The academy was launched in spring 2021 and initially comprises three episodes. It is a platform for further education to explore the demands and expectations of dance dramaturgy. The aim of Meeting Point Dramaturgy is to establish a sustainable dialogue practice with artists, institutions and audiences, which serves as a quality assurance training for production dramaturges. Quality assurance, as well as an aesthetic, critical, cultural-political and even ethical questioning of the field of dramaturgy is an urgent concern of the academy in order to ensure professionalisation and to analyse the criteria of production, knowledge transfer, financing, distribution and cooperation with theatres very precisely.

The academy is an informative mediation format for and by the dance scene, to which up to 12 dance dramaturges working in Germany can apply. The academy is aimed at dramaturges who have initial practical experience and are interested in positioning themselves in this field. Those who do not work in classical production processes and rhythms (e.g. due to health needs) can address this in their application Meeting Point Dramaturgy requires mandatory participation in all three episodes.

The academy is a meeting space for evaluating the expectations and requirements of dance dramaturgy in dialogue. In small working groups, participants engage in peer-to-peer exchange with each other and with actors in artistic production.

We understand exchange as a researching, teaching and knowledge-sharing method to jointly explore the demands of dramaturgy today.

There are 3 episodes, which always follow the same dialogical principle:

• Episode #1 / 2-4 June 2022 / HELLERAU-European Centre for the Arts: Dramaturgs meet institutions and question their demands on dramaturgy.
• Episode #2 / 18-20 August 2022 / Sophiensæle Berlin: Dramaturgs meet audiences and also question their demands on dramaturgy.
• Episode #3 / 17-19 November 2022 / K3-Zentrum für Choreographie | Tanzplan Hamburg: Dramaturgs meet choreographers and question the mutual requirements and expectations that choreography and dramaturgy have of each other, building on the information already gathered empirically.

• The Academy is aimed at people whose place of residence and work is in Germany.
• The academy is held in German and/or English.                            
• Participation in the academy is free of charge.                                                     
• Travel costs (from Germany) and accommodation in the respective cities will be covered, and all participants will receive daily allowances in accordance with the Federal Travel Expenses Act.
• In case of an increased incidence of infection, the academy will be conducted digitally or hybrid (in consultation with all participants).

• The respective meeting venues of the Academy are barrier-free. Information on the venues is available here: Sophiensæle, K3 | Tanzplan Hamburg, HELLERAU – European Centre for the Arts
• The costs for or audio description and sign language interpreters:inside can be provided after consultation at the episodes
• Costs for accessibility (e.g. assistance, additional travel costs) can be covered after consultation
• The organisation of working hours and exchange formats will meet the requirements of the individual participants. Live or online participation is possible.
• The application can also be submitted in other forms, e.g. as a video with DGS or audio recording.

Applications can be submitted until 24.1.2022. Please send applications including CV and motivation letter to Alexandra Schmidt: a.schmidt@tanzmanagement.net.

A decision on participation is expected in February 2022.

Anne Kersting & Alexandra Schmidt – K3 Centre for Choreography | Tanzplan Hamburg – HELLERAU-European Centre for the Arts – Sophiensæle Berlin.

Meeting Point Dramaturgy is supported by Tanzpakt Reconnect, funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media as part of the NEUSTART KULTUR. Aid Programme Dance.