TANZPAKT RECONNECT

www.aktiontanz.de
“Connecting communities”

Aktion Tanz collaborates with artists from the independent participatory dance scene. They are selected through an open call and actively participate in the development of participatory dance in Germany. They meet for practical and theoretical sessions and contribute texts, interviews and film clips, all of which are made available online. The discussions revolve around three central topics: resilience, equal opportunities and sustainability. The project concludes with the “Autumn School”, a hybrid event hosted collaboratively by Theater Freiburg and the E-Werk Freiburg. It offers multiple opportunities to share experiences, present outcomes and document activities.

“Stuttgart-based office for the creative development, production and distribution of the performing arts in Baden-Württemberg, with a focus on dance”

Producers Anika Bendel, Nadja Dias, Laurence Nagel and Aliki Schäfer, all of whom are based in the Stuttgart region, are joining forces to open a production office that will take on clients while also realising its own projects. Their aim is to promote dance artists, support their strategic development, create sustainable working conditions and bolster the quality of their work. This will lead to a sustainable infrastructure for artists and producers and better, more productive links between dance organisations in the Baden-Württemberg region.

www.annakonjetzky.com
“In-through-around”

The Munich-based choreographer will use her TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding to strengthen three aspects of her work. Firstly, she intends to enter into dialogue with the local dance scene by working with other artists in Munich, creating meeting spaces in the Playground Studio and initiating joint research projects. Secondly, she will intensify her collaborations with dance artists and venues on a national level. Thirdly, this stronger national network will support her in her choreographic work, providing new partners for co-productions and tours. Sustainability is a key focus in this expansion process.

“MEETING POINT DRAMATURGY. An academy for dance dramaturgy, in collaboration with K3 – Zentrum für Choreographie | Tanzplan Hamburg, Hellerau – Europäisches Zentrum der Künste Dresden and Sophiensaele Berlin”

The dramaturg Anne Kersting and the producer Alexandra Schmidt are founding an academy for dance dramaturgy. It is conceived as a long-term platform for professional development, promoting a continual re-examination of dramaturgical practice. ‘Professional development’ is here understood as a tool for ensuring a high level of quality and professionalism in production dramaturgy, and ‘academy’ is understood as a critical enquiry into the ethics, culture and politics of dance dramaturgy. The academy is a format developed by and for the dance scene, to which emerging dramaturgs can apply in order to explore the demands and expectations of dance dramaturgy in a peer-to-peer exchange with experienced artists and producers.

www.antjevelsinger.com
“RE_FORM”

The Hamburg-based choreographer addresses the question of how the results of artistic research can be utilised in other ways than just for live performances, such as for example new sharing formats. Together with various experts, she has developed a three-stage process. Part 1: Workshops to reflect on the outcomes of her own research for the trilogy “Bodies of Capitalism”. Part 2: Artist labs to analyse individual artists’ unique expertise and share the outcomes of their choreographic research. Part 3: Exchange information and ideas with institutions engaged in artistic research processes. The insights gained from this process will be used to create live and digital formats such as radio plays, audio walks etc.

www.tanz.dance
“tanz.dance – Zest for Dance”

tanz.dance is a new website using so-called “scrollytelling” techniques to offer enjoyable and sensory introductions to the works of selected choreographers. Using an audio-visual toolbox, experienced dance writers publish long-form articles or reportages on their chosen choreographers and works or on contemporary dance practice more generally. The medium of scrollytelling has the potential to reach a readership far beyond the usual dance audiences, helping to contextualise the works and presenting them in a way that is perceived as relevant and worth reading.

“BACKBONE BERLIN”

BACKBONE BERLIN is implementing a 15-month programme to boost artistic practice in the long-term. The “BACKBONE Sessions” explore different funding models and ways of sustaining artistic practice beyond the traditional dance company format. An active network of dance makers will sketch out potential working structures for the independence dance scene, its institutions and funders. In addition, “BACKBONE Support” will offer practical support for the participating artists, helping them to assess the sustainability of their projects, touring opportunities and financial situation.

www.benjriepe.com
“Digital Agora – Ben J. Riepe Team & Collaborators”

Following the caesura imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, the “Digital Agora” aims to (re-)connect Ben J. Riepe’s team with its global contacts and network of curators, venues, institutions and festivals. The platform will facilitate live encounters, exchanges of ideas, collaborative processes and local/global co-operations, combining live and digital performance practices. On the production side, the team will explore digital opportunities to expand artistic ideas and practices, developing hybrid productions that are resilient to change and social distancing requirements. A digital audience development strategy implemented as part of the Agora will address questions of how to make digital and hybrid dance or performance offerings more accessible.

www.billingerundschulz.de
“(to) rebuild, develop & grow”

Verena Billinger and Sebastian Schulz will continue to develop their company as a model for an innovative, independent structure. They are seeking to rebuild collaborations with associated artists that had to be paused due to the pandemic, while also continuing to professionalise the company’s management structures, production capabilities and touring network. The company will strengthen existing relationships and seek out new partners. It also aims to maintain its repertoire and upgrade its technical equipment to expand its digital capabilities.

www.cerenoran.com
“‘Company’ in Progress”

In order to build her company structure, the choreographer Ceren Oran will assemble a permanent team of core collaborators comprising both artists and administrators. One particular focus will be on streamlining the booking process and creating strategies for making it more sustainable: The list of company members going on tour, for example, will be reduced in order to make more effective use of tour venues’ technical teams, resources and personnel. In addition, the company will establish “Think Tanks” to fine-tune its artistic profile, inviting guest artists to share their experiences and expertise around certain topics.

www.christoph-winkler.com
“Relocating and equipping a mobile StudioLab”

The TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding will enable the Berlin-based choreographer to set up and move to a new studio. The new space will be equipped in such a way that it can support the development of hybrid projects, encompassing both digital and physical artistic practices. The aim is to develop a location that can function as a dance studio, green screen and infinity screen in one. The StudioLab will be available to other artists in Berlin, providing them with access to new technologies. It will also serve as a meeting place for discussing ideas and sharing experiences.

