Author: renate.dinu

Following the significant public interest we have observed over time regarding the Omnia Hall, for which the National Centre for Dance in Bucharest has been taking steps in recent years to transform the space into a future House of Dance, the institution sent a letter to the Ministry of Culture at the end of last year requesting information on the status of the building’s renovation and rehabilitation process.

Below is the response from the Ministry of Culture:

Ms. Varvara-Cătălina ȘTEFĂNESCU
Manager
NATIONAL CENTER FOR DANCE BUCHAREST

Dear Madam Manager,

Following the letter from the National Dance Center Bucharest (CNDB), registered with the Ministry of Culture under no. 4318/18.11.2025, regarding the request for information on the status of the steps taken to take over the Omnia Hall building by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI), as well as to identify a suitable location for the CNDB to carry out its activities, we hereby inform you of the following:

The investment objective “Remodeling, consolidation, and addition of floors to the Omnia Hall for conversion into the Bucharest National Dance Center” was excluded from the financing list of the Project for the completion of construction, renovation, or rehabilitation of cultural buildings of public interest in Romania, financed in partnership with the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), following a procedure initiated in 2025 at the request of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which my predecessor as Minister of Culture had approved. The exclusion was legislated by Government Decision No. 550/12.06.2025, adopted after obtaining the express agreement of the CEB.

In this context, the Ministry of Culture (MC) and the National Centre for Dance in Bucharest no longer have the authority or responsibility to continue investing in this property. Furthermore, at present, there is no set timetable for the actual transfer of the property, which prompted us to initiate discussions with the MAI in October 2025 with a view to identifying compensatory solutions, including by proposing a memorandum of understanding on a possible transfer of administration to the MC of another property for cultural use to be ceded by the MAI. To date, these steps have not received a firm response, although there is full openness for the dialogue to continue and for the actual takeover of the Omnia Hall by the MAI to be carried out simultaneously with the takeover by the MC of a property from the Interior Ministry’s portfolio.

We would also like to inform you that the MC has recently initiated and conducted a series of inter-institutional consultations and discussions with other ministries and public authorities, with the aim of identifying buildings and/or land located in the central area of Bucharest that could meet the institutional needs of the CNDB. These efforts are currently ongoing until a technically, legally, and administratively viable solution is drafted, which will be discussed in detail with the CNDB.

The Ministry of Culture is fully aware of the difficulties caused by the lack of a permanent headquarters for the CNDB and reaffirms its willingness to analyze, together with the relevant departments, any feasible proposal that could lead to ensuring adequate operating conditions for the institution. Our efforts in this regard are ongoing, as evidenced by the above.

We assure the management and staff of the CNDB of our active concern regarding the situation of the institution and the impact that the lack of its own headquarters has on its activity, as well as our full availability for open dialogue and cooperation in order to identify sustainable solutions that meet the specific needs of the Center.

With kind regards,

Demeter András István
Minister of Culture

The CNDB Awards Gala – Dance professionals who actively participate in an entire cultural ecosystem were honored

Yesterday, November 26, the CNDB Awards Gala took place, an event organized by the National Dance Center Bucharest at the “I.L. Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest. The gala was followed by a performance of “Masterwork for Six Dancers” by Emese Cuhorka and Csaba Molnár, with the En-Knap company from Slovenia.

The CNDB Awards Gala is an annual event that recognizes those who have contributed to and confirmed the value of dance and contemporary choreographic culture in society. Beyond any hierarchy, the CNDB Awards celebrate dance and the role of art for people and the community.

This year’s edition was attended by Minister of Culture Demeter András István and presented by actress Dana Rogoz, who conveyed a message from the organizers emphasizing the importance of the Awards for the Romanian dance community—namely, to recognize and strengthen the intangible and tangible infrastructure of the field. Among other things, the situation of the National Center for Dance was mentioned, the only institution among those that left the National Theater in Bucharest in 2011 that has not been given any other suitable premises of its own. Several dance professionals took the floor (Florin Fieroiu, Ioana Marchidan, Camelia Neagoe, Cristina Lilienfeld, Andreea Belu, Vava Ștefănescu, Liana Tugearu, Mihaela Michailov), who in turn emphasized the need for infrastructure and funding at the local and national level for the field of dance, which is constantly evolving. The Minister of Culture, Mr. Demeter András István, also stated that he sympathizes with the situation of cultural workers in the field of dance and that there are possible solutions that he will try to implement.

The first award of the evening was presented by Cristiana Tăutu, executive director of Fundația9, to Vlaicu Golcea, for his contribution to sound creation in contemporary art, for his consistency over several decades, during which he chose to work alongside dancers, choreographers, and directors to give birth to sound creations that have integrity, provoke, and inspire.

This was followed by the award presented to Andreea Duță, teacher, dancer, actress, and choreographer, for the way in which she constantly trains young dancers and influences the way they think about the body, movement, artistic responsibility, and work ethic. The award was presented by Pawel Rutkowski, project coordinator at the Polish Institute.

The third prize, presented by choreographer Oana Mureșan, founder of OM Choreographic Center in Cluj-Napoca, was awarded to the artistic collective Platforma 13 (Anca Stoica and Sergiu Diță), for the way in which it embraces curiosity, vulnerability, and risk, proposing choreographic projects that start from collaborative and transdisciplinary practices involving technology, visual art, and the body.

