The team from the German Dance Film Institute Bremen is recording the event at the Aalto Theater Essen / Germany.

The German Dance Association invites you to a glittering dance gala on
Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 6 p.m. at the Aalto Theater in Essen.
This year’s program showcases the great diversity of dance:
Guests include the Berlin State Ballet, the MiR Dance Company Gelsenkirchen, the choreographer and dancer Thomas A. Bradley, and the Urban Dance Department & friends.

As part of the dance gala, the German Dance Prize 2026 will be awarded to choreographer Christian Spuck. Honors will also be bestowed upon dance scholar Prof. Dr. Gabriele Brandstetter and Butoh dancer Tadashi Endo (posthumously).

Visitors can expect an exciting and diverse gala program:

WATER is a powerful opening act in which the Urban Dance Department & Friends bring the essence of urban dance to the stage. Featuring 13 local and international dancers, Souhail Jalti’s choreography blends hip hop, popping, and breakdancing with contemporary urban expression.

The world premiere of NOT BUTOH SOLO by choreographer and dancer Thomas A. Bradley is both a reference to Gabriele Brandstetter and Tadashi Endo and a reflection on the artist’s enduring fascination with Japanese Butoh.

The Berlin State Ballet presents three pieces by choreographer and this year’s prize winner, Christian Spuck: With Beethoven, Spuck captures the mood of the second movement, “Adagio un poco mosso,” of Piano Concerto No. 5.

Nocturne, with its fusion of classical and contemporary elements, particularly represents Christian Spuck’s choreographic style. Christian Spuck premiered the ballet Romeo and Juliet in Zurich in 2012. His interpretation of the balcony scene, the balcony pas de deux from Romeo and Juliet, is among the most moving moments of the piece.

The MiR Dance Company Gelsenkirchen presents excerpts from the captivating two-part work Hasard & Boléro by Sita Ostheimer, featuring music by Yehezkel Raz and Maurice Ravel, and an excerpt from Millennials by choreographer Marcos Morau. “Millennials” explores how, in the era of the digital revolution, the internet and social networks have fundamentally changed society.

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The dance gala will be opened with a welcoming address by Wolfram Weimer, Minister of State for Culture at the Federal Chancellery.

The evening will be hosted by Vivian Perkovic – known, among other things, from the 3sat magazine Kulturzeit.

The dance gala will be offered with interpretation into German Sign Language (DGS).

“Dance can be a form of optimism that leads to the realisation
that even in the greatest catastrophes you can get an inkling
that everything can be seen differently.”

The dancer and choreographer Patricio Bunster (1924-2006) found new opportunities to work as a political refugee from Chile in the GDR in 1973.

How did Patricio Bunster experience his exile in the GDR? Did
his artistic work change during this time? What was the impact of Bunster’s work at the dance academies in Dresden and Leipzig? How did modern dance develop in Chile after his return?

The Palucca University invites on its Open Day to
a public discussion with former students and companions of Patricio Bunster and presents films and archive documents on his life and work in the library villa (TG80) of the Palucca University.

Guests:
Raymond Hilbert
Prof. Dr. Peter Jarchow
Antje Ladstätter
Prof. Dr. Ralf Stabel
Moderation:
Prof. Dr. Patrick Primavesi
Angela Rannow

The team of the German Dance Film Institute documents the event.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

At a festive dance gala on 12 October 2024, the Dachverband Tanz Deutschland presented the German Dance Award 2024 – the most prestigious award for dance in Germany.

Prolonged applause accompanied the awards for Dieter Heitkamp (honour for lifetime achievement) and explore dance – Netzwerk Tanz für junges Publikum (honour for outstanding development in dance) and for Sasha Waltz, who was awarded the German Dance Award 2024.
The award ceremony and the dance gala impressively presented the emotional and unifying power of dance, accompanied by WDR presenter Siham El-Maimouni.

Highlights included the opening of the evening by the Aalto Ballett Essen on its home stage with an excerpt from the ballet ‘Carmen’, an excerpt from the dance theatre ‘Chotto Desh’ by the Akram Khan Company, a pas de deux from ‘In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated’ by William Forsythe of the Staatsballett Berlin and an excerpt from ‘Radical Cheerleading’ by choreographer Zufit Simon. The dancers from Sasha Waltz & Guests delighted the audience with an excerpt from ‘In C’, a choreography by Sasha Waltz.

