EDITORIAL

You’re holding the publication of the 5th Dance Platform Germany in your hands. We, like our predecessors, stood before the challenging task of: 1) introducing all the choreographers selected for the Dance Platform; 2) presenting an overview of dance in Germany; and 3) making the currently most important addresses for dance in Germany available to a wide range of interests.

In contrast to past platforms, however, we didn’t simply wish to present only the 17 choreographers who are coming to Leipzig. We also wanted to present a selection of the most important contemporary dance artists in Germany. A collection of 55 portraits was the result of this endeavor, and you will find these portraits in the center of this publication. In collaboration with the co-producers of the festival, we made a selection that at least outlines the wide variety of developments in Germany. The selection does omit some names, because it didn’t seem possible to do justice to these artists, or their work, in the brevity of this presentation. These artists include Pina Bausch, Johann Kresnik, William Forsythe, Xavier Le Roy, and VA Wölfl.

The portraits are preceded by four essays. The first essay is an introductory overview, taking stock of dance in Germany today, as perceived by the Artistic Director of the Dance Platform Germany, and based on the research they conducted for more than one-and-a-half years. The reflections of the second essay, by Johannes Odenthal, illuminate the current situation in the historical context of three decades of dance in Germany. For the third essay, we requested Franz Anton Cramer to cast a speculative glance at the future. Cramer examines several tendencies on the basis of numerous examples, primarily from dance in Berlin. Dieter Buroch wrote the fourth essay, and he gives this discourse a practical anchor by describing various key changes that are urgently required in production structures, particularly in the interaction and relationships between public-financed venues and independent artists and producers (the German freie Szene).

This booklet has been enriched with an overview of participants in previous Platforms, as well as with a comprehensive list of resources and contact information. Part I of the resources is divided into choreographers and companies. Part II of the resources contains all other producing, supporting, and training/educational institutions. The lists are organized alphabetically. Choreographers in Part I are listed firstly according to the city where the artists or institutions are located, and secondly by the last name of the directing artist. Part II is listed by the name of the institution.

We at the Dance Platform would like to express our gratitude to all those who contributed in assembling this information. We have attempted to make the information as complete and accurate as possible. Should errors or misunderstandings have crept their way in, please let us know.

Ann-Elisabeth Wolff, Projektleitung
Michael Freundt, Co-Projektleitung