As every year, one of the awards goes to the CNDB team, recognizing the contribution and involvement of one of its employees. Anca Truțeskov, PR manager and communications coordinator at CNDB, presented the award to Clara Trăistaru, a colleague who has built a coherent career path over time, from cultural education to the management of complex cultural projects, developing programs for access, training, and civic empowerment, with a focus on social justice, community involvement, and interdisciplinarity. Since last year, Clara Trăistaru has been coordinating the entire program of the CNDB Dance and Performance Academy.

The jury consisted of Valentina de Piante and Andreea Novac (choreographers and dancers), Vava Ștefănescu (choreographer, CNDB manager), Mihai Mihalcea (choreographer, CNDB program and project director), and Carmen Coțofană (CNDB production and distribution department coordinator).

The double event was presented as part of Iridescent – International Festival of Contemporary Dance and Other Reconfigurations of the Sensible, a festival now in its fourth edition.

Aerowaves is delighted to announce the Aerowaves #Twenty26 artists. The line-up includes work from 16 countries and showcases an exciting and diverse selection of emerging dance makers working across Europe.

The Twenty26 artists will present their work at the Spring Forward Festival from 6–9 May 2026 in Guimarães (PT), hosted by Centro Cultural Vila Flor in collaboration with O Espaço do Tempo. This year’s festival is part of the European Green Capital programme.

Save the date!

Aerowaves is also making public a list of works that were considered collectively by the partners, and which they can also recommend.

Watch their video about the selection process.

The selection process took place at the Workshop Foundation in Budapest from 19-22 October, hosted by our Hungarian partner Gergely Talló. 52 dance professionals gathered in person to discuss hundreds of dance works.

The #Twenty26 Aerowaves artists are:

• Fábio (Krayze) Januário with ‘Musseque’ (Portugal) 
• A. Lisičkinaitė & I. Shugaleev, Be Company with ‘CLAP & SLAP’ (Lithuania)
• Chara Kotsali with ‘IT’S THE END OF THE AMUSEMENT PHASE’ (Greece)
• Johana Malédon with ‘(titre provisoire)’  (France)
• Paula Rosolen/Haptic Hide with ‘NOICE|NOISE’ (Germany/France)
• Charlie Morrissey & Markéta Stránská with ‘Scáling’  (UK/Czechia)
• Bast Hippocrate with ‘Joyaux lourdement sous-estimés’ (Switzerland)
• Nik Rajšek with ‘ KINK’ (The Netherlands/Slovenia)
• Fabla Collective/Inan Sven Du Swami & Mojca Špik with ‘Do Birds Dream of Flying?’ (Slovenia)
• Supergroup x QWERTY/Solène Wachter x Bryana Fritz with ‘Logbook’ (France)
• Simona Dabija with ‘BPM–Beats per Millennium’ (Romania)
• Gleym-mér-ei/Forget-me-not with ‘Femme Physique’ (Iceland)
• Inka Romaní with ‘Volvamos al baile’ (Spain)
• Marie Kaae with ‘Wired’ (Denmark)
• Panos Malactos with ‘NO IM NOT’ (Cyprus) 
• Annabel Koele with ‘MAGNITUDE’ (The Netherlands)
• Company Furinkaï & Théâtre de l’Entrouvert with ‘Mizy’ (France) 
• Mufutau Yusuf with ‘Proses On Neither Here Nor There’ (Ireland)
• Francesca Santamaria with ‘GOOD VIBES ONLY (beta test)’ (Italy)
• Soraya Leila Emery with ‘TURN ON’ (Switzerland) 

You are an artist and your ideas flow well beyond the frame of the canvas?
You hanker for public space or you are keen to tackle the main stage of a theatre?
Well, then, Danse Élargie is for you!

For its ninth edition, Danse élargie competition still eagerly awaits every need and craze for movement, including those aspiring to express themselves outside conventional perfor- mance spaces. That’s one way of further expanding the contours of the project imagined
by choreographer Boris Charmatz with Musée de la danse, theatre director Emmanuel Demarcy-Mota with Théâtre de la Ville-Paris, and the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès.

Together, they opened the doors of the Théâtre Sarah-Bernhardt to the wildest ideas of art-makers from every discipline, following in the footsteps of renowned artists who forged their reputations on that legendary stage.
In 2026, Danse élargie invites artistes of all nationalities and from all fields to bring to the audience a gestural concept that has been devised for the stage, or indeed – a new option from this edition onwards – for the pedestrian zone of Place du Châtelet. And thus, innovative forms for stage and new artistic idioms for the outdoors will coexist, all at once.

This year, Danse élargie will be conducted in prized partnership with the following organisations: Cndc d’Angers, headed by the choreographer Noé Soulier; La Comédie
de Valence, CDN Drôme-Ardèche, headed by the author, theatre director and set desi- gner Marc Lainé; and the Ballet de Lorraine-Centre chorégraphique national, headed by the choreographer Maud Le Pladec.