The laudators had touching words for the award winner and the honourees. Nele Hertling, who was honoured with the German Dance Award in 2018, on Sasha Waltz: “In addition to developing new pieces, performing in Berlin and giving numerous guest performances, Sasha Waltz is active on many levels and takes responsibility for her social environment (…). In addition to her artistic work, the development of innovative, interdisciplinary forms of performance and creation is a focal point of her work. (…) With its artistic work, the company Sasha Waltz & Guests stands for a democratic, open and diverse society with joint work in the encounter with the audience and an open discussion.”

Theatre scholar Gerald Siegmund emphasised that the lifetime achievement award for Dieter Heitkamp honours “(…) a restless artist, an innovative pedagogue, a cunning strategist and a tireless fighter for the cause of dance. (…) In the course of his “almost fifty years of commitment to dance in Germany and beyond, he has fearlessly made a great deal out of almost nothing. As an artist, as a teacher and as a mentor for future generations of dancers.”

Cultural politician Helge Lindh (Member of the German Bundestag) emphasised that explore dance is organised artistically and democratically, which is what makes the network so magical. The presence of society and young people is recognised and the power of development is taken into account. explore dance provides a wonderful service to democracy, which is why this network should be celebrated.

The team of the German Dance Film Institute documents the award ceremony gala.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

“Tanz im Lichthaus“, die Ballettschule im Hafen von Carolin Böhse-Krings, feiert die Filmpremiere ihres Programms ‘Der kleinen Prinz aus Gröpelingen’, das am 02. und 03. März mit 110 Tanzschülerinnen und -schülern im Tabakquartier aufgeführt wurde.
Das Deutsche Tanzfilminstitut unter der Leitung von Heide-Marie Härtel hat die Vorstellung gefilmt und aus dem Material einen Dokumentation produziert.

WER? Es tanzen 110 Lichthaustänzerinnen und -tänzer unter der Leitung von Carolin Böse-Krings.

Wo? Im wunderschönen neuen Theater der Bremer Philharmoniker, Am Tabakquartier 10 in Bremen.

Wann? Die Produktion wird 3x aufgeführt:
am Samstag, den 2. März, um 17 Uhr und
am Sonntag, den 3. März um 12 Uhr und noch einmal um 17 Uhr.

Karten unter: kartenbestellungprinz@posteo.de / Karten Erwachsene € 15,- und Kinder € 8,-

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Das Team des Deutschen Tanzfilminstituts um Heide-Marie Härtel freut sich, die Premiere filmisch zu dokumentieren.

The events are offered with audio description (AD) and translation into German Sign Language (DGS).

PROGRAMME
The Staatliche Ballettschule Berlin will open the dance gala with “Better, Faster, Stronger”, choreographed by Giorgio Madia. The 6th to 9th year students dance full of energy to the music of Daft Punk.

The Semperoper Dresden ballet will enrich the evening with two duets. With “FAUN(E)”, choreographer David Dawson has developed an abstract, timeless and modern creation that explores questions of duality, sexuality and identity. “White Darkness” is Nacho Duato’s choreographic reflection on the impact of drugs and their effect on human social behaviour

With “Sense of Wonder”, choreographers Lisa Rykena and Carolin Jüngst create an expedition scenario and appeal to the willingness to marvel. An excerpt of the piece will be shown as a video.

The Aalto Ballet will be performing “Mutual Comfort” on its home stage. In “Mutual Comfort”, choreographer Edward Clug captivates with his very individual movement language. Four dancers try to give each other “mutual comfort”. But any form of contact between them seems doomed to failure.”Wandering Mind”, choreographed by Renate Graziadei, is all about associations and moods that arise when thoughts wander. The Folkwang Tanzstudio will show a part of it – melancholic, absurd and mysterious.The Tanztheater Wuppertal and its dancers will be guests with a collage of Pina Bausch’s works. Excerpts from “Full Moon”, “… como el musguito en la piedra, ay si, si, si …” and “Kontakthof” will be performed.

