Before the opening face-off at Pavol Demitra Ice Stadium, the ice rink will briefly transform into a stage.
Aerial acrobat Barbora Šišková will present a short show that connects sporting energy with performance—lightness in the air, tension in the moment, and an atmosphere that will set the tone for the Dukla Trenčín game.
The ceremonial opening face-off will then be taken by Stanislav Krajči, Director of the Trenčín 2026 Creative Institute and the anthem will be performed by singer Laura Magičová.
Barbora Šišková is a professional acrobat and the founder of the aerial acrobatics school AerialBB, operating in Banská Bystrica and Zvolen. She teaches both children and adults at various levels—from recreational movement to systematic preparation for competitions. Under her leadership, the club has achieved multiple medal placements in both amateur and professional categories.
Alongside her coaching and artistic work, Barbora Šišková holds a PhD in spatial planning. She has also engaged with themes of culture in the urban environment in her academic research, which today allows her to seek new ways of connecting athletic experience with the aesthetics of specific places and to create unique forms of cultural–sport interventions.
Aerial acrobatics represents a natural fusion of sport and art. On one hand, it demands a high level of physical strength, discipline, and technical precision; on the other, it delivers a powerful aesthetic and visual experience. This duality is precisely why an acrobatic show is a fitting complement to a hockey pre-game programme—it brings together the intensity of elite sport with artistic expression and emotion.
