Profile

The house in short

Situated in a former Düsseldorf tram depot, tanzhaus nrw turned into a centre for international dance with its eight dance and rehearsal studios and two stages. It acts as a staging and production venue and also as an academy with more than 1500 weekly visitors, on 4,000 square metres. Arising from the “Werkstatt”, founded in 1978, and having been under Bettina Masuch’s direction from 2014 to 2022, the house has become a highly acclaimed international cultural institution. Since 2022, tanzhaus nrw is under the direction of Ingrida Gerbutavičiūtė.
Non-professional and professional dancers, choreographers and artists from other genres represent the house’s core: The communal experience of dance under the roof of one single institution. The divisions between highbrow culture, subculture and socio-culture have been overcome at tanzhaus nrw. Creatively dealing with the human body and its role in societies in our present age lies at the heart of it all.

In more than 200 stage presentations annually …

... tanzhaus nrw presents the vast scope of contemporary dance within topically emphasised events, in series, at festivals and through numerous artistic collaborations. Guest performances by renowned choreographers such as Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Ohad Naharin, Yasmeen Godder, Lia Rodriguesand Gregory Maqoma alternate with stints by a multitude of regional artists, among them Stephanie Thiersch, Reut Shemesh or Hartmannmueller. tanzhaus nrw sees itself as a production venue for freelance choreographers and houses more than 50 artists annually within residencies, labs, workshops and other means of gathering. In addition to the stage and the academy, the third foundation of tanzhaus nrw is the Young Tanzhaus. Dedicated to dance for and with a young audience, and widely regarded as a singular competence centre in this field, it rounds out the house’s diverse activities.

The academy as a best practice model in cultural advanced training…

... is marked by its many instructors from all around the world, offering more than 200weekly courses and workshops, ranging from urban dance and contemporary right through to tap, and encompassing a multitude more offers, for example during the school holidays. The academy’s programme addresses all generations and levels of experience and is a national beacon in this regard, having received the seal of approval of North Rhine-Westphalian Cultural Advanced Training, among further recognition. Additionally, a daily professional training opportunity in the morning offers dance makers the possibility of regular training in classical and contemporary dance.

Winning numerous awards…

…for its commitment: for example, tanzhaus nrw received the endowed Theaterpreis des Bundes (Federal Theatre Award) in 2017 for, among other things, the topically motivated campaign REAL BODIES that dealt with new body images in dance beyond fitness, beauty and youth. Two years later, the Heinrich Böll Foundation recognised the house for its commitment in the realm of civil society.