Danse Scene

Interest Groups
Organisations
Companies
Venues
Awards
Archiving
Mediation

Interest Groups (IG)

Find out more about the → AG IG

Local networks of dance professionals, the so-called "IGs", offer profound knowledge about and for the independent dance scene in their respective region. They are the best source of information for questions and concerns of dance professionals and at the same time important multipliers:

For dance professionals who are members of both one of these organisations and Danse Suisse (dual membership), Danse Suisse grants a reduction on the annual fee for the membership.


Meetings with local dance-IGs


Despite the fact that many dancers and choreographers often change their place of residence in the course of their career and work abroad from time to time, it is important to build long-term connections and sustainable networks as far as possible.

Danse Suisse works closely with local organisations/IGs and concentrates resources. Danse Suisse organises regular working meetings with all local dance interest groups in Switzerland, which serve to exchange information across regional borders. Different needs of dancers and choreographers are collected and common solutions are worked out. All partners can benefit from synergies, especially in the dissemination of information (dance and cultural political concerns, performances, professional trainings, further education, seminars). Danse Suisse also supports regional dance political concerns.

Organisations

Switzerland has a wide network of associations and organisations that are responsible for specific tasks and topics in the theatre and dance scene or have points of contact with dance. We are connected with them and join forces whenever it is a matter of pursuing common concerns and using synergies.


The organisations include:

Companies

Institutional companies

6 theatres have their own resident dance companies:

Independent companies

In addition to the resident dance companies of the major theatres, there are also numerous freelance companies and dancers (approximately 300) active in Switzerland and abroad. The independent scene is well networked in the form of regional IGs, which offer well-founded knowledge about and for the independent dance scene in their respective regions. Around 232 companies are registered as members of the IGs (current list here).

Performing Arts Selection presents a selection of Pro Helvetia companies and venues that contribute to the diversity of the Swiss performing arts scene.

Venues

Theatre list with DS discount

As a member of Danse Suisse, you will receive a discount for the theatres listed here.


Festivals & Platforms

Awards

Swiss Performing Arts Awards launching in 2021


As announced in the Culture Dispatch 2021–2024, from 2021 the Theatre Awards, including the Kleinkunstpreis, will be merged with the Dance Awards and presented annually under the umbrella of the Swiss Performing Arts Awards at a joint event in autumn.


The aim of this merger is to better reflect the permeability of the boundaries between dance, theatre, the various forms that make up “Kleinkunst”, and other facets of the performing arts such as performance, contemporary circus, puppet theatre and street arts, and increase the visibility of the full range of performing arts. It will also allow the Hans Reinhart Ring, which was instituted in 1957 by the Swiss Society for the Dramatic Arts (SGTK), to be presented once again in all areas of the performing arts.


For further information, see here.

Archiving

  • SAPA, Swiss Performing Arts Archive (formerly Swiss Dance Archive) - competence centre for the preservation of the intangible cultural heritage of dance.

The SAPA Foundation is the national competence centre for the archiving of choreographic works.


In dance, video recordings have become an indispensable part of everyday artistic life. They document rehearsals, serve as promotional material and are usually the only witnesses of artistic work alongside photographs, even years later.

Unfortunately, the lifespan of videos is limited. Due to rapid changes in technical standards, a camera that was just used can become an object worthy of a museum almost overnight, and a recently made video recording can no longer be viewed due to a lack of playback equipment. Every copy in analogue tape formats also means a high loss of information.

From a legal point of view, it must also be clarified that a video recording may be viewed at a later date as a testimony to the artistic work and used for research purposes, for example.


Guide for video recording of choreographic works (in German):

The guide provides information about the most important problems and risks and points out possible solutions.


Guide for the transfer of choreographic works to the SAPA Foundation (in German):

Do you own records and have documents that are important for Swiss dance and Swiss dance history? Hand over your holdings to the SAPA Foundation!

Mediation

As for dancers, choreographers, dance teachers, managers, dramaturges and others, Danse Suisse is the professional association responsible for representing the interests and concerns of dance mediators at various levels.

Members in particular, but also all others in this group, have access to suitable contact persons for advice on questions concerning their daily work and professional career. Please use our network, just contact us at info@dansesuisse.ch.


More on the topic of dance mediation, in particular on mediation projects and content in the independent scene can be found on the website of Reso and the organisation Kulturvermittlung Schweiz. As a network, Kulturvermittlung Schweiz is dedicated to all topics of mediation across all disciplines.