www.dfdk.de
“showcase.nord Producing in Hamburg – Schleswig-Holstein”

showcase.nord offers an open space for collaboration, research and production for dance makers from Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein. It aims to forge new connections and boost collaborations between artists in both states, developing the Schleswig-Holstein dance scene and opening up new spaces and venues for dance in the process. Three formats focus on helping practitioners from both states work together on research projects and new productions: The “Zoom Dance Table” facilitates initial meetings and encourages people to get to know each other better. “Tanzraum HH – SH” builds trust between medium to long-term collaborators by offering two-week residencies. The “showcase” module is about producing pieces that will be presented in the newly identified venues in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein.

www.dancersconnect.de
“Professionalising and strengthening the network”

With the help of its TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding, dancersconnect will continue to build, professionalise and future-proof its organisational structure. It will create new employment opportunities, including permanent and freelance positions, and offer professional development pathways to its members. It will also invest in communication tools and advertising. Existing resources for the dancers such as information, networking and sharing events will be expanded. In order to ensure the long-term survival of the network and its professional capabilities, its leadership will develop strategies for securing funding beyond the current funding period.

www.spinnereischwelm.net
“Spinnerei Schwelm”

The funding will cover equipment and operating costs for the workspace “Spinnerei Schwelm”, which was founded by the artist duo deufert&plischke. In a city without a contemporary theatre or any other space for dance, the Spinnerei Schwelm will fulfil several functions: It serves as a studio with a professional media suite, enabling deufert&plischke to produce work in the fields of film and photography. It also doubles up as a public events space, where artistic projects can be developed and presented, and where the local community can take part in workshops. Finally, it serves as a base for the organisation, an office from which it coordinates its national and international projects.

www.din-a13.de
“DIN A 13 – RELOAD”

M.A.D.E. offers professional training for dancers with and without disabilities in the field of mixed-abled dance. This is a first in Germany. The programme was launched by DIN A 13 tanzcompany as a pilot project in 2019, aiming to professionalise mixed-abled dance and establish it as an art form in its own right. With the help of the TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding, the company’s personnel structure will be strengthened to counteract the impact of the pandemic, which has affected all aspects of the company’s work. Intensive press and PR work, as well as the acquisition of new partners, will increase the company’s visibility. It also aims to build a stronger network for developing mixed-abled dance in higher education institutions.

www.inter-actions.de
“Re-enACT / more than co-exisTANZ_ Drawing attention to the performing arts and re-building networks”

With this project, INTER-ACTIONS aims to increase visibility for the independent dance scene in Heidelberg and beyond. As a first step, the company will focus on its own artistic work, returning to the stage after the difficult coronavirus period with three new works (all part of the series “MOLECULAR SCARS”), new creative learning activities and a stronger presence on social media. It will also re-build its national network, sharing ideas and experiences with other dance practitioners. As a second step, it will involve the entire independent dance scene in Heidelberg: Regular meetings will foster collaboration through the establishment of structural and creative networks.

www.eintanzhaus.de
“What do you need?”

“What do you need?” is a residency programme that will stabilise the provision of rehearsal and performance spaces and bring together artists and audiences. EinTanzHaus can react flexibly to the needs of dance professionals, supporting ensembles and companies with its infrastructure of staff and its rehearsal and performance spaces. Together with the seven resident artists, the team aims to develop tailored approaches that involve local audiences, attract new target groups and open up dialogues with the residents of Mannheim.

www.emanuelesoavi.de
“ON THE GROUND and ON THE MOVE”

The Cologne-based choreographer is building on the sustainable framework for large-scale collaborations with music institutions created as part of the first funding round of TANZPAKT RECONNECT. He is also developing new, experimental formats in the fields of production, communication and creative learning. The ensemble will be able to work, train, rehearse and research in a more consistent manner. Newly developed participatory and intergenerational formats will make the work of the ensemble (and contemporary dance more generally) accessible to a broad audience.

www.esztersalamon.net
“’The New Planet’ – An ecology of knowledge production, inclusivity and sustainability: Towards a transdisciplinary art”

Eszter Salamon will use her TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding to adapt her working structures and make them more sustainable, for example by collaborating with groups and institutions on a long-term basis and engaging in more intensive dialogues. She is also aiming to expand the structure and scope of her archive by publishing a monograph, a catalogue and a video archive of her existing performances. In addition, she will create choreographic film works and video installations that can stand alone as exhibits in a museum context. Such alternative modes of presentation will make her work more sustainable and open up new audiences for it.

www.evamk.de/works
“BLICKPUNKTE – Creating sustainable networks and communication-based working practices”

The Berlin-based choreographer will use her second TANZPAKT RECONNECT grant to maintain and develop the working practices she initiated during the first funding round. Among other things this concerns the new collaboration with the booking agency Something Great, which will design and implement a new strategy for touring and attracting future coproduction partners. Eva Meyer-Keller will also focus on working with her archive – sorting the material, reflecting on it and inviting various project partners to engage with it. In addition, she will continue to develop the REACH OUT format and elaborate on her existing concept for a symposium or lecture series.

www.fabienprioville.com
“Experiments with streaming channels and social media platforms and their permeability for contemporary dance”

The work of the Düsseldorf-based choreographer Fabien Prioville has always been located at the intersection of physicality and new technology. His research as part of the TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding focuses on the insights gained over the course of the pandemic, particularly the concept of ‘liveness’ in the performing arts. He examines streaming formats and behavioural patterns, going beyond a purely functional analysis of platforms such as TikTok and YouTube. His experimental approach combines and collides the physical audience/performance and its digital equivalent.

www.fabrikpotsdam.de/format/28
“DiR – Dance in Residence Brandenburg II”

“DiR Brandenburg II” consolidates and expands the structures developed during the first funding round of TANZPAKT RECONNECT. It also introduces new modules in its “partnerships for dance” programme. Achieving success despite the coronavirus crisis, “DiR” managed to strengthen and connect the dance scene in Brandenburg and set important priorities in its first 10 months of existence, particularly around the visibility of dance in Brandenburg. Against the backdrop of economic hardship caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the evident pressures on future funding for the arts, the initiative plays a fundamental role not only in developing dance in the region, but in making it sustainable and viable.