WHO?
Artists from every field (dance, theatre, music, visual arts, architecture, circus, cinema…)

WHEN?
June 6-7, 2026 (rehearsals on June 4–5, 2026)

WHAT?
10 minutes MAXIMUM, 3 performers MINIMUM

WHERE?
On the main stage of Théâtre de la Ville-S. Bernhardt
OR outdoors, at the Place du Châtelet

HOW?
Register online
on danse-elargie.com until January 9, 2026

READ THE RULES AND REGULATIONS
on danse-elargie.com

Springback Academy is looking for up to 10 people to be mentored in quality dance criticism in the action-packed environment of #SpringForward26.

The Academy will take place during Aerowaves’ Spring Forward festival, 6-9 May 2026 in Guimarães (PT).

Find out more &
apply before 30 November

springback.org 

Following repeated postponements of debates on Government Emergency Ordinance No. 52/2025, we have drafted a memorandum to the Ministry of Culture, in accordance with the aforementioned Ordinance, to show how the activity of the National Dance Center in Bucharest is particularly affected by it. We are concerned about the implementation of projects at the end of this year and believe that we need to point out, along with the theaters that have already done so, that the ordinance poses an immediate threat to the activity of public cultural institutions.

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To: Ministry of Culture

For the attention of:
Mr. Demeter András, Minister of Culture

For the information of:
Ms. Camelia Marcu, Secretary General

Subject: Request for exemption from the provisions of Art. XVII, paragraphs (1) and (2) of Emergency Ordinance No. 52/2025 on the conclusion of legal commitments, respectively exceeding the payment limits under the budget expenditure heading “Goods and services”

Dear Mr. Demeter András,

The National Center for Dance Bucharest (CNDB) hereby requests an exemption from the spending cap provided for in Art. I, paragraph (2) of Emergency Ordinance No. 52/2025. We request this exemption with regard to payments for: the Iridescent Festival, the Aerowaves Program, the Children’s Performing Arts School Program, the CNDB Season – October – December 2025, the “Dance and Performance Academy Laboratories” project funded by AFCN, and the “CNDB Awards – 2025 edition” scheduled to take place in October, November, and December 2025.

Considering all the actions taken by CNDB over the last year to secure the resources necessary for the IRIDESCENT Festival, and placing particular emphasis on the strategic relationships developed with local and international institutions, we conclude that the provisions of Emergency Ordinance No. 52/2025 on the current activities of CNDB actually mean the loss of a significant amount of money already spent, compounded by the damage caused to the entire cultural field.

Arguments:
Initial Subsidy and Savings: Since the beginning of the year, the National Dance Center in Bucharest has received a reduced subsidy, which forced the festival to be moved from May to November and also imposed rigorous savings throughout the year to ensure the budget necessary to carry out the strategic festival.

The application of the provisions of Art. XVII para. (2) of Emergency Ordinance No. 52/2025 limits monthly payments to the average expenditure incurred between January and September 2025, which, for the CNDB, translates into a maximum ceiling of approximately 40,000 lei/month. This restriction creates a major imbalance between the actual funding needs of the project and the permitted ceiling, given that the implementation of CNDB projects involves legal commitments and contracts already signed, with a total payment volume of approximately 209,965 lei for the period October-December 2025.

Therefore, strict application of the provisions of the aforementioned article would make it impossible to make these payments, with direct effects such as:

• blocking the implementation of CNDB projects and programs: the Iridescent Festival, the Aerowaves Program, the Performing Arts School for Children Program, the CNDB Season – October – December 2025, the “Dance and Performance Academy Laboratories” Project funded by AFCN, and the “CNDB Awards – 2025 edition”;
• loss of co-financing and external funds related to these programs/projects;
• reputational damage at national and international level;
• damage to contractual relationships with national and international partners and with the artists involved;
• the generation of contractual penalties and legal risks for the institution;
• the generation of a significant financial imbalance, likely to block the proper execution of the cultural programs undertaken by CNDB for the last quarter of the year.

The strategic importance of the “Academy of Dance and Performance Laboratories” project co-financed by AFCN

The “Academy of Dance and Performance Laboratories” project, organized by the National Center for Dance Bucharest (CNDB) and co-financed by the Administration of the National Cultural Fund (AFCN), is a strategic professional development program for young contemporary dancers, choreographers, and performers. The project aims to strengthen artistic training by creating a framework for research, experimentation, and artistic production in the field of contemporary dance, while also supporting the emergence of a new generation of professional artists.

Through its modular structure, the “Dance and Performance Academy Laboratories” combine intensive training sessions, interdisciplinary workshops, and mentoring provided by renowned Romanian and international choreographers and educators. The program thus creates a unique platform for artistic development, functioning as an essential link between academic training and professional integration into the contemporary performance circuit.

At the same time, the project contributes to strengthening the CNDB’s position as a national center of excellence in contemporary dance and as a strategic partner of European networks dedicated to mobility and arts education. The results obtained through the laboratories—choreographic works, public presentations, and creative residencies—are subsequently integrated into CNDB programs, ensuring visibility and continuity for the young artists involved.

In conclusion, exempting the CNDB from the application of Art. XVII para. (2) is essential to ensure the continuity of the “Academy of Dance and Performance Laboratories” program and to maintain the financial stability of the institution. The project, with a total value of 118,965 lei for 2025, is of strategic importance not only for strengthening professional training in Romanian contemporary dance, but also for maintaining a European standard of creative and artistic education practices supported by the CNDB.

