choreographer, director, dancer, artistic leader, pedagogue

Branko Potočan (1963, Trbovlje) started dancing ballroom and folk dances at an early age in his hometown Hrastnik. In his teens he founded a breakdance group Gumiflex, which performed short dance pieces and also created two theatre performances. For several years he was also the leader of the Hrastnik-based folk dance group as well as a member of the France Marolt Folk Dance Group in Ljubljana. He studied at the Faculty of Sports in Ljubljana.

Branko started his professional career as a dancer in 1986, when he joined Dance Theatre Ljubljana, which was at the time led by choreographer Ksenija Hribar led by Ksenija Hribar. He performed in all of the theatre’s major productions. Between 1990 and 1993 he worked in Brussels with the renowned choreographer Wim Vandekeybus and performed in Ultima Vez performances all around the world. In 1994 he founded the non-profit cultural organisation Vitkar and the physical theatre group Fourklor. Both the institute and the group were initially based in Potočan’s hometown Hrastnik, where the group also premiered its first four evening-length dance-theatre performances. He also works as a choreographer and movement advisor in theatre performances (productions by Mladinsko Theatre, the Sarajevo National Theatre, Betontanc group…) and as pedagogue (contemporary dance programme at the Pre-school Education, Grammar and Art Grammar School Ljubljana, Intakt Student Group, different workshops) and runs workshops with young people (modern circus, physical theatre, aerial silk, hoop, rope…).

In his prolific creative career as a choreographer and a director he conceived over 40 original performances from 1994 until today. For several years he has been an active choreographer and movement adviser in many theatres at home and abroad. He is also the artistic director of the International Performing Arts Festival Rdeči revirji – Red Beats in Zasavje region.

 

PERFORMANCES (as choreographer and director)

COLLABORATIONS AS CHOREOGRAPHER, DANCER, PERFORMER

COLLABORATIONS IN THEATRE AS CHOREOGRAPHER AND MOVEMENT ADVISOR

FILM, VIDEO

OTHER

PEDAGOGICAL WORK

AWARDS

SELECTED PERFORMANCES IN MORE DETAIL