www.explore-dance.de
“Network Dance for Young Audiences”

Dance provisions for young audiences have been hit particularly hard by the coronavirus restrictions. In order to create a secure basis for the art form in both cultural policy and practice, and in order to attract new partner institutions, fabrik moves and the partners of the “explore dance” project have developed a comprehensive research brief and networking strategy. Think tanks will invite practitioners to share ideas and expertise and draft a policy strategy. Zoom events will facilitate knowledge transfer between colleagues at regional, national and European level, and discussion formats will offer opportunities for more in-depth conversations.

www.jungesfeld.de
“FELD_FUSION”

“FELD_FUSION” acts as an incubator to develop new performance and creative learning formats, which will be underpinned by solid staffing and management structures. The dance programme of the FELD-Theater will be revitalised and made more sustainable, both on an organisational and a public-facing level. The programme with its participatory and intergenerational approach was extremely well received by the audience and was just beginning to flourish when the pandemic brought all activities to a halt. Picking up where they left off, artists are now coming together again to create a platform for intergenerational, inclusive work.

www.flux-rhein-neckar.com
“FLUX CONNECTS: RESEARCH, CREATE, PERFORM”

The association of independent dance makers in the Rhine-Neckar region is dedicated to the complex challenges and manifold potentials of dance in the region. In collaboration with the theatre of the City of Heidelberg and EinTanzHaus Mannheim, it creates new formats that focus on networking, audience development, increasing visibility and improving working conditions and production values. It aims to establish a secure and sustainable framework for the association to work in, generating synergies between dance institutions and the independent scene. The pilot project “SHARED SPACES” in October 2021 is conceived as a two-city dance festival in Heidelberg and Mannheim. This festival, which focuses on artistic research and collaboration, will serve as a template for future cooperation projects.

www.fokustanz.de
“Reach Out”

In times of the pandemic, FOKUS TANZ wants to ensure that the diversity of dance in Munich remains visible and accessible to all. The association continues to develop programmes and formats to re-establish contact and collaborations between organisations and facilitate encounters between artists and audiences. It aims to address aspiring artists and young people in schools, and to find new spaces in the city and turn them into venues for dance. FOKUS TANZ also invites experts from various fields to accompany the work and develop discursive formats around it.

www.lafdk-bremen.de
“DANCE_NETWORK_BREMEN”

The project intends to inspire the local dance scene, improve working conditions and production capabilities and provide professional development opportunities for dance practitioners. It aims to establish a solid structure for dance in Bremen. To achieve this, it will expand professional training and workshop offerings, deepen its relationships with dance venues and festivals and launch a national residency and mentoring programme. The workshops will focus on the artistic potentials of digital technologies. The project will increase the visibility of dance in Bremen and beyond. It is supported by a broad alliance of festivals, theatres, production venues and dance schools.

www.goplasticcompany.de
“go plastic: s_pacemaker”

The Dresden-based company is continuing the activities it launched as part of the first funding round of TANZPAKT RECONNECT. In addition, it will work to increase its visibility, support artistic and structural cooperation projects and shore up its position as a cultural player in Saxony. As part of this process, it will develop its “STUDIO LAB” format, expand digital and live activities and creative learning formats and boost national and international touring networks. In addition, it will press ahead with the ongoing merger with guts company and situation productions company.

www.heinz-bosl-stiftung.de
“Bayerisches Junior Ballett München – Strategic Growth 2022”

The Heinz-Bosl-Stiftung will increase staffing levels in the management and communications department of the Bayerisches Junior Ballett München to enable it to expand its touring activities in Germany and Europe, opening up new audiences for dance in regions that are not well served by other touring dance companies. One focus is the launch of a new bilingual website that will showcase the company’s digital repertoire and offer trailers and teasers to support touring venues in their audience development strategies. In addition, the company will equip a mobile film studio that will serve as a hub for content creation and the development of the digital repertoire of the Bayerisches Junior Ballett München.

www.helenawaldmann.com
“Team Building for Innovative Dance Interventions”

In order to be able to continue her work as an independent theatre director working in dance, Helena Waldman is reviving her organisational structure for international interventions by means of dance. The organisation was hit hard by the pandemic, losing much of its personnel. A new team will be assembled to overcome political hurdles and tackle any potential pandemic-related obstacles in the future. The new team will produce three new productions, each with different casts.

www.hennermannshorde.de
„Basislager Hennermanns Horde“

Continuing the activities it began during the first round of TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding, the company will further expand its personnel structure and perpetuate its current programming in Germany and beyond. In addition, it will open a workspace and rehearsal studio that will be made available to other artists from the independent dance scene in Frankfurt: The premises, a former print workshop, will serve as the company’s “base camp” and facilitate a focused, professional working culture. The company will also expand its network of partner organisations to reach more children and young people, giving them the opportunity to experience dance performances or get dancing themselves.

www.hermannheisig.net
“keep on – SCHALLGARTEN reconnected”

Hermann Heisig is continuing the project he started during the first funding round of TANZPAKT RECONNECT. He aims to connect with new promoters and coproduction partners and deepen existing relationships. The choreographer is also focusing on sharing his methodology and developing creative forms of dialogue with amateurs and professionals. His artistic experiences over the last few years will be documented and made available to the public in the form of recorded conversations with artists and important collaborators.

www.id-frankfurt.com
“Tanzpakt Frankfurt / ID_Tanzhaus Frankfurt Rhein-Main”

Expanding the ID_Tanzhaus idea will give the independent dance scene in Frankfurt spaces where artists can share experiences, train, present works in progress and do office work. Spaces will be rented on a temporary basis in different locations around the city, serving as ‘pop-up venues’ for technical rehearsals, research and development time, residencies, creative learning projects with local residents and professional development activities for dance practitioners. The team of ID-Frankfurt is available for consultations and will facilitate local, regional, national and possibly international networking events, as well as offer professional PR and marketing support. A new website with integrated events calendar and digital archive will present the activities of the local dance scene, increasing its visibility and reach.