The amount allocated for the organization of the project “Laboratories of the Academy of Dance and Performance” is 118,965 lei.

The Strategic Importance of the IRIDESCENT Festival
The Iridescent Festival is of international strategic importance, involving artists from countries such as Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, France, Turkey, Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, Poland, Bulgaria, and Canada. At the local level, it should be noted that a significant number of local cultural entities will also be affected by the cancellation of the festival, including: the National Theater of Bucharest, the French Institute of Bucharest, etc.

Investment and Financial Risk:

Organizing the IRIDESCENT Festival represents a major strategic investment for the National Dance Center Bucharest, with direct implications for the international visibility of the institution and the Romanian choreographic sector.

The festival is organized in partnership with three ongoing European projects — MODINA, Moving Balkans, and Aerowaves — through which the CNDB benefits from non-reimbursable financial support, international artistic expertise, and opportunities for mobility and co-production. Participation in these programs also involves compliance with strict contractual commitments, including clear implementation deadlines and financial obligations, failure to comply with which could lead to the loss of external funding and damage the institution’s credibility at European level.

In addition to the performances included in European projects, the festival program also includes events developed from CNDB’s own resources, aimed at promoting independent Romanian artists and strengthening the national choreographic scene. These include productions by Mariana Gavriciuc, Ioana Păun, Mihai Lucaci, and other emerging creators, whose fees, technical, and logistical costs are covered by the institution’s budget.

Thus, the request for exemption from the provisions of Emergency Ordinance No. 52/2025 is a necessary measure to avoid considerable financial losses and to ensure the continuity of ongoing cultural projects.

The amount allocated for organizing the IRIDESCENT Festival is 10,000 lei.

The Importance of the Aerowaves Twenty/25 Program

The European network Aerowaves is represented by 40 partners from 34 European countries. Each year, 20 productions are selected from over 700 works from member countries for young choreographers. Aerowaves promotes their creations and supports their presentation in partner countries. In Romania, CNDB presents two outstanding works from Spain and the Netherlands, accompanied by workshops for contemporary dance professionals. The performances are always selected the previous year at the network’s annual meeting.

The application of the provisions of Art. XVII of Emergency Ordinance No. 52/2025 creates a significant gap between the actual funding requirements and the permitted ceiling, given that, in order to implement the Aerowaves Program, the CNDB needs to enter into legal commitments involving total payments of approximately 50,200 lei between November and December 2025.

În concluzie, menținerea plafonului stabilit prin Art. XVII alin. (2) face imposibilă onorarea obligațiilor contractuale asumate și blochează activitatea curentă a instituției în ultimele luni ale anului. Din acest motiv, exceptarea CNDB de la aplicarea acestui articol este esențială pentru asigurarea continuității programelor culturale și a stabilității financiare a instituției.

In conclusion, maintaining the ceiling established by Art. XVII para. (2) makes it impossible to honor the contractual obligations assumed and blocks the current activity of the institution in the last months of the year. For this reason, exempting the CNDB from the application of this article is essential to ensure the continuity of cultural programs and the financial stability of the institution.

The amount allocated for the presentation project is 50,200 lei.

The importance of the Performing arta school for children project – CNDB

The Performing art school for children project is of strategic importance for the development of choreographic culture in Romania. The project is one of the most successful long-term initiatives of the CNDB, preparing generations of artists in the field of contemporary dance. Between November and December, a special module of the project will take place, consisting of contemporary dance workshops for children led by choreographers Eva Danciu, Mariana Gavriciuc, and Catrinel Catană, as well as a final performance by the children enrolled in the program.

The amount allocated for Tiny Dances – Performing art school for children is 14,800 lei.

The Importance of the CNDB Season – October – December 2025

The CNDB season from September to December is organized exclusively on the basis of self-funded events, but it is necessary to ensure a minimum production budget for these performances to take place in our own venue. This project is of particular importance for the development of the contemporary dance sector, the support of emerging artists, and audience development.

The amount allocated for the CNDB Season – October – December 2025 is 3,000 lei.

The importance of the CNDB 2025 Awards

Starting in 2014, the National Center for Dance Bucharest (CNDB) Awards were created with the aim of recognizing and valuing significant contributions to the development of Romanian contemporary dance. Over the years, this event has honored choreographers, dancers, theorists, journalists, and other professionals who, through their work, have consistently supported the consolidation and visibility of choreographic culture in Romania.

Since its first edition, the CNDB Awards have been held every year in December, becoming a landmark event in the institution’s calendar. Exceptionally, in 2025, the event will take place in November, as part of the IRIDESCENT Festival, hosted by the National Theater Bucharest.

On this occasion, the program also includes the presentation of the international show “Masterwork for Six Dancers,” an EN-KNAP production from Slovenia, scheduled for November 26, 2025. The integration of the CNDB Awards into the IRIDESCENT Festival contributes to increasing the cultural impact of both events and strengthening the international artistic dialogue promoted by the CNDB.

The amount allocated for the CNDB Awards is 13,000 lei.

TOTAL amount for projects/programs: 209,965 lei.

