Side Steps

Performance

Sasha Waltz

As a dancer, Sasha Waltz rarely appears on stage: Since the late nineties, she has been almost exclusively present as a choreographer. But the position of the body in contemporary dance has changed; nowadays, it is no longer unusual for people over 60 to perform as part of a dance ensemble. After previews last December, Waltz's piece for the time being now premieres at Berlin's Radialsystem: a consciousness-expanding work based on Mary Starks Whitehouse's "Authentic Movement" method, set to music by Diego Noguera for a total of seven dancers, including Waltz's son, László Sandig.

Falk Schreiber

Berlin, Radialsystem, 10 to 15 March; www.sashawaltz.de

Newcomer

Alessandro Borghesani

"Sogni d'oro" ("golden dreams") is how one wishes someone a good night in Italy. What does an unborn child dream about in the mother's womb, and how much influence does the outside world have on it? This is the question posed by the Italian dancer and choreographer Alessandro Borghesani in his latest creation, premiered at Theater Krefeld-Mönchengladbach. Its new ballet director, Manuel Gross, is opening the house more to contemporary dance, inviting emerging and guest choreographers for this purpose. Borghesani, who only began dancing at the age of 16 and received classical training in Florence, is a long-standing ensemble member and soloist, so he is neither a guest nor an emerging talent in the strictest sense, but despite being strongly influenced by Robert North's narrative ballets, he has his own abstract ideas. In a personal conversation, he says about this change in style that roots are important and a good foundation from which to venture into something new. With works like Assenza (2019) or Metro 6 (2021), Borghesani has proven that he is not only an award-winning dancer, but also a captivating choreographer. Perhaps this is because the audience feels seen: In his pieces, Borghesani addresses human needs for security, love, care, and belonging. These are the central themes of his choreographic and methodological approach.

As a dancer, he says, it's about interpreting the ideas of others, shaping them, filtering them, making them visible. As a choreographer, and thus as the creator of an idea, it's also important to him that the dancers take care of the idea. His colleagues master this responsible task brilliantly: Sogni d'oro vividly represents this care in the form of large luminous spheres, which are carefully moved and held by the dancers. In this way, the state in the womb becomes a symbol of an ideal vision of social coexistence—and all without any moralizing.

Hopefully, Borghesani—who at 38 is gradually approaching the end of his career as an active stage dancer—will continue to creatively explore his own themes. Because through his sensitivity and emotional intelligence, he is able, both as a choreographer and a dancer, to make visible what moves us.

Laura Mautone

Sogni d’oro is part of the KRMG.tanz 3 evening at the Theater Mönchengladbach. Further performances on 18 March, 16 April, 2, 17 June; www.theater-kr-mg.de

Anniversary

Steps in Switzerland

To last almost forty years is in itself a remarkable achievement. The biennial Swiss festival Steps is now completing its twentieth round, the production carousel once again sending renowned artists and companies through 33 cities and municipalities of the Alpine republic: So that as many visitors as possible can enjoy first-class contemporary dance. This year's lineup includes Hofesh Shechter's Junior Company with a world premiere, GöteborgsOperans Danskompani shining with creations by Sharon Eyal, Tiffany Tregarthen & David Raymond and Alexander Ekman, and tanzmainz brings along Rafaele Giovanola’s award-winning Sphynx.

Play Dead from Montreal presents Cirque Nouveau at its finest, and the joint tour of Bern Ballet and St. Gallen's dance ensemble with Twi/light is a novelty—a bridge-building event that perfectly embodies the festival's concept.

Funded by the Migros Culture Percentage, with which the Migros Cooperative Federation has committed itself to cultural and social responsibility, Steps is among the most interesting players of its kind internationally. Even in its 20th edition.

Dorion Weickmann

www.steps.ch

Revolt

Leila Hekmat

A revolt can spring from the Dionysian. It is then lawless, wild, dangerous, but also pleasurable. In her two-part performance Roses Rising – The Movement, Berlin-based artist Leila Hekmat lets a dinner descend into rebellion. Celebrating women become raging hyenas, and above it all there are instructions full of transgressive power: "To the youth of today, the excited kid— teeny boppers and budding hippies!" Hekmat calls out. "Do you feel the emotions? Seducible minds and malleable masses— help the helpless, give it to the discouraged, heal the hopeless." Now that's a statement. The artistic realization takes place in reverse order, first on 6 and 7 March as the rebellion The Movement in the atrium of the Gropius Bau Museum in Berlin, before the stage production The Dinner premieres at the HAU in Berlin on 15 April.