www.ip-tanz.com
“Reformulating and reconstructing the strategy and network of IPtanz”

The Cologne-based company will use its TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding to expand its personnel structure, helping it to meet the demands of producing work in the unpredictable context and constantly shifting landscape of the pandemic. It will also refocus its approach to producing and presenting work, turning increasingly to digital and hybrid formats, and explore new ways of marketing and promoting its repertoire. In order to increase its visibility and create more flexible networks, it aims to connect with new national and international partners to develop its artistic output.

www.isabelle-schad.net
“Empathetic, socially engaged, local: Dance in times of a pandemic”

The Berlin-based choreographer will continue the work she began during the first round of TANZPAKT RECONNECT, covering four core areas: Firstly, the company will hire an expert in social media to implement an up-to-date communications strategy. Secondly, the existing production space Tanzhalle Wiesenburg will be maintained and eventually transformed into a professional performance venue. Thirdly, the open-air formats developed during the pandemic will be expanded and explored artistically. Finally, the visual essay “Choreographic Practice as Life” and a conversation in film with the visual artist Laurent Goldring will be added to the artist’s digital archive.

www.jasmineellis.com
“OASIS – Dance Resources for Munich”

TanzQuelle and Bad Lemons Project provide resources that strengthen the networks of dance practitioners within Munich and facilitate contact with international dance artists. Dancers in Munich can access professional development opportunities such as classes, workshops, mentoring and choreographic research. The activities funded through TANZPAKT RECONNECT will help the independent dance scene in Munich to retain its vitality and relevance, acting as a hub and meeting place for a creative community.

www.jesscurtisgravity.org
“Audio Description Service: Building a Community”

For the past three years, the company has been offering an audio description service for dance performances in Berlin and other German cities. The audio descriptions are created in close collaboration with blind co-authors. Thanks to previous funding from TANZPAKT RECONNECT, it has been possible to create an infrastructure that has helped to sensitise institutions and audiences to the issue and attract a growing new – blind – audience to dance. The company now aims to work more intensively with six different theatres, audio describing five dance productions in each venue. In addition, it will hold workshops throughout Germany to train new descriptors.

www.jubalbattisti.com
“Envisioning Dance on Camera”

The pandemic has sparked a great demand for high-quality dance film productions, while also showing that the medium of film can make dance accessible for a broader audience. Jubal Battisti will use his TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding to equip a photography and film studio specialising in the presentation of dance. As well as assembling a permanent team and renting a suitable space, the dancer, photographer and video artist will acquire new skills in the fields of streaming and innovative film technology. He aims to support the dance scene in integrating film into its artistic practices, improving the quality of filmed performances and producing new dance films.

www.katvalastur.com
“Supporting and archiving dance practice”

The Berlin-based choreographer and her team will continue the dialogue they started during the first funding round of TANZPAKT RECONNECT, further refining their artistic approach. They will rent a studio space with an adjoining office and the team will be employed on a more permanent basis. Kat Válastur’s artistic research will focus on the question of how a film image can become part of a choreographic composition on stage, and whether an audience’s viewing habits can be changed to accommodate this. A (female) camera operator will be hired and Kat Válastur is planning to learn from her, hoping to expand her artistic reach.

www.lakestudiosberlin.com
“ABOUT DANCE / DIGITAL BODY”

LAKE Studios have developed into an important production and performance venue for contemporary dance in Berlin. With the help of the first round of TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding, two new formats were developed: the “Dance Discourse Forum” and the “Digital Body” laboratory, both of which provided professional dance and performance artists with a platform for research, professional development, networking and dialogue. By continuing these formats, LAKE Studios will implement new ways of working and thinking and develop new creative learning approaches suitable for contemporary dance.

www.lafleur.direct
“In-Between: Connectedness and Continuity for a Transnational Dance Ensemble in Germany”

The company will work with seven partner venues to develop a residency-based organisational structure, which will offer stability and long-term development opportunities. As well as offering training and workshops for its team, the company will hire additional staff to meet the significant administrative demands of a transnational group, while also professionalising its activities in the fields of communication and documentation. It further aims to rent and equip a rehearsal and storage space. The company’s artistic research focuses on two topics: “mobility” and “the emergence of hybrid dance forms along migration routes”.

www.leamoro.com
“Rethinking working structures – connecting dramaturgy, distribution/touring and artistic practice”

The Berlin-based choreographer will use her funding to consolidate and strengthen her organisational structure, connecting the fields of production, dramaturgy, distribution/touring and artistic practice. She aims to integrate her company’s activities in these four fields so that the team can work in a professional, sustainable way and cope more effectively with the additional workload created by the pandemic and coronavirus restrictions. The company will also rent an office space to improve communication between the team and facilitate daily work processes. The choreographer’s virtual platform “Work it Out” will continue to connect people, spaces, ideas and organisations in various digital and live formats.

www.ligna.org
“Investing in Infrastructure LIGNA GbR”

The performance collective will implement a set of measures to strengthen its organisational structure. In addition to various technical investments, it will evaluate and restructure its archive. The bilingual website will be redesigned and given a new visual identity. Certain productions will be translated to make them more tourable. New staff will be hired to support the collective’s national and international touring activities. Finally, the LIGNA team will participate in a coaching programme to enhance internal group dynamics and future-proof the organisation.

www.lofft.de
“Optimising production and working conditions for the FORWARD DANCE COMPANY”

Continuing some of the activities from the first funding round of TANZPAKT RECONNECT, the LOFFT will also implement new modules that focus on improving the organisation’s infrastructure, staffing levels, production capabilities and the visibility of its FORWARD DANCE COMPANY. In addition, the venue and some of its programming will be made more accessible for people with disabilities, with audio described and signed performances being offered for deaf and visually impaired audience members.

