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Current working groups (AGs)

You are a ZTB member and are interested in participating actively in one of the working groups (AGs)? Please send us an email: vorstand(at)ztberlin.de Some of the AGs are open to non-members as well. Just ask if you are interested.

Overview Working Groups (AGs)

AG Decolonize Dance

Description: We are dance artists based in Berlin and working in the independent scene who want to actively address the various interconnected political disasters unfolding in Palestine and Israel, as well as their repercussions in an increasingly authoritarian political climate in
Germany, where freedom of speech, the right to assembly and freedom of the arts are being severely curtailed. We seek to be vocal and active in support of the Palestinian movement for liberation from Israeli occupation. We insist that our freedoms are interdependent. Addressing a deepening climate of fear and cultural censorship in Germany, our activities as AG Decolonize / Dance highlight how our work as dancers are intertwined with present political realities in Berlin and internationally. We propose the following formats as our main frames of activity:

SUPPORT SPACE: We support artists who fear retaliation from cultural
institutions in Berlin due to speaking out in solidarity with Palestinians who are
currently facing mass-murder perpetrated by the state of Israel, to the extent that the International Court of Justice had found (in January 2024) a plausible case of genocide being intentionally committed in Gaza.

EDUCATION: We gather educational resources and organize reading groups,
workshops and other learning frameworks to inform artists of the current political climate in Germany regarding Israel / Palestine.

RESOURCE BUILDING: We initiate proposals to mobilize resources among the
Berlin dance scene in solidarity with Palestine and in resistance against racist,
neo-colonial and white supremacist cultural practices.

Contact us:  ztbagdd@proton.me

AG Tanzförderung

The impetus for the founding of the AG Tanzförderung was the jury decisions of 2023, in which numerous established dance artists and groups fell out of the Basisförderung and Konzeptförderung and thus found themselves in an existentially threatening situation. Once again, the precarious nature of the funding system for dance in Berlin was revealed. The working group was founded with the aim of reforming the Berlin funding system and establishing structure-building, sustainable and cross-generational funding for the professional dance sector in Berlin. The first steps were the campaign ‘Kahlschlag für den Tanz in Berlin?’, in which over 500 signatures were collected. This campaign was presented to Senator for Culture Joe Chialo at the opening of Tanznacht 2023. Two discussion meetings were held on 28 February 2023 with cultural professionals from the dance scene and politicians Daniel Wesener and Daniela Billig/GRÜNE FRAKTION and also on 29 February 2023 with Dr Robbin Juhnke/CDU. The AG Tanzförderung is working on the structural improvement of Berlin’s dance funding system and would like to discuss their ideas with the scene and those responsible for cultural policy.

Members of the AGs are: Christina Ciupke, Tanzcompagnie Rubato – Dieter Baumann & Jutta Hell, Tanzkollektiv Grupo Oito – (Ricardo de Paula, Caroline Alves, Laura Alonso, Martina Garbelli, Cintia Rangel, Natalie Riedelsheimer, Miro Wallner), Public in Private – Jasna L. Vinovrški, Clément Layes, Kat Válastur , WILHELM GROENER – Günther Wilhelm & Mariola Groener, July Weber, Eva Meyer-Keller, Sergiu Matis, Eszter Salomon. The AG Tanzförderung works closely with its supporters: Heike Albrecht, Alexandra Wellensiek, Christoph Winkler and Renate Graziadei.

Contact us: agtanzfoerderungberlin@gmail.com

AG Work Culture

….was initiated in 2021 by Kasia Wolinska ( ZTB e.V.) and Mateusz Szymanowka ( Sophienseale) to facilitate discussions on the culture of work within Berlin dance scene and to develop tools and activities that would eventually lead to the improvement of how we work. Around 20 participants/ volunteers – dancers, choreographers, producers, dramaturges, curators and activists – joined forces in the frame of regular meetings throughout the year to examine the existing and (possible ) future working structures and relations that stem from those. In 2022 the group is aiming at development of the guidelines for the Berlin free dance that will be then presented to the community and further consulted. The foundational goal of this work is to support, promote and normalize good practices within the working environments – addressing problems of violence, (self-)exploitation, exhaustion and inequality within the scene.

