MPC classroom for educators 2026
MPC CLASSROOM 2026
Workshop leaders: Martina Tomić & Martina Nevistić Vukobrat
18 October 2026
9:00–13:00
Mediterranean Dance Center, Svetvinčenat
MPC Classroom is an educational programme run by the Mediterranean Dance Center for educators who wish to explore contemporary dance through first-hand experience and find ways to introduce it to children and young people.
This year’s MPC Classroom explores different ways of creating, observing, describing and recording movement. Through two connected workshops, we will explore the relationship between dance and words, and between dance and the camera, moving in both directions: from movement towards words and images, and from text, speech, an idea or a recording towards new movement.
The aim is to explore contemporary dance through practical work and introduce simple creative approaches that participants can adapt to their own work with children and young people. No previous dance experience is required.
9:00–11:00 MARTINA TOMIĆ: CAPTURE DANCE
How can we translate movement into words, and words back into movement?
Through games and individual and group activities, the workshop connects movement, observation, listening, speaking and writing. We will explore the relationships between movement and pauses, action and stillness, space, time and rhythm, while developing our own vocabulary for creating and discussing dance.
The relationship between dance and words works in both directions. Movement can provide a starting point for a word, description, conversation or text, while spoken or written words can inspire new movement and become material for dance. Through simple tasks, participants will try both approaches and discover tools for encouraging creativity, expression and different interpretations in their work with children and young people.
11:00–11:30 BREAK
11:30–13:00 MARTINA NEVISTIĆ VUKOBRAT: MOVEMENT AND THE CAMERA
How does the camera change the way we see and experience movement? Through structured improvisation, we will explore different movement qualities, such as lengthening, pulsing and vibrating, changes in dynamics from slow to fast movements, and different spatial levels.
In the second part of the workshop, the camera becomes a tool for further exploration. We will film movement from different perspectives and experiment with real time, slow motion and time-lapse to see what happens when we observe, record and transform the same movement through film.
Drawing on the workshop leader’s experience of making dance films, the workshop offers participants simple ways of connecting movement and the camera that they can develop further in their work with children and young people. Participants should bring a mobile device with a camera for this part of the workshop.
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP LEADERS
Martina Tomić is a dancer, choreographer and dance educator, and one of the founders of Tras Studio and the arts organisation Genijator. She holds a master’s degree in journalism and a bachelor’s degree in contemporary dance teaching from the Academy of Dramatic Art in Zagreb. As a dance educator, she works with all age groups and has led workshops in Croatia and abroad, including in China, at the Institute for Artistic Dance in Belgrade and at the Latvian Academy of Culture in Riga. Since 2019, she has led dance workshops at the School of Creativity in Novigrad for gifted primary and secondary school pupils. She has received awards for choreography and performance from the professional associations UPUH and UPPU PULS and is currently the artistic director of the Studio for Contemporary Dance.
Martina Nevistić Vukobrat is a dance artist, choreographer and educator working across contemporary dance, performance and multimedia. She graduated in organisation and management from the Faculty of Economics and Business in Zagreb and in dance from the Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance (SEAD) in Austria. She was a member of Zagreb Dance Company from 2009 to 2017 and has been a programme coordinator at Zagreb Dance Center since 2016. Her artistic practice focuses particularly on connecting movement with other media and exploring the relationship between the body and the moving image. She has created numerous performance, multimedia and film works, including Pulsar, Deep Neon: In Between and The Girl from Tomorrow.
REGISTRATION
Participation in the workshops is free, with an optional suggested donation.
No previous dance experience is required. Participants should bring comfortable clothing and enthusiasm.
Registration is required. Please register by emailing rezervacije@mediteranskiplesnicentar.hr no later than Friday, 16 October 2026.
Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.