites in the city.
Most importantly, our studio and theaters located in Budapest:
SUB.LAB.STUDIO
In 2024 the Ensemble Program moved to its own studio in MU Theater under the hug of big trees of Körössy Jozsef Street on the Buda-side. SUB.LAB.STUDIO provides a modern 130 m² creative space for daily training and creations as well as ‘Tool’ and ‘body-care’ lectures. Besides black/white dancefloor, high quality sound system and heating, the studio has a comfy dressing room and common kitchen with bathroom areas. Upgraded with yoga mats and exercise equipment for free use.
SUB.LAB.STUDIO is open for rentals – for more information about available slots and requirements you may contact us directly via email.
MU Theatre
MU Theatre was founded in 1992 in the 11 th district of the capital. Based on Maya documents, MU was a founding continent, the birthplace of human culture. Its survivors formed Mayan and Egyptian civilisations, among others. The name of the theatre, founded by Tibor Leszták, arises from this myth. MU Theatre has been a community house hosting contemporary performing arts, for companies that reflect on the social situation and create performances to an international standard but do not have the necessary support or theatrical infrastructure. To acknowledge the legacy of the theatre and inaugurate the presence of the Ensemble program, our connection to this space beckons a special name, a new era, a new origin, Magyar Underground (Hungarian Underground). The institution has provided countless opportunities to many companies and performers of theatre, dance, the fine arts, music and literature. Our goal is to create our own performances and theatrical education programmes, to organise professional events (festivals, conferences, workshops), to support civil organisations in the district, and to create opportunities that help close the gaps in our society. The mission of MU Theatre is to prove: Theatre is not just the forum of passive contemplation, but can be a place of active participation and, indeed, action as well.
Trafo House of Contemporary Arts
Trafó House of Contemporary Arts in Budapest is a receptive venue unique in Hungary, and is also a cornerstone of the international contemporary arts scene, showcasing various genres – theatre, dance, new circus, music and visual arts – in a unique and authentic manner.
The venue’s professional programme of events, presented in a post-industrial space, is based on a unified, yet diverse approach. Experimental and audience-friendly at the same time, and inspired by new innovations as well as cultural heritage, it provides a space for the presentation of work by both domestic Hungarian and international artists. Trafó is a forum dedicated to social issues, and a platform for establishing values and contexts as well as generating new ideas and productions. Its performances, concerts, exhibitions, and community and audience-building programmes, while focusing on younger generations, are accessible to members of any generation who are looking for something new.
PARTNERS
Workshop Foundation
Trafó House
Mu Theater
Anikó Rácz
Ábris Gryllus
Gergely Ofner
Dániel Dömölky
Bence Kovács
Willany Leó
Imre Zoltán Program
Nemzeti Kulturális Alap
Emberi Erőforrások Minisztériuma
Are you interested to support, sponsor or become a partner of SUB.LAB.PRO The Ensemble Program?
Don’t hesitate to contact us at ensemble@sublab.pro