Dance festival puts a spring in the step

The Italian company Aterballetto features in Steps. steps.ch

Dozens of dancers are taking to the stage across Switzerland in a nationwide festival that aims to bring contemporary dance to a wider public.

More than 30,000 spectators are expected to beat a path to the shows, which will range from the rhythmic and acrobatic to the surreal.

Ten Swiss and foreign dance troupes will display their talents across 22 towns and cities for the ninth biennial festival, Steps#9.

“Our aim is to make the Swiss public familiar with the best of contemporary dance in all its forms,” said Isabella Spririg, who devised this year’s programme.

Thanks to sponsorship by the country’s biggest retailer, Migros, the event also features world-famous troupes, such as Japan’s Sankai Juku.

The group’s performers are powdered white and execute perfectly silent and controlled moves in a type of Japanese dance known as Butoh.

At the other end of the spectrum are Italy’s Aterballetto, known for their dynamism and expressiveness.

Swiss steps

Festival organisers are also aiming to promote homegrown talent by giving pride of place to Swiss troupes and choreographers at this year’s event.

“We want Swiss performers’ work to be recognised by international stars,” Spirig told swissinfo.

One group that is expected to attract attention is Alias Compagnie, which transforms every day situations into surreal and fantastical scenes.

Zurich’s Drift, which is already well known internationally, has also created a special show for the festival, “Les Finalistes” (The Finalists), combining dance, theatre and surrealism.

Neglected

Dance is one of Switzerland’s most under-funded art forms. Dancers are the nation’s worst paid performers, earning on average SFr2,500-4,000 ($1,900-3,1000) a month.

The Swiss Federal Office for Culture and the Swiss arts council, Pro Helvetia, recently devised an action plan to reverse years of neglect in this sector.

The plan, which is due to come into force in the middle of next year, will free up more subsidies for dancers and dance schools.

Exchanges

Steps#9 also aims to promote the exchange of experiences and knowledge among dance groups.

The celebrated Dutch troupe NDT II created a show with the Swiss choreographer, Foofwa d’Immobilité. Together, they conceived “Match.dancerun.6”, which will have its world première on April 15 in Zurich.

Meanwhile, Switzerland’s best-known choreographer, Gilles Jobin, will direct Lisbon’s Ballet Gulbenkian in “Delicado”.

swissinfo, Ghania Adamo (translation: Scott Capper)

In brief

The Steps#9 festival takes place from April 15 to May 16 in 22 Swiss cities.

Ten Swiss and foreign troupes will put on shows that are expected to draw more than 30,000 spectators.

The programme also includes collaborative efforts between Swiss choreographers and foreign troupes.