“Martin Hansen GbR”

Martin Hansen will expand his team structure, adding positions in production management (including booking, communication and tour management) and accounting. In addition, the choreographer will work intensively with two dancers in blocks of several weeks, laying the foundation for a more long-term artistic collaboration. The funding will also be used to rent studio and office spaces and commission a new website.

www.mauramorales.de
“Stabilise, support, communicate – Strengthening the company structure and opening up new fields of action”

The Düsseldorf-based choreographer and her collaborators will continue the activities started as part of the first round of TANZPAKT RECONNECT, using the space they have rented for workshops, try-outs, residencies, auditions and open rehearsals. Together with her coproduction partner FFT Düsseldorf she will create a new format, “Pulse Labs”, which curates encounters between musicians and dance artists in an artistic “lab” setting. The aim of Pulse Labs is to reimagine and test new platforms for collaboration and new models of alliance, partnership and co-production.

www.damagedgoods.be
“zero point”

Meg Stuart will use her TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding to establish “zero point”, a workspace in Berlin that will support a community of dancers, visual artists, curators and producers. It serves as a hub for artists from the fields of dance, movement practices, music and the visual arts, offering a programme of lectures, workshops and open classes. “zero point” will be realised in collaboration with Hebbel am Ufer Berlin – HAU, the Hochschulübergreifendes Zentrum Tanz (HZT Berlin) and the Archiv der Avantgarden in Dresden. In addition, the space will be the home base for Stuart’s “MysterySchool”, a non-traditional place of learning and experimentation in the tradition of schools such as Black Mountain College.

www.tanz-station.de
“NEXT STATION”

The “Tanz Station” in Wuppertal Barmen, which was founded as part of the first TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding round, will be expanded to include a new “City-Space”. A rented shop will become a space for activities such as pop-up formats and coaching sessions on leadership/funding, while also serving as a co-working space and office for the expanded Tanz Station team. NEXT STATION also aims to slowly move its working practices away from Zoom and introduce live or hybrid training and workshop formats to promote networking activities with partner organisations on a local, national and international level.

www.msschrittmacher.de
“BRUCHSTÜCKE”

The Berlin-based company is moving its base to the Oderbruch region in order to establish reliable structures and a new audience for the ensemble in more rural areas. It also wants to engage in an interactive process of developing and communicating performative formats. In Wollup/Letschin, the team around Martin Stiefermann seeks to find out which kinds of formats work best in rural areas and how they can engage in a dialogue with the local population. The artistic work in the Oderbruch offers the company the opportunity to employ more group members with many smaller outreach formats and new activities. The reliable and cost-effective infrastructure allows the core team to create additional productions, which will then go on to tour as independent entities.

www.alexandrawaierstall.com
“REACH OUT”

The Düsseldorf-based choreographer Alexandra Waierstall will use her TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding to develop her organisational structure. She will enlarge her team, creating positions for communications, marketing, distribution and outreach, and rent a space in Düsseldorf that will serve as an office and storage space while binding her more closely to the city. She will also intensify her networking activities in Düsseldorf to create more visibility for her artistic work.

www.tanzmesse.com
“International Dance Meeting”

Under its new name “Agora Biennale – International Dance Meeting”, the internationale tanzmesse nrw will help to reconnect dance practitioners after the hiatus of the pandemic, act as a catalyst for the resumption of touring activities and also reflect on the causes and consequences of the post-pandemic ‘traffic jam’ of new productions. The Agora in the NRW Forum will be given a new architecture and host the exhibition. The discursive “Talk & Connect” programme will test new discussion formats and focus on social issues. Hybrid formats, new forms of presentation, a more accessible design and further access offers will encourage new groups to participate.

www.offensive-tanz.de
“Seeing Dance”

During the pandemic, the Offensive Tanz für junges Publikum was barely able to reach its target audience of children and young people, teachers, educators, social workers, parents, dancers and choreographers. In order to adapt the project to the new circumstances, certain dance pieces are being revived in a modified version. The company’s outreach and creative learning programme is also being modified and expanded. The focus is on reducing access barriers, for example by developing forms of peer-to-peer communication and collaborating with dance schools and higher education institutions. The aim is to invite more young people to participate in creative projects and outreach work.

www.circus-dance-festival.de
“Supporting and future-proofing the CircusDanceFestival”

The CircusDanceFestival is a flagship institution with a strong European network dedicated to promoting contemporary circus and innovative formats in the hybrid art form of circus and dance. The concept is based on an annual festival, a sector-specific programme of co-productions and residencies, projects in higher education institutions, a strategy for promoting young talent and a discursive symposium event with its own publications. The TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding will be used to secure the organisation’s structure until the end of 2022, so that the curation and planning of the 2023 festival can be completed.

www.panzettiticconi.com
“Space for research – continued”

Enrico Ticconi and Ginevra Panzetti will use their TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding to continue the activities they began in 2021, preparing themselves and their team for a time after the pandemic. Plans include working on more sustainable ways of touring and promoting their work. On an artistic level, the artist duo will for the first time focus on research processes in which new ideas are developed together with other performers. They will also develop a notation system to simplify the process of teaching and passing on existing productions to new casts.

www.haptic-hide.com
“Haptic ReConnect”

The development concept “Haptic ReConnect” aims to strengthen the Frankfurt-based company in three core areas: organisation, equipment and human resources. The team will be expanded, with new staff recruited for production management/administration, press and communications, touring and documentation/archive. The company’s space for research in the atelierfrankfurt will be improved and fitted with new technical equipment, enabling artists to document their working processes and potentially share them with an audience. In addition, five dancers will embark on an intensive two-month research process, working on the topic of electronic music.

www.performdance.de
“Re-connecting the dots – DANCE MOVES IN M-WP”

Perform[d]ance will enlarge its technical and communications departments and aim to increase its visibility, showcasing the diversity of its activities to dance industry peers and a regional audience. The three classroom productions created as part of VORPOMMERN TANZT AN will be adapted for the stage and used to reach a new audience of families and young people in the region. Four hybrid working meetings with experts from the fields of producing dance, creative learning and audience development will lead to a strategy for a dance network in rural areas. There are also plans for a residency programme for three ensembles or choreographers from rural areas.

