What an unforgettable night!
Yesterday, MN Dance Company - Nastja Bremec Rynia, Michal Rynia and the extraordinary Duo Silence — Boris Benko and Primož Hladnik — performed De-Set in front of a full house at Linhart Hall, Cankarjev dom Ljubljana.
We’re deeply grateful to Cankarjev dom for providing the space and unwavering support that made it possible to share our work with such an incredible audience. Huge thanks also go to our phenomenal technical crew, Matjaž Bajc and Matej Čelik, whose precision and dedication brought the performance to life, and to SNG Nova Gorica for their continuous support.
And to our wonderful audience — thank you for being with us and for the standing ovation. Your energy and presence mean the world to us.
We leave this performance inspired, grateful, and full of energy to continue our journey — creating, exploring, and sharing art without boundaries.
Photos by Darja Štravs Tisu
MN Dance Company | Duo Silence | De-Set | Cankarjev dom
By Daliborka Podboj, Ljubljana 8.10.2025 Prada Plesa
Nastja Bremec Rynia and Michal Rynia celebrated the tenth anniversary of their joint creative journey on the Slovenian and international dance scene, six years after the premiere of DE-SET.
(Photo: Darja Štravs Tisu)
Linhart Hall, Cankarjev dom
The dance–music performance DE-SET by the internationally acclaimed choreographic duo Michal Rynia and Nastja Bremec Rynia premiered on December 8, 2019, at SNG Nova Gorica.
Set to original music by the duo Silence, it marked the tenth anniversary of Nastja and Michal’s artistic collaboration — and the twentieth anniversary of Silence’s musical career.
Although DE-SET could not reach Cankarjev dom during the pandemic years, where the duo traditionally presented a Ljubljana premiere after Nova Gorica, this year they finally succeeded.
The Ljubljana premiere took place on October 5, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. in Linhart Hall, co-produced by MN Dance Company and Cankarjev dom Ljubljana, in collaboration with SNG Nova Gorica.
DE-SET reflects ten years of shared artistic and dance experiences, woven — under the dramaturgy of Ana Križšnik Blažica — into a poetic story of encounters and dilemmas of a young couple.
Having met at Codarts Dance Academy in Rotterdam, Nastja and Michal later settled in Nova Gorica, where they continue to nurture new generations of dancers and build their internationally recognized body of work.
At the entrance to Linhart Hall, the audience faced an unlit stage.
A black piano stood on one side, while at the center and toward the back, a scenographic vision by Aleksander Blažica suggested either the ropes of a sail or a tree of life formed by ten hanging cords.
In the soft light, two invisible figures rearranged the cords, plugging them into sockets on a console divided into smaller segments.
Into this quietness stepped Nastja, wrapped in a soft red robe (costumes by Michal Rynia, Nastja Bremec Rynia, and Ana Špacapan), sitting in contemplative stillness.
Gentle piano notes by Primož Hladnik, accompanied by Boris Benko’s emotive, dramatic vocals, filled the air.
Soon after, Michal entered — his presence marking the first impulse of the choreographic arc:
a duet of fluid suggestions, lifts, intertwining movements, and harmonious fusion.
Together, they painted a vivid portrait of their first creative decade — a celebration of artistic growth and love.
In one touching scene, the couple played with a black men’s jacket — taking turns wearing it, each occupying one sleeve — a metaphor for their shared journey.
Their partnership of friendship, attraction, and love unfolded to Hall of Mirrors by Silence.
A playful boxing match sequence followed, with Benko as an impassioned commentator.
The “fight” alternated between who won — sometimes him, sometimes her — in a witty, beautifully timed duet of strength and tenderness.
As the youthful tension matured into harmony, conflict dissolved, giving way to a tender, eternal kiss.
When the lights dimmed, the audience rose in unison — a wave of applause and joy that seemed endless.
The 60-minute performance was a charming, humorous, and emotionally rich dance–music experience — a celebration of youthful freshness, timeless love, and the creative force that flows beyond time and boundaries.
“When the energy of love and creation flows through the currents of life — time ceases to matter.”
– Daliborka Podboj
Choreography & Performance: Nastja Bremec Rynia, Michal Rynia
Live Music: Duo Silence – Boris Benko, Primož Hladnik
Dramaturgy: Ana Križšnik Blažica
Scenography: Aleksander Blažica
Costume Design: Michal Rynia, Nastja Bremec Rynia, Ana Špacapan
Light: Matjaž Bajc
Sound: Matej Čelik
Production: MN Dance Company
Co-production: Cankarjev dom Ljubljana
In collaboration with: SNG Nova Gorica
Photography: Darja Štravs Tisu
