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from London to Bern
At Frankfurt LAB: Atomic Joy by Ana Pi; photo: Daniel Nicolaevsky
Rhine-Main Region
Tanzfestival Rhein-Main
Under the motto "A Body of Many – Moving Democracy," dance performances will take place at 14 venues across Darmstadt, Frankfurt, Offenbach, and Wiesbaden. The lineup ranges from Marie Chouinard, Ali Chahrour, Marcos Morau, and Milla Koistinen to Danza Contemporánea de Cuba. Audiences can look forward to performances by international and regional artists, as well as cross-genre experiments. The "Spotlight Artist" is Brazilian choreographer Lia Rodrigues presenting Encantado and Borda alongside her film collage Creation Notebooks. Ana Pi, Renata Carvalho, Calixto Neto, and Volmir Cordeiro will present their own work as "Associates." The extensive supporting program culminates in the grand Dance Day and dance festival on 31 October.
30 October to 15 November;
www.tanzfestivalrheinmain.de
Dresden
Different Grounds
Three choreographers with vastly different backgrounds—Australian Stephanie Lake, Frenchman Julian Nicosia, and Israeli Shahar Binyamini—embody a stylistic diversity ranging from athletic postmodernism to the boisterous vitality of Gaga. Before ballet director Kinsun Chan tackles his first full-length production, he brings this trio to the Semperoper for three world premieres. What connections will emerge between these Different Grounds? That remains to be seen.
31 October; 4, 5, 8, 13, and 20 November;
www.semperoper.de
In rehearsal; photo: Tatsuki Takada
Heidelberg
Orlando
A fresh start on the Neckar: Tim Plegge is taking over as dance director at the Heidelberg Theater, launching his tenure with a narrative ballet based on a literary work—Virginia Woolf’s Orlando. While this approach seems relatively traditional for a venue that has recently focused on explicitly contemporary work, Plegge is by no means a conservative. He has already demonstrated this in the region with the Hessian State Ballet (based in Wiesbaden and nearby Darmstadt), where he served first as ballet director and later as resident choreographer from 2014 to 2022. He views Orlando as an "encouragement to perceive one’s own limits not as endpoints, but as transitions."
Premiere on 3 October; runs until 30 December; www.theaterheidelberg.de
London
Dance Umbrella
Founded in 1978 by Val Bourne and Jeremy Alliger, Dance Umbrella may not be the largest dance festival in the world, but it is arguably one of the most originally named. Specializing in contemporary and modern styles, it shakes up London—a city whose dance scene is otherwise dominated by classical forms—every autumn. This year, the lineup across venues such as Sadler’s Wells, the Barbican, and Cecil Sharp House features artists including Mamela Nyamza, Omar Rajeh, and Arno Schuitemaker; the festival also offers an extensive digital program, discussion events, and films. Together, they turn the city into a meeting place for some of the most distinctive voices in contemporary dance today.
7–17 October;
www.danceumbrella.co.uk
Ludwigshafen
GöteborgsOperans Danskompani
Here’s a novel idea: a top-tier company moves the world premiere of a new production abroad. Impossible? Not in Sweden, home to GöteborgsOperans Danskompani. In fact, the first half of the new program—which officially launches in Gothenburg in November—will be presented at the Theater im Pfalzbau to open the Ludwigshafen Festival. Sarah Baltzinger and Isaiah Wilson will premiere See You Sunday, pairing it with Botis Seva’s We Made a Mess!—before Felix Landerer’s new work replaces the latter in Gothenburg.
9–11 October;
www.theater-im-pfalzbau.de
Die Anderen by Anton Lachky & Eléonore Valère Company; photo and background: Romain Vennekens
Bern
Tanz in Bern
The Tanz in Bern festival focuses on the human element—exploring humanity in all its facets through dance, while the supporting program features discussions, dating, reflection, and even a rave. In Tremor, Sylvie Robinson relates her trembling body to our trembling world, while Mamela Nyamza explores the opportunities and perils of community in The Herd/Less. Danish Dance Theatre presents an evolutionary tale in Drip Tekhne, choreographed by Adam Linder, who will also conduct a masterclass. Dance, political discourse, and humanity … off to Switzerland! Dampfzentrale and other venues, 20 October to 8 November;