Katka Rampáčková: Children in Spain are Taught Soft Skills Early in School

Katka Rampáčková is a choreographer and Košice native who decided to move abroad in pursuit of a very specific kind of education. What was her path to success abroad, where and how did she establish herself, and above all, how does it connect to the development of her soft skills? Find out in this interview, which she gave us during her stay back home in Košice in February of this year.

Today, we are going to talk about expats—people who live long-term in a country other than the one they were born in—and the impact that living abroad has on the development of soft skills. We’ll look at this through the lens of your own life story, as you are a perfect example of this community. To kick things off, could you tell us what exactly motivated you to start working abroad?

For me, going abroad coincided with university, when I started studying physical theatre in Switzerland. I had always dreamed of studying dance or choreography, but I never felt good enough. I thought I didn’t have what it takes, so I chose to study acting at the Academy of Arts in Banská Bystrica instead. While there, I realized that words weren’t the right medium of expression for me; I was always drawn more to movement. When I found out about the physical theatre school in Switzerland, I was absolutely captivated and thrilled. It combined acting with dance, which had always fascinated me. So, I told myself, “I’m going to give it a shot.” I applied, got accepted, and it turned out to be an incredibly powerful three-year experience that I still draw from to this day.

Just like hard skills, soft skills need to be practiced, and they are mainly acquired through hands-on experience, making mistakes, and reflection. Moving abroad, for instance to study—as you did—has a massive impact on their growth. Did you already sense back then that you would need them to thrive abroad?

Yes. If we are talking about soft skills, Switzerland was a period of intense personal transformation for me, and that was where I felt the need to adopt soft skills most acutely.

Personally, I actually feel very comfortable when there is something I don’t know. It gives me the feeling that I can expand my horizons, and it presents an opportunity to learn something new and enrich myself. Curiosity comes very naturally to me, and my desire for knowledge and discovery is always stronger than the fear of stepping out of my comfort zone. This definitely helped speed up my transition to living abroad. Whenever I found myself in a situation where I lacked knowledge, I saw it as an opportunity to absorb more and more information. That enriched me and boosted my flexibility; I became much more adaptable. That’s what kept pushing me forward back then, and it continues to do so today.

So, would you say flexibility is the main skill you mastered in Switzerland?

Yes. And if I had to choose the single most important soft skill in today’s dynamic, fast-changing work environment, it would definitely be flexibility. If you are flexible, you can adapt much faster to the radical, rapid changes of the era we live in, while continuously moving forward. You don’t stagnate. I believe this style of adaptation is something I am constantly developing through my dance. I would also add that in Switzerland, I primarily learned how to just be myself. Back then, that was a huge milestone for me.

What about the language? How did you communicate at the school?

Learning to communicate and make myself understood was absolutely vital at the beginning. In the region where I lived, people spoke Italian, and I didn’t know a single word of it. If I wanted to start functioning there, I had to force myself to get moving. Learning the language was incredibly important to me at that time.

Did you have to pass entrance exams before being accepted into the school in Switzerland?

I’m really glad you asked that. At art schools, talent auditions are usually all about what you know and what you can deliver physically. At this Swiss school, however, the instructors weren’t just looking at our technical skills; they were evaluating how we handle pressure, how we work in a group, and how we adapt. Soft skills played a major role in the admission process because if someone was a hardcore individualist, for example, it could negatively impact their ability to integrate.

Do you see the ability to adapt as the hardest thing you went through during your early days abroad?

Yes, especially in terms of independence and accountability. I was a student in a highly developed, wealthy country, and my financial resources were very limited. Even the tuition fees had to be paid by then, and securing the money was tough. I had to figure out how to survive and live the way everyone else did. I had to start making hard choices and find work. My ultimate goal back then was simply being able to afford a cup of coffee. A single cappuccino cost nearly 5 francs at the time, which was a fortune to me. When it came to communication and relationships, though, I didn’t have any trouble adapting. On the contrary, those relational skills are what ultimately helped me land a job. I would also mention courage and a willingness to take risks.

After three years in Switzerland, you moved to Prague to study choreography. How do you look back on that chapter of your life? How did it enrich you?

Studying choreography in Prague was a dream I’d had since I was a teenager, but when it actually started coming true, it wasn’t quite what I had imagined. I found myself in a highly structured, conservative school with strict, rigid rules, and I had to learn how to navigate that environment. We faced intense criticism from the professors on a regular basis, and I had to learn how to process it. Looking back, that period of my life was a massive catalyst for developing emotional resilience and self-reflection. I certainly had a strong foundation from Switzerland, where we were given constructive feedback instead of harsh evaluations. For instance, one of my classmates, who was younger and less experienced, couldn’t handle it well. That kind of criticism could completely crush her. I, on the other hand, constantly tried to hold onto my conviction that what I was doing made sense. Prague was a school of hard knocks, but it was an experience I needed to shape my personality.

Is emotional resilience to criticism something that can actually be taught?