www.polymerdmt.com
“space | lab Essen – choreographic laboratory”

The Essen-based company will use its second TANZPAKT RECONNECT grant to focus on creating a programme for its space | lab Essen, which will include workshops, professional development opportunities and lectures. It will also offer research grants, residencies and public talks with associated artists. This will increase the visibility of contemporary dance more generally and the work of the company and IG Tanz Essen in particular.

www.ponderosa-dance.de
“Rural Research & Residencies Brandenburg”

The project aims to establish Ponderosa as an internationally renowned residency and research space that is securely embedded in its local context and environment. Existing and new research processes and working practices will be documented and developed further. A new vision for an intergenerational education and training programme will be integrated into the existing programming, together with mentoring for artists and opportunities for gaining professional qualifications. On a structural level, the company will improve its offices and production spaces, optimise team and management structures through coaching, and streamline internal and external processes and discourses.

www.publicinprivate.com
“Public in Private”

Clément Layes and Jasna L. Vinovrški want to develop a sustainable model for an organisation for artists that includes higher levels of care and support. They also aim to develop new strategies for producing work, aiming to save costs and create synergies between artists. Public in Private is thus being expanded: As well as developing its own works, it will offer residencies, small events, workshops and a mentoring programme. The TANZPAKT RECONNECT grant will also be used to rent a studio and increase staffing levels in the areas of production and communications.

www.radialsystem.de
“Encounters”

Entitled “Embodied Practices”, the second phase of “Encounters” aims to transcend the mind/body split in our curatorial practice. The focus is on a form of knowledge production that starts with the body and with direct experience. Another important aim of the second phase is to elaborate on the concept of the associated curator as an alternative to the traditional relationship between curator and institution. The project’s curators will be more active and influential in the programming of the Radialsystem, working in new ways and going beyond their usual conceptual work.

www.ratundtat-kulturbuero.de
“Taking care of business”

With “Taking care of business” the artistic producers Katrin Dollinger, Laura Martegani and Anna Donderer want to raise the bar for communication, touring and sustainability in Munich’s independent dance scene: Together with artists and ensembles they will develop, test and implement strategies for communication and audience development. In order to do this, they will recruit a press and PR expert to join their team. They will also work with touring venues, promoters and festivals to structure and expand touring and booking processes in a modular, process-oriented way.

www.roxy.ulm.de
„TanzLabor 2022“

With “TanzLabor 2022”, the ROXY continues the activities it started during the first TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding round, focusing increasingly on supporting the regional dance scene: The venue will make its studio space available to local and regional dance artists. It will also offer two residencies of several weeks to dance practitioners in the region. A workshop programme led by experienced artists will contribute to the creation and transmission of knowledge in the local and regional independent arts scene.

www.euro-scene.de
“euro-scene (reconnents with) Leipzig”

euro-scene Leipzig will use its TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding to implement new policies that will strengthen the dance infrastructure in Saxony and create a stronger international network for its dance scene. As well as forging a new partnership with a regional associate artist, it will develop new formats for inclusion and participatory work and promote touring and new productions. Other projects include a revised version of the “Best German dance solo” competition, coordinating the inclusion of Saxony’s independent dance scene in the STUDIOTRADE network, a variety of workshops, masterclasses and professional development opportunities, and the participation of local and regional dancers in the city’s DANCEWALK project.

www.sebastianweber.de
“GROUND CONTROL continued”

With the help of its previous TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding, the company was able to start building its own infrastructure and put together an administrative team. It will now focus on expanding its artistic team: Employing understudies will guarantee that all productions can be performed even if the first cast is unavailable. The current position of choreographic assistant will be expanded into a permanent rehearsal director role, who will work independently to prepare productions for upcoming tours. An additional role will be created in the field of tour management, helping the company to increase its international touring activity.

www.sergiumatis.com
“Future Histories”

The Berlin-based choreographer will strengthen his organisational structure, expanding his team to add expertise in the fields of producing, booking and technical production management. His goal is for his work to tour more internationally. He also aims to connect with the local dance scene by sharing and rethinking his artistic practices together with other artists. In this way, Matis will gain support for his creative work on the performance series “Future Histories”.

www.sheenamcgrandles.com
“DURATIONAL AFFAIRS“

The choreographer Sheena McGrandles, who is based in Berlin, aims to deepen and expand her work with her team, creating a solid base for the future. This will be achieved through an increase in booking and touring, a better network in Germany and new partnerships in Europe. She will also invest in her company’s communications department and recruit new staff for production and dramaturgy. In a parallel process, she will initiate the formation of two peer-to-peer working groups that will focus on creating productive networks: The first is a national group of artists who will explore ways of sharing ideas and experiences around presenting productions in Germany. The second working group brings together Berlin-based artists to develop ways of working with and supporting each other.

www.emimiyoshi.de
“Co-Creation Ateliers and Outreach Work for a New Era”

As well as renting a studio and expanding its administrative team in the fields of production and communications, the Freiburg-based collective will develop a coronavirus-proof outreach and creative learning programme. It is also planning to hold three two-week “Co-Creation Ateliers” that will address topics such as “dance and space” or “traditional and contemporary dance” in an interdisciplinary way. The aim is to work creatively with other artists without the pressures of having to create an entire production.

www.annatill.de
“new situations”

The Dresden-based company aims to create a more sustainable organisational structure and increase its staffing levels. It will expand its portfolio of works, adding those of a second artistic director. Together with other ensembles in Dresden, it will recruit new staff to work in press and marketing, content creation for social media, booking, production management, strategic planning and communications. Another focus will be on booking tours for existing productions and researching future projects. The company also seeks to develop new cross-media formats for presenting and communicating dance knowledge.

www.somethinggreat.de
“New School – Pilot project to preserve contemporary dance and the performing arts in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania”

The pilot project “Neue Schule” (New School) aims to establish a national and international research and training centre for the preservation of dance works and the performing arts in Marnitz, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. Working with partners from the world of academia, it will develop methods of studying and teaching dance works in order to evaluate and understand them in their larger context. In seminars, residencies and workshops, the participants will explore new ways of viewing contemporary dance from an academic perspective. Extensive documentation and open days will enable anyone who is interested in the topic to become part of the “New School”.