Lutz Förster, one of the winners of the German Dance Award 2023, will dance a solo from “Nelken – Ein Stück von Pina Bausch”.

During the Dance Gala, the Dachverband Tanz Deutschland will present the German Dance Award 2023 to Malou Airaudo, Josephine Ann Endicott, Lutz Förster and Dominique Mercy. The laudatory speech will be held by actress Mechthild Grossmann. The visually impaired performer Sophia Neises receives an honour for outstanding development in dance. Dance teacher Peter Appel will be honoured for his life’s work.

Further exciting contributions complete the varied programme.

German sign language: Elisabeth Brichta and Esther Schuler

Audio description – audio descriptions for blind / visually impaired audiences
Text and live descriptions: Jutta Polić, Felix Koch
Editing: Johanna Krins
Sound direction and technology: Dietrich Petzold, with the kind support of Berliner Spielplan Audiodeskription, a project by Förderband e.V. – Kulturinitiative Berlin

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The team from the German Dance Film Institute is once again documenting this year’s dance gala and award ceremony.

On Friday, 13 October 2023 at 7 pm, the Dachverband Tanz Deutschland is hosting a Kultursalon at PACT Zollverein.

Dance journalist Elisabeth Nehring will host the evening. She will be in conversation with the Pina Bausch dancers and winners of the German Dance Award 2023 Malou Airaudo, Josephine Ann Endicott, Dominique Mercy and Lutz Förster, with the performer Sophia Neises (honour for outstanding development in dance) and with companions of the dance teacher Peter Appel (honour for life’s work). Nina Mühlemann and Sabrina Sadowska will deliver the laudatory speeches for the awards. The evening will be enriched by the performance of the rehearsal of “The Second Spring” (choreography: Pina Bausch, music: Igor Stravinsky, rehearsal: Josephine Ann Endicott).

German sign language: Elisabeth Brichta and Esther Schuler

Audio description – audio descriptions for blind / visually impaired audiences
Text and live descriptions: Felix Koch
Editing: Johanna Krins
Sound direction and technology: Dietrich Petzold, with the kind support of Berliner Spielplan Audiodeskription, a project of Förderband e.V.

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The team from the German Dance Film Institute Bremen is once again documenting this year’s Kultursalon at PACT Zollverein.

“It is in times of dissolution, of change, of reorganisation, of social and national rebirth, that the tendency to wander into the land of nowhere, which in Greek is called Utopia, is at its liveliest. ” (William Morris, 1890)

From 1918, after the horrors of the First World War, many people sought social reforms that would prevent wars from happening again. They drew up utopias and some philanthropists, most of whom were extremely financially strong, boldly and courageously set about implementing the models they developed in order to make humanity more peaceful. They created new and sheltered societies within society in remote areas and gardens with historic buildings, where they staged their ideas as beacons of humanity and democracy, sometimes at gigantic expense. They drew on the philosophical and educational concepts of Robert Owen, John Dewey and William Morris and the Eastern spirituality of the artist-philosopher Rabindranath Tagore. They started out free from state funding and therefore also free from censorship. Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst’s Dartington Hall and Raymond Duncan’s projects in Albania and Paris are historical examples of this.After 2022, the time after the outbreak of the Ukraine war and the associated global crisis awareness, these projects themselves no longer exist in their original forms, but their far-reaching effects and comparable ideas are unfolding anew in surprisingly similar remote locations, for example the Performing Arts Forum in St. Erme between Reims and Paris in France and O Espaço do Tempo in Montemor-o-Novo in southern Portugal.

All of the sites have already had cultural and historical significance and are located in former fortresses or monastery walls on extensive natural sites. The conference deals with these currently overlooked “Gardens of Culture”, which are barely present in the current narrative, between hope and failure, failure and hope.

KOÏNZI-DANCE e.V. asks for a donation for participation: online 30 EUR / present in the Warburg Haus 40 EUR + 9 EUR cinema visit
Booking: karten@koinzi.de

Flyer as PDF

17 / 18 Nov 2023 Conference at Warburg Haus,
Heilwigstraße 116, Hamburg
Gardens of Culture Visions and experimental projects for a future https://www.warburg-haus.de/events/Gardens of Culture