The former Yugoslavia was a large country, bordering Italy and Austria and stretching all the way to Bulgaria and Greece. After state president Tito’s death in 1980, the constituent republics crumbled and later gained independence.

The state theatre system with a large repertory and an ensemble of permanently employed actors continues to exist in all of these countries. There are, however, vast differences in the alternative scene across the melting pot of cultures. While Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia have numerous alternative companies and festivals, independent artists are difficult to find in Macedonia, Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina. With the help of video excerpts from dance and theatre productions, a critical overview of the performing arts from the division of Yugoslavia until the present will be provided.