www.hiphopacademy-hamburg.de
“HipHop Stage Academy”

The aim of the HipHop Academy Hamburg is to professionalise education and formal training in the urban dance sector generally and in hip hop dance in particular. It will use its second TANZPAKT RECONNECT grant to intensify its collaboration with international partners and ensure the compatibility of its qualification pathway. The curriculum will be fine-tuned to standardise examination requirements and ways of documenting progress. The number of students will be expanded to 18, which was previously impossible due to financial restrictions and then the coronavirus pandemic. The call for applications for the training programme will be advertised throughout Germany and internationally. Towards the end of the project period, the foundations will have been laid for the qualification to be formally recognised.

www.stueckliesel.com
“EMPOWERING STRUCTURES & ARTISTS VOL. II”

The second round of TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding will enable the Hamburg-based office to put its work in the fields of production and creative learning on a more secure footing and offer additional services, such as systemic business coaching for dance artists. This triangular connection will ensure that artists in Hamburg can produce work and develop their art in a reliable, highly-skilled environment. Together with partner organisations K3 – Zentrum für Choreographie, the Dachverband freie Darstellende Künste Hamburg and the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, it will develop a coaching programme featuring one-to-one sessions, group formats and workshops, which will serve as a new tool for helping independent dance artists to professionalise their practice.

www.tanzarbeitoberhausen.de
“Tanz-Arbeit Oberhausen”

The goal of Tanz-Arbeit Oberhausen is to offer secure, long-term employment contracts to anyone in the city who needs them, enabling dance artists to produce work at the intersection of art and society, pay social security contributions and receive benefits. The model draws on all the employment programmes provided by the state, including ALGI-, ALG II, Harz 4, mini and medium, full-time and part-time jobs. Daily free dance classes for professionals and amateurs are an essential part of the project. The participants will also create a range of dance pieces involving both professional artists and amateurs. The entire project will be recorded and documented.

www.tanzbarbremen.de
“Dance Space – Future”

The activities realised as part of the second funding round of TANZPAKT RECONNECT focus on structural and political support for the association tanzbar_bremen and inclusive dance in Germany more generally. By setting up its own workspace and expanding its team, the association is creating the necessary resources to ensure its viability in the future. Dance artists with disabilities will be given advice and invited to apply for residencies where they can work on productions. An office and accessible guest apartment will be rented and made available to the entire inclusive arts scene in Bremen when it is not being used by the association. A symposium on the topic of “Dance Space – Future” will serve as a forum for the growing network of inclusive organisations in the cultural sector.

www.tanz-bremen.com
„HYBRID ADVANCED – extended // TANZ Bremen geht raus – Verstetigung und nachhaltiger Ausbau neu gewonnener Strukturen“

TANZ Bremen will use its second TANZPAKT RECONNECT grant to continue developing, testing and implementing new strategies for a future-proof international dance festival. A central concern is the desire to facilitate intergenerational discourse between artists from all over the world. It also aims to establish contemporary dance in regions where it has not had a strong presence, using targeted outreach activities and participatory formats.

www.tanzbueromuenchen.de
“Fast Forward II”

TANZBÜRO MÜNCHEN addresses current issues and seeks to meet the needs of dance practitioners, which have become more pressing since the beginning of the pandemic. It aims to increase the visibility and recognition of contemporary dance on a local, regional, national and international level. In order to achieve this, it will produce a variety of film formats – trailers, clips and short films – that will be presented on relevant websites as well as on Instagram, Infoscreen, digital advertising screens on the street and on public transport. By representing selected Munich artists, ensembles and initiatives at the internationale tanzmesse nrw in 2022, and by inviting partner organisations to join the “Meeting Points” working group format, TANZBÜRO MÜNCHEN will expand its international network of contacts.

tanzcompagnie-rubato.de
“Common Practice”

During the 2020 coronavirus lockdown, Jutta Hell and Dieter Baumann were training with other artists in their shared rehearsal space, working on topics they had set for themselves. This collaborative, process-oriented model is now being developed further, in order to consolidate and make it permanent. Its aim is to achieve continuity for artists and their work of knowledge-production, rather than having to work from project to project. “Common Practice” is a non-hierarchical structure developed by a group of professional dance artists. Topics are introduced, discussed and selected by all members of the group.

“TanzKOOP”

The project aims to address the lack of infrastructure and production spaces for independent dance in Lower Saxony and particularly in Braunschweig. With the planned creation of TanzKOOP-Studio, a fully equipped research and production space will be designed by and for the independent dance scene in Braunschweig. Additional outreach and creative learning activities will facilitate interactions with the public and with other artists, and create a platform for networking and professional development. The TanzKOOP-Office will be responsible for developing a touring network in the state and implement communication strategies to connect its regional dance scenes.

www.tanz.media
“Futures of Dance Journalism – tanz.media tutorials II”

Intensive tutorials, seminars and workshops will be used to coach journalists in how to represent dance and increase its visibility in digital media outlets. At the same time, journalists will be supported in shaping their freelance careers. By providing detailed documentation of its tutorials and publishing examples of best practice on its website, tanz.media will make its knowledge publicly accessible in a sustainable way – including to people who are not able to take part in the intensive weekend training programmes. Working groups formed during tutorial weekends will explore new ideas, methods and journalistic approaches to dance, particularly in the form of “Vision Lab” formats.

www.tanznetz.de
“tanznetz.de Relaunch: programming and graphics, and the backing up, sorting and contextualising of the tanznetz.de archive of 25 years”

tanznetz.de will use its TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding to carry out the long overdue relaunch of its website. On the one hand this requires new programming and graphic design. On the other hand, it means dealing with the current website’s existing content, which needs to be archived, sorted and contextualised. All articles and categories from the last 25 years will be indexed, annotated and illustrated with relevant photographs. Texts and interviews with key practitioners will put events and developments from 25 years of dance history in context. As part of the project, tanznetz.de will also hire and pay many freelance dance journalists who have been contributing to the site on a voluntary basis for many years.