Given the contractual commitments already made by CNDB with its partners, both domestic and foreign, the application of the aforementioned provisions would make it impossible to honor payment obligations for goods and services that are indispensable to the implementation of cultural programs and projects.

At the same time, postponing or canceling these activities would seriously affect the institution’s image, compromise long-standing international partnerships, and have a significant negative impact on the artists and collaborators involved.

Therefore, we kindly ask you to promptly review this request and approve the exemption of the National Dance Center Bucharest from the provisions of Art. XVII, paragraphs (1) and (2) of Emergency Ordinance No. 52/2025, in order to allow payments to be made for cultural programs and projects planned until the end of 2025.

We assure you that CNDB remains firmly committed to the responsible and transparent use of public funds and that all expenditures comply with the principles of legality, efficiency, and appropriateness.

We thank you for your support and for understanding the importance of these projects for the development and visibility of Romanian contemporary dance in the European context.

Sincerely,

Varvara-Cătălina Ștefănescu
Manager
The National Center for Dance Bucharest

We are delighted to announce the selection of ten contemporary dance productions and six Dance Scape project pitches that will be presented at the second edition of the Moving Balkans Contemporary Dance Showcase, taking place from 13–16 May 2026 in Novi Sad (Serbia).

Chosen from a highly competitive pool of 214 applications, the final ten productions were selected by the Artistic Board of the Moving Balkans platform, together with two external international dance experts (Ingrida Gerbutavičiūtė, director of tanzhaus nrw Düsseldorf, and Samme Raeymaekers, former director of Dansens Hus Oslo), during a curatorial meeting held in Sofia, Bulgaria. The chosen works embody the wide range of perspectives and choreographic languages that make the Balkan contemporary dance landscape so vibrant.

In addition to these productions, the program will also feature six Dance Scape project pitches, offering a chance for artists to present their works to an international network of curators, producers, and festival representatives. Dance Scape aims to spark dialogue, foster collaborations, and open new touring opportunities.

The 10 selected artists/collectives and their works are (in alphabetical order):

Enya Belak & Kristýna Peldová: Unfolded Moments (Slovenia)
Ilias Chatzigeorgiou: SCARED (Greece)
Alexandra Mihaela Dancs & Vlad Benescu: Somatic Freaks – The Proprioceptors Revolution (Romania)
Adrijana Danchevska Rovchanin (Skopje Dance Theater): Mockumentary (North Macedonian)
Deyan Georgiev: Last Orbit (Bulgaria)
Ermira Goro: TELOS (Greece)
Kosta Karakashyan (Karakashyan & Artists): INSERT COIN / PLAYER ONE (Bulgaria)
Chara Kotsali: It’s the End of the Amusement Phase (Greece)
Ginevra Panzetti & Enrico Ticconi (Studio Contemporary Dance Company): ALL’ARME (Croatia)
Marta Rak: Appropriations:territory (Croatia)

The 6 selected Dance Scape artists are (in alphabetical order):

Kristina Aleksova (Via Negativa), Slovenia
Mădălina Dan, Romania
Canan Yucel Pekicten, Turkey
Neda Ruzheva (Trevoga), Bulgaria
Alexandros Stavropoulos, Greece
Sonja Stojanović-Aufreiter, Serbia

The 2026 Showcase will provide a unique opportunity for artists to present their work to a wide audience of international dance professionals, cultural organisations, and the general public. Beyond the performances and pitches, the program will include networking events, creating space for artists and audiences alike to exchange ideas, connect, and become part of a growing artistic network.

Launched in 2024 and co-funded by the European Union, the Moving Balkans Contemporary Dance Platform was created to enhance the visibility and competitiveness of Balkan contemporary dance on the global stage. Through the showcase, Dance Scape pitches, and other initiatives, Moving Balkans is committed to supporting artistic talent and strengthening the regional dance ecosystem.

After the successful first edition of the Moving Balkans Contemporary Dance Showcase, held in Ljubljana (Slovenia), Rijeka (Croatia), and Zagreb (Croatia) between 10–13 May 2025, the second edition will take place in Novi Sad (Serbia) from 13–16 May 2026.

The project is co-funded by the European Union.

The project is supported by: National Culture Fund of Bulgaria, Ministry of Culture of Slovenia, City of Ljubljana, Ministry of Public Administration of Slovenia, Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, City of Zagreb, Ministry of Culture of Romania, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of North Macedonia.

OM Choreographic Center is launching 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀 this fall—a pilot platform for creation, dialogue, and dissemination dedicated to contemporary dance. Designed as an open meeting place for artists, curators, and the public, Dansens takes place between October 9 and 16, 2025, in 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝗷-𝗡𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗰𝗮, and offers a program developed in partnership with Arta Cinema, The National Center for Dance Bucharest (CNDB), Contemporar Gallery and Youth Pavilion.

Under the theme “Memory and temporality”, Dansens explores dance as a form of archiving, as a space for reflection and reimagining the past through the body and movement.

The events organized in partnership with CNDB are as follows:

THURSDAY, October 9
The platform will debut at OM Studio, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., with a selection of films from the Bucharest National Dance Center Archive, entitled Retrospective of Contemporary Dance I – The Beginnings of Modern Dance (1925–1960), presented by Corina Cimpoieru, coordinator of the National Center for Dance Bucharest (CNDB) Archive. More information and registration here.

