The Dachverband Tanz Deutschland invites you to a multifaceted dance gala on Saturday, 14 October at 6 pm at the Aalto-Theater Essen. The diversity of dance will be celebrated with a varied programme and the German Dance Award 2023 will be presented. Guests include the Ballet of the Semperoper Dresden, the Tanztheater Wuppertal, the Aalto Ballett, the Staatliche Ballettschule Berlin and the Folkwang Tanzstudio.

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.