 AG Tanz und Elternschaft

Dance and Parenthood Working Group is an association and initiative of dance professionals with the aim of improving the working conditions of dance professionals in parenthood. The Working group works in self-organized manner and on a voluntary basis. Since November 2020, the WG meets online once a month.
In exchange, we name and analyze existing deficits, disadvantages and existing barriers for dance creators in parenthood – in the dance scene and in the funding system – and we develop concrete proposals and approaches on how these can be remedied. We regularly invite cross-disciplinary guests from the scene and cultural politics and establish new networks with other actors and activists.
Working groups members (as of February 2021):
Claudia Garbe, Janne Gregor, Jenny Haack, Jasna Layes Vinovrski, Anja Kolmanics, Raisa Kröger, Heike Kuhlmann, Saskia Oidtmann, Steffi Sembdner, Maria Walser, Isabel Mohn, Johanne Timm

 

020 / 2021

17 Nov / 18:00 Anniversary / ZTB Jubilee AG
further dates tba

18 Nov./ 18:00 Dance funding AG
another appointment: Wed 16.12.2020

19 Nov/12:00 Dance and Parenthood AG
further dates: Thu 17.12. 2020, Thu 14.01.2021, Thu 18.02.21, Thu 18.03.21

7 Dec / 17:30 Association structure/ honorary office AG
further dates tba

21 Dec / 18:00 Dance Platform 2022

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Securing the free art scene in times of Corona

ZTB e.V., Letter, March 15, 2020

Dear Mr Lederer, dear Mr Wöhlert, dear Ms Köhncke,

Let us express our gratitude for your public acknowledgement of the difficult situation artists and cultural workers are facing at the moment.

The cancellation of planned fees for artists of all disciplines will inevitably result in the loss of vital sources of income. This applies to many dance artists and makers based in Berlin who are currently struggling due to the wave of cancellations or indefinite postponements of work within Germany and abroad. The majority of these people do not have financial reserves that can enable them to make ends meet in the coming months. In order to secure the cultural life of the city not only during but also after the crisis, we ask you to act quickly. Please keep in mind the needs and working conditions of artists already in precarious jobs when taking measures to cushion the consequences of the Corona pandemic!

It is urgently necessary to set up an emergency fund for freelance artists of all disciplines, as well as ensuring current project funds can still be accessed readily and in an as unbureaucratic manner as possible, that funding guidelines are adapted as required, payment and accounting modalities are amended to correspond to the current situation.

The emergency fund should cover all lost funds that result from cancellations of projects and performances (both at home and abroad); it should be managed in an unbureaucratic way and payouts from it should be made as non-repayable emergency payments. This ensures the fund is tailored to the specific situation and dependencies of freelance artists and workers in associated professional fields (such as freelance technicians, production managers, dramaturges, etc.).

Dealing with current project-oriented funds:

– Payment of approved funding in full, regardless of planned rehearsals and performances; This has to include rehearsal room rental costs, as otherwise the space-providers would go into insolvency

– Advance payment of project funds to mitigate foreseeable cases of hardship (see e.g. current press release 13.03.2020, Department of Culture Frankfurt >Weblink to press release Department of Culture Frankfurt)
– Reduction of number of compulsory performances in order to be able to make up for lost performances
– Acknowledgement of costs incurred due to cancellations
– Allowance for uncomplicated postponements into the next year
– Coverage of additional costs arising from the postponement of projects
We hope to get through the difficult situation together.

With kind regards,

Cilgia Gadola, Barbara Greiner, Jenny Haack, Moritz Majce, Kareth Schaffer, Kasia Wolinska

The Board of Zeitgenössischer Tanz Berlin e. V.

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ZTB Dance Party

14th December 2019

It is time for the DANCE Party! With the great excitement we invite you to join us at the end of our #dance4millions campaign. We will share the final results of the last months’ campaign and announce what’s new for the 2020.
But most of all, we just want to hang out, drink and dance. All types of party goers and non-party goers are welcome. Come say ‘hi’, stay for a toast, dance till we close.
Free entry.

Where: Kule, Auguststr.10, 10117 Berlin

7pm – 8.30pm warm-up set by Ollyollyoxfordfreak
9pm – 11pm open mic
11pm – 1am party dj set
+ VJing by Andreas Thorstensson
( more info coming soon)

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FUM#5 with ZTB

FUM#5 with ZTB  – Follow Up Monthly – hosted by Jeremy Wade

This time the choreographer Jeremy Wade invited us to his house.
We discuss how to reach as many people as possible with a campaign, what forms of creative protest there are and who we want to reach with our cause.
Please register until Sunday at: vorstand@ztberlin.de
The number of participants is limited due to lack of space. With the registration you will get the exact location.

When: Tue, 29.10.2019, 7 pm