I believe so. All soft skills can be learned. In Barcelona, where I live now, there are public schools—essentially alternative, progressive education schools—that my children attend. These schools focus specifically on developing these soft skills. Adults often still fail to appreciate them as much as they do hard skills, simply because hard skills are easier to measure. Soft skills are harder to quantify, but they are all the more crucial. Children in these schools learn to work in groups to foster teamwork, the art of compromise, and how to resolve conflicts effectively. There is also a wonderful cross-disciplinary synergy; for example, physical education is combined with biology, which practically means children learn to better perceive and connect with their bodies. The children aren’t given traditional grades; instead, they receive descriptive feedback. I truly hope this approach makes its way here to Slovakia eventually. These are public state schools, not some exclusive extra for the privileged few.

You’re talking about Barcelona, where you currently live with your family. You initially left Prague for an Erasmus exchange in Barcelona, where you fell in love and your partner was Spanish. How do you view relationships between people from different cultures?

Partnering with someone from a different culture is quite a challenge, because the very foundation that shapes a person—their habits, customs, and culture—is completely different. You deeply need the ability to perceive differences, respond with respect, and adapt your behavior to the situation, even in major life areas. My current husband is Slovak. A fellow native of Košice, actually. We even went to the same primary school. So, we share so many common reference points that all it takes is a single word and we are both on the exactly same page. The level of mutual understanding and connection is much easier and comes naturally.

After breaking up with your former partner, you moved back home to Košice. What motivated your return?

I realized that I am deeply attached to my roots. Even though in the past I used to return home mainly to see family, with Košice as a city just fading into the background, over time I realized that I wanted to create art here at home too, and be a part of the local creative community. After the breakup, as you mentioned, I came back home. I needed it. I needed to return to my roots to understand where I belong and where I am heading. The local dance community completely embraced me at the time. I felt like I was truly home, despite having been away for so long. I started attending training sessions, teaching, and then my brother told me about the Escalator program, which was run by Creative Industry Košice. That’s how I met Miška Sabolová, and our shared steps led to us founding the civic association Priestor Súčasného Tanca (Space for Contemporary Dance), which is still active today. I must emphasize again that applying for the Escalator project was a defining moment. We gained so much from it. We had someone who listened to us, coached us, and gave us a strong support system. And that was exactly what we needed at that moment. We needed to grasp our current situation, read the local landscape, and understand the needs. We were figuring out what was important right here and right now. Not every blueprint that worked well for me abroad could be implemented into this completely different environment. It just doesn’t work that way.

We’ve broken down the soft skills you gradually honed during your time abroad. Looking back, how did you utilize them at home when building Priestor Súčasného Tanca?

Come to think of it, we haven’t mentioned one very vital soft skill yet: empathy.

Do you mean empathy toward the audience? How would you describe the need for empathy in your line of work?

Definitely toward the audience, but also in situations where we needed to establish business partnerships. It’s crucial to accurately sense who you can collaborate with, what their needs are, what yours are, and to intuitively feel whether you can be a valuable partner in that specific collaboration.

In your profession, you deal with people to a very large extent. Looking back at your tough beginnings abroad, what can you pass on to them besides dance technique?

I think I show them a different perspective on things, embodiment, how to tap into their inner selves, and how to believe in themselves. I want to show them that it is possible to break free from all the pre-programmed patterns, which are often a limitation in dance. When working with people, I focus a lot on helping them overcome the fear of leaving their comfort zone. Ultimately, I want them to be more open to themselves and to be flexible. Soft skills and self-awareness are absolutely essential for authenticity in dance. Once we understand our own individuality, we can work much better within a team. I would also love to add that my big wish is for every single person to find a way to overcome fear and dive into what they feel they are meant to do. Let’s listen to our curiosity.

When working with people, do you notice differences in the mindset and attitudes of people here versus abroad?

Absolutely. I work all over the world—in Poland, Germany… I’m not just active in one country, so the differences are endless. Culture, I believe, is deeply hardwired into every country.

Could you pick out one soft skill that you notice very strongly in Slovaks, but didn’t feel as intensely elsewhere in the world?

I would probably narrow it down to Košice specifically, though it might apply to Slovaks as a whole. For a long time, I’ve observed in my environment that we are a very community-driven society. Once we become part of a community, we make an effort to maintain and nurture those relationships over the long term.

You didn’t notice this abroad? Are people more individualistic there?

What I notice abroad is that people are often more overtly social than Slovaks, but they don’t nurture their relationships in the same way. They are open and eager to share, but communities there are formed overnight, last for a moment, and then people easily cut those ties and move on without an issue.

And what about the other way around? Try to pick one country where Slovaks could learn a thing or two.

Spaniards, for example, are absolute masters of improvisation. There, things just sort of come together on the fly. It works like that with any kind of organization too. Sometimes, a bit of planning wouldn’t hurt them! With us, it’s the exact opposite – people are terrified of improvising.

You are currently living in Barcelona again with your husband and children. Can you imagine ever moving back home for good?

I can imagine it, and we do talk about it, especially in relation to family and parents—knowing that as they get older, it will be better to have them closer. It’s not an immediate topic, but it’s on the table. The thought of returning, especially once the kids grow up, is very much alive in our minds, since we are both from Košice.

You are a beautiful example for others of how being an expat has the potential to boost soft skills and personal growth, which can later significantly aid in one’s career and professional success. However, your story also shows that this largely depends on actively engaging with life in the host country, on openness, curiosity, and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone.

———

The project is supported by the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE program, with co-financing from the European Regional Development Fund.