The 8. Dance Fest will be held in Skopje on April 4-11, opening with the performance of the Nederlands Dans Teater in the Macedonian Opera and Ballet.

"This year's programme is exceptional. We will witness wonderful choreographies, premieres, portion of the work by renowned names, such as Jiri Kylian and Hans van Manen", said festival's art director Risima Risimkin at a press conference.

The event includes the performances by the Skopje Dance Theatre, TKO Theatre from Cologne, BITEF Theatre from Serbia, along with Philadelphia dance company "Philadanco".

Dance Fest is held under the auspices of the Dutch Embassy to Macedonia.

"For us Dutch, modern dance is a very interesting aspect of contemporary art, something called the freedom of expression without words, in its purest form. One does not have to know this type of dance to live it or perceive it, because it speaks a universal language", stressed Dutch Ambassador Marriet Schuurman.

Dance Fest will also present national award "Menada" to Gradimir Pankov for outstanding achievements in modern dance, a special award for support of modern dance development to owner of "Tinex" company, Vladimir Todorovic, as well as a recognition for contribution to dance development in Macedonia to long-standing ballet pedagogue Roska Badeva.