Imagine this: you’re walking down the streets of Bratislava when a group of women runs past you, moving like wild horses. It was precisely this scene, captured by a random passerby, that recently went viral on social media, sparking a flurry of discussion and surprise among residents and visitors to the Slovak capital. In reality, however, this was not a spontaneous flash mob, but part of an international art performance titled CITY HORSES.
This two-day event took place on September 12 and 13, 2026, as part of the accompanying program for the 30th anniversary of the contemporary dance festival Bratislava v pohybe (Bratislava in Motion). The CITY HORSES project, created by Swedish visual artist Helena Byström and choreographer Anna Kellblad back in 2017, has already been presented in 27 cities across nine countries, including Stockholm, Berlin, Amsterdam, and Prague.
The idea behind the performance is to explore the interaction between the female body, public space, and urban monuments. The creators noted that European cities are often adorned with monuments to men—rulers, military leaders, and warriors, frequently on horseback. A group of dancers moving through the city like a herd is intended to create a temporary contrast to these static images of power, offering a different perspective on urban space.
The Bratislava Version and the Public’s Reaction
For Bratislava, the performance was not simply a repeat. Over the course of a week, the artists worked with twelve professional Slovak and Czech dancers, adapting the route to the city’s unique environment. The two-hour performance began at 4:00 p.m. in the Baroque Garden of Bratislava Castle (Bratislavský hrad) and ended around 6:00 p.m. near the Eurovea shopping center.
A video filmed by a bystander quickly went viral, garnering over 42,000 reactions, 11,000 comments, and 10,000 shares by the time “Bratislavský Večerník” noticed it. The organizers of the Bratislava v pohybe festival issued a statement explaining that the short clip on social media does not convey the full context of the two-hour artistic performance. They emphasized that they respect criticism and discussion of contemporary art but condemn personal insults and vulgar attacks on the dancers.
Financial Support
The CITY HORSES project received support from public sources. According to the official results of the “Culture 2026 – Creation and Presentation of a Work” grant program from the Bratislava City Foundation (Nadácia mesta Bratislavy), the Bratislava v pohybe Association applied for €6,000 and received a grant of €5,000. Interestingly, in 2025, an application for the same project was not approved.