Falk Schreiber

www.leilahekmat.com

Honors

Chevaliers, Chanel, and Cage

Four dance artists now bear the title "Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres" of the French order of the same name: Olga Smirnova, Principal at the National Ballet and seen in La Bayadère, its director Ted Brandsen, and the company's Artist in Residence, Alexei Ratmansky, who recently premiered The Naked King at the New York City Ballet—a parable in the style of The Emperor's New Clothes. It could well be that the choreographer was inspired not only by the man in the White House but also by the Kremlin leader—apparently, no one dares to say anything unpleasant to either of them anymore. The fourth new Chevalier is England-based choreographer Hofesh Shechter.

The exhibition Five Friends. John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Cy Twombly has been named "Exhibition of the Year 2025" by the art critics' association AICA. The project company Billinger & Schulz, founded by Verena Billinger and Sebastian Schulz, received the "Best Choreography Award" at the Moving Body Festival 2025 in Varna for the dance film Winter Song—and two dance creators are among the winners of the prestigious "Chanel Prize", each receiving €100,000: Marco da Silva Ferreira and Andrea Peña.

Dorion Weickmann

Spotlight

Maura Morales

How does one continue to be a dancer as age progresses? This is a question that Maura Morales, too, grapples with. She is 52 years old and still performs on stage. Her new work, Ashes, recently premiered at the Forum Freies Theater in Düsseldorf before embarking on a German tour. As always in her pieces, movement and sound create a captivating blend, existing side by side as equals in the complex and sometimes acrobatic choreographic sequences. These are complemented by video projections which impressively visualize the cycle of becoming and passing away.

With composer Michio Woirgardt, the energetic Morales has formed an artistic partnership for years: the Cooperativa Maura Morales. The guitarist sits on stage with his instruments and computers, weaving a dense tapestry of rhythmic beats and delicate guitar sounds. Morales studied classical ballet, modern dance, choreography, acting, and folklore at the Camaguey State High School in Cuba and subsequently danced for the Ballet Nacional de Cuba. In 1996, she performed as a guest artist at the Wiener Festwochen. This was followed by engagements at various theaters in Austria and Germany. Since 2008, she has created her own choreographies; with her partner, she founded the Düsseldorf-based Cooperativa Maura Morales in 2010. With different performers, the two create new works every year and then tour with them; the company's approximately 50 performances per year often take them abroad. "I demand a lot from the dancers," says Morales in an interview. She demands no less of herself, however. Old age will have to wait.

Marion Meyer

Ashes can be seen in March in Viersen, Lünen, Herford, and Berlin; dates and venues: www.mauramorales.de

In Short

• The Royal Ballet London is strengthening its principal corps for the next season with Patricio Revé, previously with the Queensland Ballet and the Cuban National Ballet.
   

• The English National Ballet mourns the loss of its former artistic director, Matz Skoog, who held the position until 2005.

 

• Theater Nordhausen has a new dance director for the 2026/27 season: Maša Kolar – former dancer in Dresden with Stephan Thoss and Aterballetto, and later director of the Rijeka Ballet.

 

• The Vienna State Ballet has announced the departure of its soloist Rebecca Horner who wishes to concentrate on her own projects.

 

• Frank Fannar Pedersen will remain head of the dance department in St. Gallen until 2031.

 

• The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has dedicated a beautiful obituary to the dancer, choreographer, and actress Carmen de Lavallade, who, born in 1931, passed away on 30 December of last year. www.ailey.org

 

• Nadia Potts, former ballerina of the National Ballet of Canada and eminent trainer, and the dancer and choreographer Peter Randazzo, who performed with Martha Graham, among others, died on 2 February. Canada's "Dance Collection Danse" paid tribute to both of them. www.dcd.ca

 

• Anna Yanchuk shaped the ballet of the Salzburger Landesheater as a long-time soloist; for this, she received the "City Seal in Silver".

 

• New management for the Theaterformen festival in Hanover and Braunschweig: From 2027, the dramaturges and curators Florian Borchmeyer and Mazlum Nergiz will be in charge.