BIOGRAPHY
Antonija is a multidisciplinary artist born in 2002 in Kumanovo, Macedonia. Her main focus is exploration of self and interpersonal relationships in a very raw and honest way told predominantly through movement and physicality. In her art practice she experiments with dance, film, video and performance art.
Growing up as the daughter of a dance studio owner and choreographer, Antonija was immersed in dance from an early age. As part of Dance Studio Ultra, she was taking classes in contemporary, jazz, modern and hip hop dance, where she competed and won more than 50 awards as a soloist and in group dances all over Europe. In her childhood she was also taking theatre, music, photography and drawing classes.
Her high school days were spent in State Music and Dance Educational Center “Ilija Nikolovski – Luj” in Skopje, Macedonia where her main focus was contemporary dance. Parallel to her high school education she collaborated with Skopje Dance Theatre, while also teaching and choreographing at her own dance studio.
Antonija's educational journey continued as she became the first Macedonian to pursue a bachelor's degree from Zurich University of the Arts in Switzerland, specializing in contemporary dance. Studying in Zurich offered her great opportunities for collaboration and learning from top professionals in the field. She gets acquainted with new dance techniques and methods, and collaborates with many internationally renowned choreographers from Europe and Asia. As part of Zurich University of the Arts, Antonija gets an opportunity to study abroad for a full year at California Institute of the Arts in Santa Clarita, California, USA. In California is where Antonija delves more into other art practices besides dancing and finds herself creating and experimenting more.
Right now Antonija is living in Los Angeles, finishing her year abroad at California Institute of the Arts. She will be graduating from Zurich University of the Arts in June 2024 with a bachelor thesis named “How does one touch a face” which consist from live performance, video installation and written thesis.
DIPLOMAPROJECT
As a dancer I am hyper aware of how people physically interact with one another. I always catch myself analyzing why and how people will touch me. Whatever that may be, a handshake, a hug, just a tap on the shoulder or a more intimate touch depends on the relationship I have with that person. I have noticed since I moved to Switzerland two years ago, and now United States of America that people are not as open and physical with one another as in where I come from, Macedonia.
In general in the world people do not really touch each other faces at all. My interest is how would one touch a face if it is allowed to them to interact/touch with my face without given very specific directions, or the only prompt is touch/interact with my face. Will everyone use their hands only? Will they use another body part? What happens if it is someone I have never met? Is it going to be emotional or purely physical? Will someone try to slap me? Or lick me or spit on me? Will they reenact a touch they already they experienced or they will try something they never tried before?