From Artistic Director Julia Taffe
As I write this article, Aeriosa Safety Director Colin Zacharias and I are traveling through Croatia with our host, Croatian choreographer Marija Šćekić. Marija is the Artistic Director of Histeria Nova artistic organization. She is also a fellow founding member of the Vertical Dance Forum, a working group of vertical dance choreographers that carried out professional development meetings and public events in Europe and Canada from 2014-2019. Marija has invited Aeriosa to collaborate on the development of a multi-year interdisciplinary art, science and education project called the Biennale of New Movement; which explores the most essential and natural human movement, our instinct to survive. Being introduced to Marija's wide circle of Croatian partners and collaborators has been an incredible experience. Together, we began by exploring the Dalmatian coast. From the dry stone walls protecting the Island of Misjak, to the Stojan Jankovic Tower and Fortica Complex at Islam Grčki, we moved north along the Adriatic shores to Starigrad. There, we met with local stakeholders, then headed upland by Land Rover to explore the ancient high plateau herder villages nestled amongst limestone crags near the spectacular Paklenica National Park and canyons. On our last day along the Adriatic we meditated upon the mosaic gallery and mediterranean Garden of Kava, in Karlobag in the north Velebit Mountains. Today, having left behind the Adriatic for the cooler wooded hills, and fall colours of the Croatian interior, we are relaxing in the beautiful river town of Rastoke. Ancient water mills and walkways border the rivers. Napoleonic ruins fortify the skyline above. Tomorrow we are on our way to the Osijek agricultural region and the city of Djakovo for our final meetings. The hospitality that Marija, her creative community and the people of Croatia have been showing us is humbling. And the people we are meeting are impressively creative, resourceful and accomplished. Around every corner of this journey we are learning ancient and recent cultural history, encountering stunning natural landscapes and meeting inspiring new friends. Our itinerary is packing a lifetime of possibility into two short weeks and we are definitely falling in love with the people and places that Marija is generously sharing with us. | 
