We are delighted to announce the final selection for the 2026 Swiss Dance Days! Among 198 productions viewed, the jury has chosen 12 inspiring pieces reflecting the current diversity of contemporary Swiss creativity in dance. Congratulations to the companies listed below!

The biennal platform for professional Swiss dance will take place from 11–14 February 2026 in Berne. All involved Bernese partners –– BETA, the Bernese Association of Dance Professionals, Bühnen Bern, Dampfzentrale, Progr, Schlachthaus Theater, Tanzhaus Bern, Tojo Theater, as well as Reso – Dance Network Switzerland – wish to thank the jury members for their dedicated work and the inspiring selection! Thanks to Pascale «Baba» Altenburger, Brandy Butler, Léo Chavaz, Lorenzo Conti and Lisa Letnansky.

Bast Hippocrate – Joyaux Lourdement Sous-estimés
Catol Teixeira – ODE
Company MEK – Same Love (Site Specific)
FUEGO CONTIGO – 1GUH WATCH
Jeremy Nedd – from rock to rock… aka how magnolia was taken for granite
Jolie Ngemi – MBOK’ELENGI
Joseph Baan – Bl0Wn
Mélissa Guex – DOWN (full album)
Théâtre de l’extrême / Luana Volet – parade d’intimidation aigre-douce
Tiran Willemse – Untitled (Nostalgia, Act 3)
Trajal Harrell / Zürich Dance Ensemble – Tambourines
ZOO / Thomas Hauert – Troglodyte, Zaungast/Zaunkönig

Starting on the November 24, 2025, programmers can take advantage of reduced admission and accommodation rates at our partner hotel, which we are able to offer thanks to the Swiss cultural foundation Pro Helvetia.

To stay up to date: follow us on Instragram! 

We present to you several important European Dance plattforms similar to the Swiss Dance Days. Subscribe now to get first-hand information for professionals.

HELLERAU - European Centre for the Arts will host the Tanzplattform Deutschland 2026.
11.–15.03.2026
Dresden, Germany
www.tanzplattform2026.de
Subscribe

Three countries. One vision. BALTIC DANCE PLATFORM.
22.–25.4.2026
Vilnius, Lithuania
www.balticdance.org
Subscribe via info@balticdance.org

Experience the vibrancy of Nordic contemporary dance at Ice Hot Nordic Dance!
1.– 4. June 2026
Stockholm, Sweden
www.icehotnordicdance.com
Subscribe

The Tanztriennale brings together international dance professionals and general public.
14.–21.06.2026
Hamburg, Germany
www.tanztriennale.de
Subscribe via office@tanztriennale.de

The Polish Dance Platform is a prestigious Polish event promoting contemporary dance through a year-long competition culminating in a festival.
17.-20.9.2026
Place, tbd
www.polskaplatformatanca.pl
https://nimit.pl/en/

Reso – Dance Network Switzerland (organisator of the Swiss Dance Days) developed in close collaboration with Zürcher Theater Spektakel and the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia the Professionals' Weekend. From Friday 22 to Sunday 24 August 2025 it offered a unique opportunity to attend Reso’s Programmers’ Meeting, explore the full festival programme—including the Short Pieces (an international platform for emerging artists), participate in the Salon d’Artistes (a showcase for internationally recognized theatre and dance companies), and join various networking and discussion formats. The weekend was held entirely in English. 

We can announce our new jury for the Swiss Dance Days which will take place from 11-14 of February 2026! The board of the Swiss Dance Days 2026 association - consisting of representatives of the Bernese partner institutions Bühnen Bern, Dampfzentrale, Schlachthaus Theatre, Tanzhaus Bern and Beta (Bernese Association of dance professionals) and Reso - has selected the jury. We are looking forward to working with:

- Pascale «Baba» Altenburger, dance teacher, street and club dance, performer, Berne

- Brandy Butler, contemporary arts performer, Zurich

- Léo Chavaz, co-programmer of Pavillon ADC, Geneva

- Lorenzo Conti, dance curator LAC Lugano & Milanoltre Festival

- Lisa Letnansky, head of dramaturgy, Tanzhaus Zurich

From now until summer 2025, it will judge pieces by Swiss choreographers and companies working in Switzerland and will thus be responsible for the artistic programme of this biennial platform for professional Swiss dance creation.

The Jury’s Selection Criteria

The jury considers the following criteria in making its selection :

• Topicality and high artistic quality of the pieces;

• Potential of the pieces for international dissemination;

• Aesthetic, generational and regional diversity.

After the Swiss Dance Days successfully took place in Zurich in march 2024 we now announce the next edition of our biannual platform for professional dance in Switzerland: it will take place in Berne from Feb. 11 to 14 2026. The Swiss Dance Days are jointly organized by Reso and its Bernese partner institutions, which are united in the Swiss Dance Days association 2026: Bühnen Bern, Dampfzentrale, Schlachthaus Theater, TANZhAUS Bern and BETA, the Bernese Association of Dance Professionals, which holds the chairmenship.

Call for Submissions

We know that we do not reach the entire dance scene in Switzerland, but we are very interested in a diverse selection. We therefore ask you to forward the call especially to choreographers and dancers who come from underrepresented styles, genres and communities.

All dance comapnies and choreographers resident in Switzerland, or with their main focus of activity here, are invited to register their projects and tour dates. Dance pieces – also for young audience – that can be toured and have premiered or will premiere between August 1, 2023 and July 31, 2025 are eligible.

Selection criteria:

- Swiss artists or artists based in Switzerland ;
- Premiere between August 1, 2023 and July 31, 2025;
- The pieces can be viewed in full (live/video);
- the pieces are tourable.

Application process

Interested artists and companies can register at any time using this online form – until the July 31, 2025

Once they have registered, they can enter their projects and tour dates via personalized links that will be sent to them by e-mail. The project documents and tour dates will be sent to the jury so that they can view the pieces in person or via video. We ask that only full-length videos of the pieces are sent, trailer videos will not be considered.