Festival International Danses à la carte

Festival International Danses à la carte
Name	Festival International Danses à la carte
Location	Strasbourg, Alsace
Years active	2000–present
Founded	2000
Dates	June
Genre	Dance festival

Festival International Danses à la carte is an international contemporary dance festival held annually in Alsace, France, bringing together companies, choreographers and cultural institutions for a program of performances, workshops and exchanges. The festival positions itself at the intersection of contemporary choreography, interdisciplinary collaboration and regional cultural networks, engaging with European touring circuits and transnational artistic residencies. It features collaborations with theatres, conservatoires and cultural centres, and hosts practitioners from across Europe, Africa and the Americas.

Overview

The festival presents a curated season that juxtaposes contemporary choreography by figures such as Mats Ek, Pina Bausch, William Forsythe, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and emerging makers connected to institutions like Théâtre national de Strasbourg, Opéra National du Rhin, and Centre National de la Danse. Its programming model draws on partnerships with entities including European Commission, Conseil régional Grand Est, Institut Français, UNESCO, and touring networks like Dans européen and Aerowaves. The festival’s audience development strategies reference practices used by Edinburgh International Festival, Festival d'Avignon, Biennale de Lyon, and La Biennale di Venezia to expand reach and diversify participation. Collaborations with conservatoires such as Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris and companies like Hofesh Shechter Company, Cunningham Trust, and Batsheva Dance Company shape its artist residencies and pedagogical offers.

History

Founded in 2000 by a collective of choreographers, directors and cultural managers influenced by movements from Butoh origins to European contemporary strands associated with Maurice Béjart and Angelin Preljocaj, the festival grew from a local showcase into an international platform. Early seasons featured exchanges with institutions like Théâtre de la Ville, Palais Garnier, Royal Opera House, and touring ensembles including Scapino Ballet, Cie. Käfig, and Maguy Marin. Funding and institutional support involved bodies such as Ministère de la Culture (France), European Cultural Foundation, Fondation de France, and private patrons resembling the networks of Fondation Cartier and Fondation BNP Paribas. Over time the festival expanded its remit to include interdisciplinary projects alongside partners such as La Colombière, Point Ephémère, Maison de la Danse, and municipal cultural services of Strasbourg and nearby Mulhouse.

Programme and Performances

Annual programmes feature a mix of evening works, matinées and site-specific pieces performed in venues comparable to Théâtre National Populaire, Opéra Bastille, and outdoor settings used by Festival d'Avignon. The schedule balances established choreographers such as Martha Graham-influenced makers, companies like Royal Ballet of Flanders, and contemporary collectives such as Rosas and Compagnia Zappalà Danza. Complementary activities include masterclasses with pedagogues from Laban Centre, Trinity Laban, and Folkwang Universität der Künste; panel discussions featuring representatives from Institut Français, European Dancehouse Network, and Dance/USA; and film screenings echoing programming strategies from Dance on Camera Festival and Festival du Film sur l'Art. Site-specific commissions have engaged architects and designers linked with Stirling Prize-winning practices and visual artists associated with Centre Pompidou exhibitions.

Artistic Direction and Organisers

Artistic direction has rotated between choreographers, curators and managers with ties to institutions such as Théâtre du Châtelet, Comédie-Française, La Scala Theatre Ballet, and European festival circuits like Festival de Marseille. Organising teams collaborate with municipal cultural departments, regional arts councils, and agencies modeled on Agence culturelle Grand Est, ADAMI, SPEDIDAM, and international partners including British Council and Goethe-Institut. Guest curators have included figures who have worked with Sadler's Wells, Staatstheater Stuttgart, Kampnagel, and contemporary art curators from Tate Modern and Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.

Venue and Locations

Primary venues have included theatres and cultural centres across Strasbourg and the Alsace region such as Théâtre National de Strasbourg, La Comédie de Strasbourg, MACA (Lieux de création), and municipal spaces akin to La Filature (Mulhouse). The festival also stages outdoor performances in public squares and parks comparable to events held at Place Kléber, alongside satellite presentations at venues connected to universities like Université de Strasbourg and conservatoires. Touring and co-presentations extend to neighbouring regions and cities tied into European routes used by Eurocities and regional cultural projects run by Interreg.

Audience and Community Engagement

Audience development initiatives mirror practices from Barbican Centre, Lincoln Center, Centre Pompidou, and local outreach models used by Maison de la Culture Amiens. Educational programmes include youth workshops in partnership with conservatoires and secondary schools similar to collaborations with Réseau Canopé and summer labs inspired by Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival residencies. Community engagement projects have involved social inclusion partners like Secours Catholique, health-oriented collaborations similar to those of Arts and Health Alliance, and intercultural exchanges reflecting work with diasporic collectives tied to Afrique en Création and Diaspora Arts Network.

Awards and Notable Participants

The festival has showcased recipients and nominees of major dance awards and prizes such as the Laurence Olivier Award, Bessie Awards, Prix de la Danse de Montréal, and Golden Mask. Notable participants and companies that have appeared or collaborated include choreographers and ensembles linked to Pina Bausch Tanztheater, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Akram Khan Company, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Pieter C. Scholten, Alessandro Sciarroni, Juliano Nunes, and leading pedagogues from Benesh Movement Notation centres. The festival’s commissions and premieres have entered repertoires of regional houses and networks such as Opéra de Lyon, Scène Nationale, and international presenters like Sadler's Wells.

Category:Dance festivals in France