Digitale Tanzpraktiken im Fokus – eine Residenz am tanzhaus nrw
Dance is constantly evolving – not only on stage, but also in digital spaces. Social media, video games, apps, and digital platforms have given rise to new forms of dance that reach millions of people worldwide. Especially on platforms like TikTok, dance trends, tutorials, and new movement vocabularies emerge that not only teach dance but also redefine it as both a social and artistic practice.
As an international center for contemporary dance, tanzhaus nrw is launching a new residency program: the Residency for Digital Dance Creators. In April, four international dance artists whose work primarily unfolds online will have the opportunity to spend three weeks together researching, exchanging ideas, and developing new perspectives on digital dance. This residency explores the potential of digital dance practices – a field that, until now, has often had to grow without institutional support. The goal is to offer artists time and space to question and further develop their practice, while critically reflecting on their interaction with their communities.
Central questions include: What kind of content do they create, and how does that shape their artistic identity? What future potential do they see in their digital practice? How does dance change when it is primarily created for digital platforms? If this work is recognized as art, what responsibilities come with these practices? What new aesthetic and social dynamics emerge through this process?
The residency also takes a critical look at the role of social media. These platforms are not only spaces where new dance practices emerge, but also environments shaped by economic interests, where algorithms amplify hate and misinformation, and where political influence becomes evident. Still, social media remains a key space for cultural negotiation. Dance and movement play a crucial role in these digital arenas—not only as forms of artistic expression but also as tools for political and social articulation. It is therefore essential to explore and help shape these developments artistically, rather than leaving them solely in the hands of corporations.
During the residency, participants will have access to the studios at tanzhaus nrw, providing space to physically explore their ideas and deepen their artistic practice. They can also take part in the academy’s course offerings to discover new dance styles and expand their movement vocabulary.
As a dance production house, tanzhaus nrw is also engaging with the question of how dance practices developed online can open up new ways of reaching audiences. Dance on social media not only changes how dance is produced and curated but also how it is experienced – whether on a smartphone, on the go, or at home. What new formats can an institution create to make these dance forms more accessible?
The residency is accompanied by choreographer and dance scholar Sebastian Matthias and tanzhaus nrw dramaturg Philipp Schaus, who will serve as mentors and support the reflection process. The concept for the Residency for Digital Dance Creators emerged from the collaboration between Arne Siebenmorgen, Brig Huezo, Caspar Weimann, and Philipp Schaus during the Post Internet Dances research lab, artistically led by Sebastian Matthias, which took place at tanzhaus nrw from fall 2022 to early 2023. In ongoing dialogue, Matthias and Schaus developed the idea into a residency concept.
The Residency for Digital Dance Creators is funded by the European Union and the Goethe-Institut, as well as by the Alliance of International Production Houses, funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM).