Miscellaneous

Anniversary

Valeska Gert Visiting Professorship

For 20 years, Freie Universität Berlin (FU)—in cooperation with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Academy of Arts, Berlin (AdK)— has invited artists every semester to “give early-career researchers the opportunity to explore the connection between art and scholarship through lively dialogue with living artists,” as Nele Hertling stated at the opening event for the anniversary edition in June. The former vice-president and current director of the AdK’s Performing Arts Section initiated the visiting professorship named after the dancer Valeska Gert (1892–1978) in 2006, together with Gabriele Brandstetter—founder of the Dance Studies master’s program at the FU and recipient of the 2026 German Dance Prize for “outstanding developments in dance”. Brandstetter highlighted the significance of Gert, whose danced social satire is regarded as embodying a “desideratum of hope and the power of change in the art of dance.” With this in mind, Lucia Ruprecht—who has headed the program (now known as “Critical Dance Studies”) since 2022—has found a perfect match for the anniversary professorship: dancer and choreographer Eszter Salamon, who has long engaged with the work of this dance avant-gardist through her “Valeska Gert Monuments” series.

In early July, 18 students presented the fruits of their intensive collaboration with Salamon: in a performance lasting an hour and a half, they staged Ich bin eine Hexe – Kaleidoskop meines Lebens—Gert’s 1968 autobiography—as "The Living Book." Delivering text excerpts with powerful voices and moving through poses inspired by photographs of Gert, they gave the life of this figure—whose legacy has only truly been reclaimed in recent years—space to unfold in the present, and did so in English for the very first time. The development process resulted in a translation of the autobiography, which is set to be published next year and made accessible to a wide readership—a perfect example of the successful communication of both art and scholarship.

Johanna Rau

www.fu-berlin.de

In the solo piece RED, Eszter Salamon continues her Valeska Gert studies; world premiere in Hamburg at Internationales Sommerfestival, 21–23 August; Geneva, La Bâtie, 28–30 August;
www.kampnagel.de; www.batie.ch

Tanztreffen der Jugend

Political and Romantic

Tanztreffen der Jugend at Haus der Berliner Festspiele is a late-summer highlight: the jury selected ten pieces from 62 submitted productions, and the thematic range is remarkable. It extends from a devised piece based on Peter Weiss’s once-groundbreaking work grappling with the Nazi era, Die Ermittlung (The Investigation)—presented by the Dientzenhofer-Gymnasium in Bamberg—to Till Eulenspiegel – Teile von mir from Hildesheim, and a production from Stralsund exploring the culture of remembrance: Nichts wird vergessen. Dance theater with a "heartfelt, romantic" tone hails from Berlin, as does zwischenkörpern featuring Soley Huber and Jonathan Walker. Streetvoices, the entry from Düsseldorf, represents urban dance culture, while Zhechang Yuan—aka Mr. Chaos—from Munich ventures onto the stage all alone with his piece Schwarz.

The JugendTanzCompany of fabrik Potsdam grapples with language—Find no words to say; the youth dance ensemble of Saarländisches Staatstheater goes ver_rückt, and the Stuttgart artist duo Emmatheo tells the story of the Wunder des ersten Mals. The performances are open to the public; there is also a workshop and professional development program for dance educators, artists, students, and university faculty.

26 September to 2 October; www.berlinerfestspiele.de

Wellbeing

Project RED-D

Karen Sheriff, a physiotherapist by training, is the former head of the health department at the Royal Ballet School in London. She has witnessed countless dancers launching their careers and eventually asked herself: Why has everything related to energy balance—as well as mental, physical, and psychological well-being— remained a marginal topic, consistently relegated to the background? She aims to change this and, together with experts and a sponsor, has launched Project RED-D. The acronym stands for "Relative Energy Deficiency in Dance," referring to deficiencies that arise when the physical and mental energy intake of dancers is insufficient to meet the physical and psychological demands of training, performances, and daily life. Studies indicate that up to 60 percent of professionals could be affected. Sheriff and her colleagues aim to address this issue.

Realizating the problem, however, is not enough. Rather, steps must be taken—both during training and in professional practice—to ensure that dancers understand from the very beginning that how they manage their bodies and resources, including their mental well-being, is a decisive factor in shaping a successful and enduring stage career. Basic information and the initial components of an excellently crafted toolkit—found in the "Resources" section—are already available on the website, with further additions to be rolled out gradually over the year. The information is free of charge, and those seeking advice can find appropriate points of contact. Most importantly, however, is the need to recognize warning signs in the first place. Teachers, ballet masters, family members, and—of course— the dancers themselves are to be sensitized to this issue. The initiative could be a game-changer: by placing dancers' health at the forefront and fostering open dialogue, it aims to enable everyone involved—as well as the art form itself—to fully realize their potential.

Dorion Weickmann

www.red-d.com

Background photo:
Aaron Bryan; © Mark McGee/RED-D

Playtime

Flavourama 2026

Flavourama 2026—one of Europe’s premier hip-hop and house festivals—entices visitors to Salzburg with six days of community spirit. Workshops, battles, talks, and parties stoke the passion for dance, while Loop—a performance created by Olivia Mitterhuemer for four dancers at the Toihaus Theater—offers a chance to sit back and relax.

27 August to 6 September;

www.flavouramabattle.com

Anniversary

Stephan Herwig

Surviving in the independent performing arts scene for two decades is an achievement in itself. When this takes place in Munich—a city notorious for its high cost of living—one can only say: chapeau! Choreographer and dancer Stephan Herwig launched his career in 2006 and has since produced 16 evening-length pieces. He works without fanfare; indeed, the jury statement for Munich’s 2018 "Dance Advancement Award" specifically commended his calm, composed working style and his continuous aesthetic evolution. Now, Herwig is marking his 20th anniversary with a kinetic body installation, for which he has gathered many long-time collaborators.

At Schwere Reiter, 18–20 September; www.stephanherwig.net