The Madrid community celebrates the thirty-seventh edition of ‘Madrid dance’ with a program that includes 26 shows at 17 municipalities in the region and a strong international presence. A commitment to lively and contemporary writing and up-and-coming creators define this upcoming choreography festival between April 29 and June 14 and which aims to position itself as one of the most important international events among the genre’s premier events.

Another Madrid en Danza commitment is the expansion of its territory to other municipalities in the region, in its own center and other spaces, and within the Unusual Borders program. So it will come to Alcorcón, Arganda del Rey, Fuenlabrada, Majadahonda, Parla, Torrejón de Ardoz, San Lorenzo de El Escorial, La Cabrera, Alcalá de Henares and seven other municipalities undetermined.

Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sports, Martha Rivera de la Cruzaccompanied by the artistic director of the festival, Blanca Li, today has underlined the local government’s commitment to dance and the responsibility to keep promises that imply “renewal and ambition”. And to this, as he has pointed out, this edition replies, “designed with the aim of placing the festival among the major choreographic gatherings in Europe”.

With styles ranging from classicism to avant-garde, from folk to urban, from local to international, this edition includes 13 premieres: one absolute, four in Spain and eight in Madrid. In addition, it will bring together professionals in debates who will assess the situation in the sector, and will hold dance competitions for both amateurs and professionals.

The dominance of contemporary dance in the program is clear, as it covers more than half of the performances (16). In addition, there are proposals for dance theatre, physical theater and acrobatics, Spanish dance and flamenco, among other languages. Everything is a reflection of contemporary society and contemporary realities such as identity, tradition, borders, migration, freedom or other aspects that inspire the author to transform it into dance.

The program’s tremendous international presence is concentrated at the Teatros del Canal, where Akram Khan’s Jungle Book, by the Akram Khan Company (United Kingdom), will be featured; Reviewer, from Kidd Pivot (Canada); Big Five- Oh!, by Pilobolus (United States); Asylum, by Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company (Israel); Made in Oslo, by Jo Strømgren Kompani (Norway); Wakatt, by Faso Danse Théâtre (Belgium), and Story, story, die., by Winter Guets (Norway).

Among these productions, two anthologies stand out: one with five parts, Big Five- Oh!, which summarizes the best of Pilobolus as it celebrates 50 years as a company, and another presented by Jo Strømgren Kompani, Made in Oslo, which includes four works compiled between 2007 and 2015 on various aspects of contemporary Norwegian life.

Others were inspired by literary works, such as Revisor, by Kidd Pivot, a hybrid of theater and dance adapting drama by Nicolás Gogol, or Akram Khan’s reimagined Forest Book, by Akram Khan, a reinterpretation of Rudyard Kipling’s novel The Jungle Book through the eyes of a refugee. . The drama of refugees is also the theme of Asylum, conceived by Rami Be’er Israel with his company Kibbutz Contemporary Dance.

About love and the lies that people tell to attract others is Story, story, die., by Winter Guets, and about the present and its uncertainty, caused by fear of the other, nationalism or terrorism, says Wakatt, by Burkina Faso-born choreographed Serge Aime Coulibaly.

alternative room

Outside the Teatros del Canal, several Madrid companies will showcase their creations at alternative venues and private theaters in the capital, which will offer representative photos of the region’s choreographed creations. Their shows are supported by production grants and other creative programs.

The program includes El Arco, by National Dance Prize choreographer Daniel Abreu, at the Teatro de la Abadía. Sala Cuarta Pared will host new choreographer Eduardo Vallejo with his group Ogmia and the world premiere of mother tongues.

In addition, at the Pradillo Theater you can see Titun: the accidental death of a black swan, by the company of Allan Fallieri, in full swing of his career as a choreographer and producer.

In Unusual Borders, you can see Idi begi, by Proyecto Larrua; Incognito, by Sara Calero; Tablao flamenco, by Daniel Ramos; Tap, Tangent/Bezal; gross. L, from HuryCan; Pink Unicorn, from La Macana, and Jaguar + Jupiter, from the Eyas Dance Project.