FRIDAY, October 10
Retrospective of Contemporary Dance II – Forms of Experimentation in Dance (1965-1990), presented by Corina Cimpoieru, will take place at OM Studio, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. More information and registration here.

SATURDAY, October 11
From 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., the film Miriam Răducanu – Rigor and SenZ will be screened, followed by a special Q&A session with 𝐕𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐜𝐮 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐜𝐞𝐚, the artist who composed the film’s soundtrack, and 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐂𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐮, coordinator of the CNDB Archive.

More information and registration here.

The film Miriam Răducanu – Rigor and SenZe brings together for the first time photographic and videographic documents recovered from both public archives and the private archives of artists who have collaborated with her from the 1960s to the present day. “For me, the art of dance was never detached from senZe,” confessed Miriam Răducanu, who turned 100 in October 2024.

The film was made as part of the Miriam Răducanu project – an archive exhibition with SenZe.

Year of production: 2024
Duration: 76 minutes
Concept, editing: Alexandra Gulea
Audio restoration, sound design, music: Vlaicu Golcea
Archive consultant: Corina Cimpoieru
Script consultant: Vava Ștefănescu
Editing and graphics consultant: Ciprian Cimpoi
Colourisation: Andrei Oană

Producers: Bucharest National Dance Center (CNDB) and Romanian Television (TVR), with support from the National Center for Cinematography (CNC) and DACIN SARA.

The film is part of the Bucharest National Dance Center’s film archive.

The Choreography of Water asks: what futures might emerge if, instead of controlling water, we learned to move with it?

Bucharest, September 16, 2025. Tangaj Collective announces the premiere of The Choreography of Water, created by an artistic trio consisting of choreographer Simona Deaconescu, visual artist Ioana Vreme Moser, and sound artist Simina Oprescu. The Choreography of Water explores the movement of water, from the invisible flows within the body to those that shape the planet, and is performed by three dancers who move within a unique set design consisting of transparent glass sculptures through which water continuously circulates. The first performances will take place on October 4 and 5 at the National Center for Dance in Bucharest (CNDB).

Tickets are available for purchase online HERE.

The cast of the show consists of four young dancers, who were selected following an international workshop-audition attended by 45 artists from 12 countries: Silvia Brazzale (Italy), Chelsea Reichert (USA), Ada Anghel, and Laura Murariu (Romania). On stage, they interact with fluid objects created by Ioana Vreme Moser—transparent glass structures and tubes that set 50 liters of water in motion. These hybrid objects, with shapes resembling organs or underground waterways, act as “components” of a fluid computer, where the speed, resistance, and oscillation of water currents generate sound. Sometimes the dancers initiate the interaction, triggering flows, loops, or blockages through touch and movement; other times, the objects themselves provoke the dancers, releasing sounds and flows that demand a response. The result is a constant exchange — always in motion, never silent. The immersive sound universe is created by Simina Oprescu.

The continuous movement of water in nature was the basis for the artistic vision, as choreographer Simona Deaconescu explains: “In the human body, water circulates continuously—through blood, lymph, tears, sweat, menstrual fluid. These flows keep us alive, regulate our temperature, help us heal, feel, and procreate. If they are blocked or diverted, the entire system collapses. The same thing happens to the planet: when rivers are dammed, lakes emptied, seas diverted, or waters relocated, the Earth’s circulatory system becomes unbalanced, and the connections between all forms of life are broken. Our show constantly alternates between micro details and macro perspectives, resulting in a speculative image of a future hydrological cycle in which humans no longer try to control water, but move with it.” The creative process for The Choreography of Water began in March–April 2025 at CNDB with an interdisciplinary laboratory, continuing in July with a site-specific development stage in Copenhagen as part of the European platform In Situ. At the end of August, the artists organized an open rehearsal, in which the audience was invited to actively participate in the creative process.

More details about the show and upcoming performances – https://www.tangajdance.com/cowevents

Choreographer Simona Deaconescu works in Bucharest between performance, installation, and speculative research, exploring themes such as marginality, feminism, virtuality, and the sensation of existing between times, histories, and realities, with works presented in Europe, as well as Mexico and Canada. Ioana Vreme Moser, based in Berlin, was twice awarded the Prix Ars Electronica in 2025 for her works infused with experiments in electronics and sound, while Simina Oprescu, also based in Berlin, focuses on acousmatics and the sonification of data.

The project is produced by the Tangaj Collective Association in co-production with the National Center for Dance Bucharest, co-financed by AFCN—the National Cultural Fund Administration, and supported by the Goethe-Institut Bucharest, the Italian Cultural Institute in Bucharest, and benefits from the scientific and logistical contribution of the NGOs Marginal and Qolony, as well as the Ecosystem Festival.

Media partner: Radio Guerrilla

The project does not necessarily represent the position of the National Cultural Fund Administration. AFCN is not responsible for the content of the project or how the results of the project may be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the funding recipient.

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For more details:
Ioan Maxim
0726 18 58 12
ioan.maximmm@gmail.com

Reel culture does not stand still. Neither do we. We are launching The Body In REEL Time, a project that explores corporeality in the age of reels and analyzes, with irony, humor, and a critical eye, a world full of virtual dopamine and fingers tired from scrolling.

