From 27th of March to 2nd of April 2025, the Bulgarian contemporary dance company Derida Dance Center (DDC) visited Viminacium.

The workshop was organized by the Institute of Archaeology, with support from local organizations and communities including Contra teatar dance club, local writers, actors, artists, and experts from Požarevac, Kučevo, and the surrounding region.

This wasn’t DDC’s first encounter with Viminacium, and the company immersed themselves not only in the archaeological site but also in its wider surroundings. Their program included exploring the Roman baths as potential performance spaces, visits to Kučevo’s Ravništarka cave and the studio of artist Petar Anđelković, as well as excursions to the monasteries of Rukumija and Nimnik, where they investigated stories, legends, and local heritage as inspiration for their artistic process.

In collaboration with local partners, DDC held a series of co-creation activities—from workshops with writers and actors, to storytelling and provisional rehearsals in the baths experimenting with silhouettes and shadows on the ancient walls. A special highlight was the set of dance and movement workshops with Contra teatar dance club, where local dancers engaged in contemporary practices, sharing inspiration, knowledge, and creative energy.

These encounters deeply explored the festival’s themes of co-creation, heritage, and community participation, ensuring the upcoming performance will be firmly rooted in local stories, spaces, and shared creativity.