About us
Slovakia's leading independent contemporary ballet company
A contemporary ballet company founded by Ján Ďurovčík in 2005 — at home in Bratislava, on stages from New York to Beijing.
Our story
The Slovak Dance Theatre (SDT), founded in 2005 by celebrated choreographer and director Ján Ďurovčík, is today regarded as the most significant independent contemporary ballet company in Slovakia. From its inception, SDT has pursued a bold artistic vision, merging dance, drama, music and visual spectacle into emotionally charged productions that reach both critics and audiences.
On the international stage, SDT has achieved remarkable success. Its Firebird World Tour (2008–2009) brought Slovak dance to audiences in New York, London, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Kraków and Bytom, confirming the company's standing among Europe's leading dance ensembles. Further tours with Carmen extended the company's reach to Mexico, Finland, Croatia, Serbia and Asia, consistently drawing standing ovations and glowing reviews.
Over the years we have given more than 200 performances in Slovakia, the Czech Republic and cities across Central Europe. As the only company of its kind, we premiered an original work by Ján Ďurovčík at the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid.
In the 2008/2009 season we took part in The Firebird World Tour, with performances in New York, London, Kraków, Amsterdam, Bytom and Antwerp. With the story of Carmen we have also travelled to New York, Lisbon, Canada, Tokyo, Rome, London, Beijing and Mexico City.
Our mission
The theatre supports the professional growth of dancers, singers and actors. It works on the principle that dance stands equal to every other theatrical genre, and it gives young talent who want to refine their movement a place to grow.
SDT repertoire
Our productions include the ballet Petrushka/The Firebird, a high point of the Russian period whose message still rings true today; stories shaped by the hand of William Shakespeare — Romeo + Juliet and Richard III; and the dance theatre Carmen, an audiovisual experience that brings dance and orchestra together on one stage.
The repertoire also includes the opera-ballet Labuťko, inspired by the backstage world of Swan Lake, Bolero – A Mother's Story and the special project Strom (The Tree). You can also see the SDT company in the music and dance féerie Cigáni idú do neba.
Latest work
Our most recent work includes the modern ballet AMADEUS, inspired by the story of the brilliant composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and the modern ballet The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which premiered in March 2025.
