explore dance – Network Dance for Young Audience

The network explore dance, which has existed since 2018 and spans several federal states, has set itself the goal of giving children and young people long-term access to contemporary dance and thus closing the gap that still exists in cultural offerings for children and young people in Germany. Through the production, touring and communication of dance pieces, the aim is to establish and expand the field of dance for a young audience at a high artistic level throughout Germany, using a cooperative, culturally federalist concept that permanently strengthens the visibility of dance as an art form.

Experiencing theatre and dance performances is an important artistic experience for children and young people – enabling them to have this experience is a fundamental cultural policy task. explore dance wants to give all children and young people access to the art form of dance and participation in artistic experiences, regardless of where they live and their social background.

The network relies on the diversity of current contemporary dance styles and on innovative formats. In addition to stage productions, mobile pop-up pieces are being developed that enable access to the art form of dance away from theatre stages – for example in classrooms, museums, cultural centres or in public spaces. Children and young people are actively involved in all phases of the artistic work process.

Six years of explore dance show the potential that dance offers for young audiences: 34 dance productions with over 500 performances nationwide and internationally, rehearsal visits, workshops and discussion formats, as well as collaboration with over 400 schools and 150 artists testify to the network’s success. In addition to the 2019 Perspective Prize of the German Theatre Prize DER FAUST, the network received the honour for outstanding development in dance as part of the German Dance Prize 2024.