Contemporary Dance and Physical Theater Festival
8. – 12. 11. 2025

A selection of current performances by the best Czech companies.

Each ensemble is completely different, with its own vision, approach to contemporary dance, and artistic means. However, they all share the generosity of theatrical form, collaboration with a wide range of artists, and a high level of performers, often from all over the world. Another common thread is the international renown they have earned through their work. The performances they present at Bread & Dance are their own selection of current works. Many of them are being presented in their Czech premiere or shortly thereafter.
Open to the general public.

Together we seek new paths.
We open up the world of dance.

A networking program for developing opportunities for cooperation and employment on the international scene, with the participation of leading ensembles and promoters from other European countries. Artist presentations, panel discussions, round tables, personal meetings.

Intended for dance professionals (producers, cultural managers, representatives of festivals and theaters, curators, journalists). If you are one of them, please register. If you have any questions, please write to ivona@burkicom.com.

Venue: ARCHA+, Na Poříčí 1047/236, Praha 1.

Open to the professional public. Accreditation required.

Workshop, Sunday, Monday, November 9–10 / 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Workshop for cultural managers in cooperation with the National Institute for Culture. Lecturer: Anikó Rácz (Sín Arts and Culture Center in Budapest, Hungary)
Venue: Czech Cultural Institute

Open call.

Networking Breakfast, Tuesday, November 11 / 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

A joint breakfast with international professionals in the performing arts, cultural managers, representatives of theaters, festivals, cultural institutions, agencies, promoters, journalists, and artists. Exchange business cards, get acquainted with the program. Who we are, what we do. And who are you? Would you like some bread? And coffee?
Venue: ARCHA+

Panel discussion, Tuesday, November 11 / 1:00–3:00 p.m.

Moderated discussion with producers and promoters. Topic: How to succeed abroad from the curator’s point of view? Why bother? Is local success important for success abroad? What is important for a company, a festival, or a venue?
Panelists:
Annabelle Bonnéry, artistic and executive director of the Norwegian national contemporary dance company Carte Blanche, based in Bergen, Norway.
Natalia Álvarez Simó, co-founder of the performing arts consulting platform Supernovae and director of Oviedo’s (Spain) bid for European Capital of Culture in 2031.
André Schallenberg, program director for dance and theater at the European Center for the Arts Hellerau in Dresden (Germany).
Samuel Wuersten, artistic and executive director of the Holland Dance Festival and artistic director of the bachelor’s and master’s dance programs at the Zurich University of the Arts in Switzerland.

Moderator: Saša Michailidis
Venue: ARCHA+

Open to the professional public. Accreditation required.

Artist Presentations, Wednesday, November 12 / 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Who are we and what do we do? Personal presentations of ensembles in front of thirty selected foreign producers and promoters. Words and pictures. No interruptions. Say what you want to say. Ten choreographers, 20 slides each, 20 seconds each. Not a second more. And then a rendezvous at the table – speed dates (presenters and foreign guests only). Choreographer and guest producer face to face.
Presenting companies: 420PEOPLE, BURKICOM, CIRK LA PUTYKA, DEKKADANCERS, FARMA V JESKYNI, LENKA VAGNEROVÁ & COMPANY, NEBOJSY, POCKET ART COLLECTIVE, TEMPORARY COLLECTIVE, VIKTOR ČERNICKÝ

Moderator: David Krátký
Venue: ARCHA+

Open to the professional public. Accreditation required.

Round Table, Wednesday, November 12 / 2:00–4:00 p.m.

Round table discussion Words for Dance in the Age of Artificial Intelligence with Dance Context on the topic of art criticism in the field of dance. The discussion will be held in Czech only.
Moderated by Josef Bartoš / Dance Context
Venue: ARCHA+

Open to the professional public. Accreditation required.

A series of dance workshops with leading Czech choreographers. Introduction to their movement material and creative processes. Opportunity to receive feedback and information about the ensembles’ working methods, including employment opportunities, during breakfast with the choreographers in an Après-ski format.

Intended only for professional dancers, graduates, or students of dance schools aged 16 and over, selected on the basis of a CV and video sample of their movement.

Choreographers: Jana Burkiewiczová (BURKICOM), Viliam Dočolomanský (Farma v jeskyni), Václav Kuneš (420PEOPLE) and independent choreographer and teacher Jiří Pokorný.

Venue: House of Dance Art, Údolní 212/1, Praha 4

Maximum number of participants: 50
Further details and the registration form can be found HERE.

Saturday 8. 11.

Sunday 9. 11.

Monday 10. 11.

Tuesday 11. 11.

Wednesday 12. 11.

The Bread & Dance Prague Festival was founded in 2023 by five leading Czech contemporary dance and physical theater companies to present themselves together and open up the topic of the long-term status, sustainability, cooperation, and development of contemporary dance and physical theater in an international context. Through openness, education, current work, workshops with choreographers, and discussions within the framework of international networking. The festival was created with the support of the National Recovery Plan, the European Union, and the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic. The festival is organized by the BURKICOM ensemble in collaboration with the founding ensembles 420PEOPLE, DEKKADANCERS, FARMA V JESKYNI, and LENKA VAGNEROVÁ & COMPANY.

“We combine the efforts of individual companies in the field of international cooperation and booking, simplify access to new talent on the international scene, educate them, and increase the readiness of dancers to work in companies at an international level. We share experiences and seek ways to further develop international cooperation at all levels of contemporary dance and physical theater. Through mutual cooperation, we reduce the costs of individual companies in the aforementioned areas.”

The festival is held under the auspices of Martin Baxa, Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic.

Producer: BURKICOM
Managing Director: Ivona Szantová
Art Director: Jana Burkiewiczová
Participating companies: 420PEOPLE, BURKICOM, DEKKADANCERS, Farma v jeskyni, La Putyka, Lenka Vagnerová & Company, Pocket Art Collective, Temporary Collective, Viktor Černický,
Production: Betka Gabrielová, Eliška Zamouřilová and productions of individual companies
Production of the International Market of Dancers: Lenka Plottová
Moderation: Saša Michailidis, David Krátký
PR & Marketing: Janka Kellerová (BlueGekko)
Social media: Kristýna Jurášková, David Krátký
Graphic design: Martina Černá, Imagery
Photo visual: Natálie Hoffmanová
TV spot: David Krátký
Animation: Ondřej Mencl

Supporting institutions: Czech Cultural institute, Dance Context
Spaces: Archa+, La Fabrika, Jatka 78, Divadlo Komedie, DOX+, Duncan Centre, Galaxie, House of Dance Art, Church of St. Simon and Jude, Studio Maiselovka