Michaela Schlagenwerth

Another network for dance?

Impressions from the Futur Tanz II conference

Another network for contemporary dance? Just not! Or? In the past three decades, contemporary dance has created so much network nationwide and especially in Berlin that you hardly have an overview from the outside. With Aktion Tanz, a strong network has also been established for dance mediation. So why more? Who should spend all this time and energy to sit in even more committees and generate new meetings themselves?

After the second conference "Futur Tanz II: Coming into action’ in May (after Futur I in January) comes home with the surprising realisation that another, a new network for contemporary dance is needed. Absolutely even.

Futur Tanz I had asked in January what dance is not for young audiences, but should actually be – a separate division. Although there are now more funding pots and accordingly, the productions of professional dancers and choreographers for young audiences have been able to develop significantly both qualitatively and quantitatively. But the young dance is still very far away from establishing itself as a separate branch in addition to the children's and youth theatre. But it can't be anything else in perspective.

The fact that dance plays a correspondingly more important role as an art form in an increasingly digitised world - especially for children and young people - is now, to a certain extent, a consensus in cultural policy. But nothing will move through the dance scene without initiative.

So how can temporary grants, such as the ‘offensive dance’ itself, be consolidated and built up and expanded? Without a long-term and professional network, i.e. working with paid jobs, this will not be possible. Initiating this has been made clear by the Futur II conference, but it is itself a complex matter.

• Which work assignments are linked to the establishment and expansion of a dance division for young audiences?

• What understanding of dance is meant and how far is it conceived?

• How are the different structures of cities and rural areas taken into account?

• How can concepts be developed that do justice to both?

• and: What does it mean to set it all up in such a way that equity - i.e. equality, equal opportunities and power-critical diversity - is the starting point?

At the Futur II conference, there was a confusing array of ideas on what such a network could do. Ultimately, this has made it clear what the new network absolutely needs - a very clearly focused, goal-oriented mission. Certainly, dance for young audiences cannot be built up as a new division without appropriate support from dancers and choreographers.

In order to generate young audiences, especially the adults, the teachers in the school must be considered. In this field, extensive mediation and construction work is needed.

How can this be done? In general, what content is it about? What can thematic priorities look like that perhaps also bring schools closer to dance? For example, by corresponding with the framework curricula? Young dancers and choreographers must be encouraged. It takes exchange between each other to learn from each other and to develop together.

Does all this – and more – belong in such a new network that aims to establish a dance sector for young audiences? Which orders are necessarily linked to such a network? Which are perhaps better off at Aktion Tanz? Which should be handled, hand in hand, by both networks?

Only one thing seems clear: At its core, the new network will have to deal with where the dance sector can find its place or places for young audiences and where and how it can find appropriate support. Exploring the other specific requirements is likely to be the subject of even more than just a conference. Until then, however, in hopefully not too distant future, exactly such a network can be founded.