Conceived by Vlad Benescu and Alexandra Mihaela Dancs, a project of the Art No More Association, co-financed by AFCN, The Body In REEL Time is an artistic reaction to the digital consumption that consumes us and a call for awareness by questioning reel culture and transforming it into an instrument of exploration, creation, and reflection.

It is about bodies and relationships caught in the infinite flow of social networks; about authenticity and presence in a universe of absence, fragmented realities, ephemerality and superficiality, glitches, fast pace and algorithms.

From September to December 2025, The Body In REEL Time means:

• triluREELu – a choreographic-performative-multimedia puzzle show, created by Vlad and Alexandra together with video artist Alexandru Claudiu Maxim, interaction designer Cristian Iordache, musician Lala Mișosniky, and playwright Mihai Ivașcu — October 16, 25 & 26, November 26, December 11
• Let’s get triluREELu! – a movement workshop with Vlad and Alexandra where you can experience what it means to be triluREELu — September 27, 28
• Two public debates with choreographers, influencers, psychologists, and anthropologists — October 15, November 12
• A written documentary by Rucsandra Pop — December 17
• A video documentary by Vicențiu Amarandei — December 17

Details also available on social media pages:
https://www.facebook.com/trilureeluthebodyinreeltime
https://www.instagram.com/trilureelu_thebodyinreeltime
https://www.tiktok.com/@trilureelu__

Partners
National Center for Dance Bucharest, Masca Theater, /SAC @ Malmaison, Recul, Rezidența9 a program of Fundația9, Hearth Association

Media partners
Radio România Cultural, ISCOADA

The project does not necessarily represent the position of the National Cultural Fund Administration. AFCN is not responsible for the content of the project or how the results of the project may be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the beneficiary of the funding.

Iridescent – international festival of contemporary dance and other reconfigurations of the sensible returns in November and brings back to the forefront movements, images, and narratives that seek freedom and new forms of expression. In a global context marked by uncertainty, increasingly difficult to frame, the festival continues its mission to offer the public dance performances and related events that reflect the complexity of the present.

We will (re)meet in November at IRIDESCENT! Stay tuned — we will announce the full program soon.

The National Center for Dance in Bucharest is resuming its Performing art school for children. The program is aimed at children aged 7-15 and includes courses in contemporary dance, theater, and movement. The Performing Arts School for Children focuses on developing creativity, expressiveness, technique, and body language specific to contemporary dance.

The first two modules will take place between September 22 and October 24 (Module I) and November 3 and December 19 (Module II). The price for the first module is 400 RON, and for the second module, 560 RON.

Auditions:

• September 11: auditions for children aged 7-11 (at 5 p.m. or 6 p.m.) – with Mariana Gavriciuc and Eva Danciu
• September 12: auditions for children aged 12-15 (at 5 p.m. or 6 p.m.) with Andreea Belu and Catrinel Catană
• September 17: auditions for theatre classes for children aged 7-15 (at 5 p.m. or 6 p.m.) – Alexandra Vieruru

Registration
Registration for auditions is open until September 10, 2025, at the email address cursuri@cndb.ro. Please specify the day and time you would like to participate.

Dear friends,

In order to avoid disruptions to the schedule of projects that you intend to submit for funding in the next two AFCN funding sessions, which you wish to develop in partnership with the National Dance Center Bucharest (CNDB), we would like to make the following clarifications.

Given that from October 2025 to September 2026 we are running a new edition of the Dance and Performance Academy—a project that requires almost all of the space at 80-82 Mărășești Boulevard—we will unfortunately only be able to provide a very limited amount of space for rehearsals and performances. Therefore, please send your partnership requests by September 10 at the latest. This will allow us to carefully review your projects and find the best solutions that will not hinder their development.

Unfortunately, we will not be able to consider partnership requests that arrive after the above-mentioned date.

Thank you, and we wish you every success in writing and implementing your projects!

The National Center for Dance is relaunching its Performing art school for children! The program is designed for children aged 7-15 and includes courses in contemporary dance, theatre, and movement. The Performing art school for children focuses on developing creativity, expressiveness, technique, and body language specific to contemporary dance.

The first two modules will take place between September 22 and October 24 (Module I) and November 3 and December 19 (Module II). The price of a module is 560 RON.

Auditions:

• September 11: auditions for children aged 7-11 (at 5 p.m. or 6 p.m.) – with Mariana Gavriciuc and Eva Danciu
• September 12: auditions for children aged 12-15 (at 5 p.m. or 6 p.m.) with Andreea Belu and Catrinel Catană
• September 17: auditions for theater classes for children aged 7-15 (at 5 p.m. or 6 p.m.) – Alexandra Vieru

Registration
Registration for auditions is open until September 10, 2025, at the email address cursuri@cndb.ro. Please specify the day and time you wish to participate.

Keep Calm and Keep on Moving

Now in its 11th edition, the Bucharest International Dance Film Festival (BIDFF) will take place between September 11 and 14, 2025, in six locations across Bucharest. This year’s theme, “Keep Calm and Keep on Moving,” reflects the emotional and affective crises that shape our world today, but also the urgent need to find in movement a tool for resilience, dialogue, and reinvention. We live in times when uncertainty has become part of everyday life, and collective emotions are rewritten from one day to the next. In this context, movement is no longer just an artistic gesture, but a form of resistance, a way of remaining present, of not letting ourselves be defeated.

