Catalan dance gains a 'boutique' to showcase itself in Terrassa

BarcelonaFor four years, Catalan dance companies felt adrift, lacking a space to capture the attention of international programmers. In 2021, the Sismógrafo Festival in Olot lost its status as a strategic dance market—a designation awarded by the Catalan government to revitalize the discipline, boost bookings, and cultivate new audiences—and creators had nowhere to showcase their work and give it a platform beyond the national circuit. Now, this void has been filled: the Department of Culture has launched Catalandance, a platform that, for four days, from Wednesday to Saturday, invites more than 200 programmers from around the world to Terrassa, where it will present Catalan dance productions with the aim of attracting their attention. "During the 80s and 90s, Catalonia was a pioneer in exporting dance. Now we are trying to regain that visibility," explains the platform's artistic director, Pau Estrem.

The program of shows scheduled for this edition includes not only premieres, but also productions that have toured Catalan theaters over the last three years. "An established artist in Catalonia can be an emerging artist in Europe. We want to address the fact that, since 2021, we haven't had this platform to showcase our work internationally," Estrem points out. Among the selected productions are Natural order of things by Guy Nader and Maria Campos, Sorry from Losinformalls, Dark by Aurora Bauzà and Pere Jou, and Fable by Roser López Espinosa, who has inaugurated the current season of the Mercat de les Flors. FinA show by the Marc Fernández company, inspired by castells (human towers), will kick off the platform. Some creators—such as Núria Guiu, Vero Cendoya, and Lali Ayguadé—will use the platform to present their work. open studios and projects that are still in the development phase and are looking for co-producers.

"More than a large strategic market, Catalandance is a boutique "With a small program and a small but influential group of international influencers," the director emphasizes. In total, Terrassa will host more than 200 programmers from some twenty different countries. Catalandance is conceived as a platform to showcase Catalan dance to the world, but also the ecosystem through which it operates. "Presses present it, such as the National Theatre of Catalonia, the creative centers that host it like El Graner and La Caldera, and the festivals that co-produce it. When inviting programmers, we sought out their counterparts, such as the National Theatre of Italy, the Grand Studio of Belgium, or a creative center in Sicily," Estrem explains.

Strengthening the exhibition circuit

Catalandance will be held every two years and is complemented by the Special Dance event, which takes place in Tarragona and is also biennial. "The Special Dance event focuses on local and national programmers, while Catalandance aims to be the tool for companies to find their own programmers." partners "At an international level," explains the director, adding that the platform also aims to gather discussions and reflections on dance to identify the sector's shortcomings and seek institutional support. "There is a widespread situation of job insecurity. The circuit is limited; the Mercat de les Flors is the only dance venue in the entire country. Many companies survive through festival tours, which sustain the dance performance circuit," Estrem elaborates. The first edition of Catalandance is promoted by the Department of Culture and the Terrassa City Council with the support of the Barcelona Provincial Council.