The international modern dance competition DDC Open 2025 will be held on Saturday and Sunday, October 11th and 12th, 2025, at the Skenderija Center, organized by the Dance Development Center dance club from Sarajevo. This two-day event, which will take place as part of the Dansar Dance and Arts Festival, will bring together 600 dancers from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and the region who will present themselves through different dance styles, from hip hop, street dance, jazz, contemporary ballet, and show dance, to disco dance and Latin. The competition aims to promote dance as a form of artistic expression, sporting engagement, and a way of preserving health and life energy.
The director of the DDC Open competition, Aida Slak, emphasized that dance, regardless of age or previous experience, has the power to connect people and positively influence their physical and emotional state. “Dance is freedom, therapy, and the most beautiful form of expression. It teaches us discipline, cooperation, self-confidence, and also enjoyment in movement. Through DDC Open, we want to show that dance is not reserved only for professionals. Everyone can find a style and rhythm that suits them, whether they dance out of love, health, or art,” Slak said, adding that this year again special emphasis will be placed on promoting dance as an activity that contributes to the healthy development of children and strengthening the self-confidence of young people.
The competition program will take place in several categories – solo, duo, group, and formation performances, while an international jury composed of renowned choreographers and dance educators will evaluate the participants’ creativity, technique, and stage performance. Among the jury members on the first day will be Zeljko Bozic from Slovenia, one of the most successful hip hop dancers and choreographers in the Balkans, who will also present himself this week to the Sarajevo audience as an actor and dancer in the play “The Book of My Lives” as part of the MESS festival. On Saturday, he will be part of the DDC Open competition jury, while on Sunday, within the Dansar Festival, he will hold a street dance masterclass for local dancers. Masterclass workshops will be held on both days of the competition.
DDC Open is already a dance event known for its high production level, professional jury, and good atmosphere. In addition to its competitive spirit, this event affirms dance as part of cultural identity and as an accessible activity for all generations, from developing children to the elderly. The competition on Saturday begins at 11 a.m., while on Sunday the start is scheduled for 12 p.m. The complete schedule is available on the Festival Dansar Facebook and Instagram pages.
The co-organizer of the Dansar Festival, Enis Avdic, emphasizes the importance of the synergy of art, sports, and togetherness. “DDC Open brings competitive spirit into the heart of the Dansar Festival, but at the same time opens space for creativity and promotion of young talents. Our goal is for Sarajevo, through events like this, to become the regional center of dance art and the culture of movement,” Avdic said.
This year’s Dansar Festival has already enriched Sarajevo’s autumn with a series of events – a spectacular opening with the Gran Gala Flamenco show, the energetic Fuego Dance Night program, and the Step by Step exhibition dedicated to the art of dance movement. The DDC Open 2025 competition represents the festival’s grand finale, symbolically rounding off a unique dance story in which participants and the audience together celebrated the power of movement, rhythm, and togetherness.