The structure of the festival is deliberately built around the idea of staying connected to the reality of the present, no matter how fluid and unpredictable it becomes. Whether we are talking about how technology changes our bodies and perceptions, about the individual and collective memory that shapes our identity, or about our projections for the future, BIDFF seeks to bring these themes into dialogue through dance and film. The five sections: Expand, Community, Exchange, VR, and Films, are not just simple program categories, but meeting places between artists from around the world and the public, places where dance becomes a tool for understanding, questioning, and reimagining the world we live in.

The BIDFF Film section hosts the dance short film competition, where the jury consists of special guests: Judith State (RO), Kati Kallio (FI), and Andreas Hannes (NL).

Important titles such as “The Flamenco Guitar of Yerai Cortés” (dir. Antón Álvarez), “Night Stage” (dir. Filipe Matzembacher, Marcio Reolon), “Rains Over Babel” (dir. Gala del Sol) and “Dreams” (dir. Michel Franco), which premiered at renowned festivals such as Berlinale, Sundance, and San Sebastián, will be screened every day at BIDFF.

The highlights of this edition bring Danse Macabre! A Choreography of Terror to the stage, a performance by Italian artist Jacopo Jenna, an intense exploration of dance in unstable and ever-changing forms, combining film, electronic music, and light, alongside the world premiere of Mihai Mihalcea’s performance, Sweet Spot (From the Middle of Terror) — a synthetic exercise in entertainment that provokes and surprises.

The education program complements the BIDFF Expand section with the FRAMING video dance lab, led by Jacopo Jenna, the masterclass Cinematic Spheres: Exploring the Cinematic Environment in 360° with Marius Hodea (RO), and the BIDFF Exchange event “Dance and Film Today: Perspectives, Challenges, and Collaborative Connections,” which opens a discussion about the future of dance film in Europe, the current challenges facing filmmakers, and the role of education in training new creators.

The Community section features collaborations with artists Andreea Novac (RO), Silvia Brazzale (IT), and Catrinel Catană (RO).

The festival’s hosts and partners are Cinema Elvire Popesco, Grădina cu Filme – Cinema & More, the National Dance Center Bucharest, /SAC @ MALMAISON, and the MASCA Theater, and specific activities dedicated to communities of all ages take place at the Amalia and Chief Rabbi Dr. Moses Rosen Residential Center in collaboration with the ADO Association and Ferentari Studios, and in public spaces in Bucharest.

The complete festival program can be found on the BIDFF website: www.bidff.ro

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Bucharest International Dance Film Festival (BIDFF) is organized by the Tangaj Collective Association.

“Bucharest International Dance Film Festival, the 11th edition” is a cultural project co-financed by the Administration of the National Cultural Fund. The project does not necessarily represent the position of the Administration of the National Cultural Fund. AFCN is not responsible for the content of the project or how the project results can be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the beneficiary of the funding.

“Bucharest International Dance Film Festival, the 11th edition” is a project co-financed by the Bucharest City Hall through ARCUB within the „București. Împreună” 2025 Programme. The content of this material does not necessarily represent the official position of the Bucharest City Hall or that of ARCUB. For detailed information about the financing programme of Bucharest City Hall through ARCUB, you can access www.arcub.ro. 

Partners: Institutul Francez din România (Cinema Elvire Popesco), CREART – Centrul de Creație, Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului București (Grădina cu Filme – Cinema and More), Asociația Spațiul de Artă Contemporană (/SAC@Malmaison), Centrul Național al Dansului București/CNDB, Institutul Italian de Cultură, Studiourile Ferentari, Teatrul MASCA, Asociația ADO – Artă pentru Drepturile Omului (Centrul Vârsta4), Centrul Rezidențial pentru persoane vârstnice „Amalia și Șef Rabin Dr. Moses Rosen”, Animest, Happy Friday Catering

Watched by: Radio Guerilla

Media partners: ELLE, Libertatea, Viva, Unica, Revista BIZ, Haute Culture, IQads, Revista FILM, The Trends, Movienews, Happ.ro, Cărturești, Observator Cultural

Deadline for application: 10 July 2025 at 23:59 CET

After the successful first edition of the Moving Balkans Contemporary Dance Showcase, held  in Ljubljana (Slovenia), Rijeka (Croatia) and Zagreb (Croatia) between 10–13 May 2025, the second edition of the showcase will be held in Novi Sad (Serbia) from 13–16 May 2026. The festival will present 10 contemporary dance productions, and 6 Dance Scape project pitches, and offer opportunities to meet,  exchange ideas, interact with the audience and dance professionals, and become part of a large artistic network.

More information on timeline and eligibility criteria provided in the Info Sheet & FAQ below. The applications must be submitted via Google Forms by 10 July 2025 at 23:59 CET.

Online info session
For additional questions you are kindly invited to attend a Zoom info session which will be held on 11 June 2025 at 16:00 CET (meeting link is provided in the info sheet).

Applicants will be notified about the selection in September 2025.

APPLY NOW!