www.tanztausch.de
“Structural support for tanz.tausch – from intermittent exchanges to ongoing communication”

As part of the second funding round of TANZPAKT RECONNECT, the Cologne-based dance and performance festival will create connections between its network of partners and various regional dance scenes, seeking to foster an ongoing dialogue that is not limited to single editions of the festival. The administrative and organisational aspect of the network will be strengthened. In addition, tanz.tausch will develop new formats for production and presentation, offer artists the opportunity to share ideas and experiences, and create a joint audience development strategy with its network partners.

www.tanzfaktur.eu
“SPECTATORES LUMEN IN”

TanzFaktur Cologne will equip its stage and auditorium with a sustainable LED lighting system to reduce its energy footprint and improve its indoor climate. It also plans to invest in the spaces used by its audience, adding new cloakrooms, installing a guidance system and providing bicycle racks outside the building. Finally, the building’s atrium will be transformed into a space for the audience with plants and seating.

www.of-curious-nature.de
“A company’s survival – Ensemble Of Curious Nature”

The Ensemble of Curious Nature (OCN), which was founded in 2019, will use its TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding to secure the positions of its dancers and rehearsal director. It will realise tours and events that were cancelled or postponed because of the pandemic and explore new topics and focal points. The think tank “Decolonising Dance” will help to create a strong identity for the company, generating new ideas and opportunities for reflection and dialogue with the international dance scene. Additional staff will help the ensemble to reposition itself and secure its existence and viability in the future.

www.thegutscompany.net
“After the crisis: allyship”

The Dresden-based company will develop a new outreach format that enables audiences to experience its artistic work through other means than just the stage production, using visual, auditive, literary, journalistic or movement-based approaches. The “artist practice” format provides opportunities for networking, sharing practices and engaging in professional development: Over the course of a year, the company invites various artists whose work is linked to the themes of a specific production, asking them to elaborate on their practice, reflect on their position and work collaboratively rather than for each other. The company will also produce “MACHT#3”, a new stage production created in collaboration with HELLERAU – Europäisches Zentrum der Künste and Forum Gestaltung Magdeburg.

www.ursinatossi.hotglue.me
“URSINA TOSSi & TEAM – Queerfeminist Sensoria – Structural Support II”

The Hamburg-based choreographer wants to maintain the organisational structure she established as part of the first TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding round, developing it further and creating a secure and sustainable basis for future artistic production and touring. She understands access as a means of opening up the work to a wider public and offering aesthetic and political enrichment. This should happen not only on the level of artistic and theoretical practice, but include all aspects of the work and all participants as a matter of course. Using access as an artistic tool will broaden the audience’s artistic experiences.

“SUMMER AS WINTER *Dance – fine arts productions & festivals”

The Verein für Zeitgenössische Darstellende Kunst und Musik e. V. (Association for contemporary performing arts and music) under the leadership of choreographer Heike Henning proposes a one-year development concept for the independent dance scene in Leipzig. It aims to professionalise the association’s organisational structure and develop sustainable strategies for collective, interdisciplinary artistic work. An office space rented for the association’s administrative work will also serve as a contact point for local dance artists and host interdisciplinary networking events.

www.villa-wigman.de
“Creating a sustainable infrastructure for the production house VILLA WIGMAN”

The association “Villa Wigman for DANCE” has been maintaining and renovating Mary Wigman’s former school since 2019, operating it as a production house for dance. The house has provided much-needed production space and supported independent dance makers in the city, while also preserving an important part of Germany’s dance heritage. The association will now create new roles in the fields of management/strategic planning, communications, booking and administration in order to put the organisation on a more viable, sustainable footing.

www.werkstattwoa.org
“Werkstatt”

The “Werkstatt” (workshop) is a multi-purpose space designed to support and advance the independent dance and performance scene in Frankfurt and promote its artistic practice and outputs. As well as being used as a rehearsal space, it regularly hosts workshops and events. The Werkstatt also serves as a meeting place for various communities, including the youth organisation Joblinge. Work of Act is responsible for marketing and PR and for administering the space. It curates and organises the programme and will continue to manage the activities foreseen in the current funding round.

www.yolandagutierrez.de
“SHAPE THE FUTURE 2022”

The Hamburg-based choreographer will continue the activities she began during the first funding round of TANZPAKT RECONNECT, deepening and expanding them further in this second round. With her permanent team of five, she will develop a marketing strategy and strengthen her network of national and international partner organisations. She is also planning to rent and equip an office space and expand her website to include a digital archive.

www.yotampeled.com
“Yotam Peled & the Free Radicals: Restructuring and Outreach”

Berlin-based choreographer Yotam Peled is developing a programme focused on outreach and the restructuring of his company to improve project coordination, communications, management and production. Building a core company structure will enable it to reach new audiences and create a more sustainable workflow. A new website and increased efforts in networking will lead to a stronger network of national and international partners.

www.ztberlin.de
“Archiv-Kompliz:innen – Moving DanceArchive”

The project is a pilot for an archive that explores the history of contemporary dance in Berlin and develops new artistic archiving strategies in the process. It is based on long-term, intensive collaborations between artists and selected Berlin dance institutions. Sustainable, diverse and inclusive ways of working are being tested and evaluated. How can processes of sustainable archive building be designed in a future-oriented way – for artists, institutions and the entire dance scene? The history of dance in Berlin will be examined, condensed, made visible and reformulated from a contemporary perspective.

www.4fuertanz.de
“TanzIMPULSE 2022”

The Leipzig association for dance will transform the structures it established during the first TANZPAKT RECONNECT funding round into sustainable post-pandemic ways of working. It aims to achieve financial stability and sustain its core team so that it can anticipate future challenges in arts funding and support dance practitioners with tailor-made programmes. Investing in quality control, networking and identity building, it will hire new staff and add a workshop festival to its programme. All activities will be evaluated and existing collaborations will be expanded to boost the organisation’s professional network.