Current News
3. May, 2013
Sasha Waltz & Guests is Cultural Ambassador for the EU 2013: 20 eventful years of living and working in the European area
3. May, 2013
Sasha Waltz & Guests is Cultural Ambassador for the EU 2013: 20 eventful years of living and working in the European area
In its 20th anniversary year, the dance ensemble Sasha Waltz & Guests has been officially named EU-Cultural Ambassador by the European Union for the year 2013. This comes as an acknowledgement of the company's wide range of activities across Europe. »Sasha Waltz & Guests has been one of the most innovative dance companies in Europe and the world since it started in 1993. It has been through big changes in style, ensemble, institution, but it has been developing firmly into becoming one of Europe's strongest reference points in dance and dance theatre. It influences not only the dance scene but also the music theatre and opera scene. In this way it has become a bridge-builder between the experimental ensembles and the major institutions and festivals.«
The selection committee also particularly emphasized the importance of the company's far-reaching international network: to date, Sasha Waltz & Guests has done 250 guest-performances in 103 European cities – with the constant support from over 150 European festivals, and co-production and guest performance partners, as well as various musical ensembles. »These partnerships will guarantee a long life for the company and a sustained relationship with very big audiences around Europe and the world«, said the selection committee in its statement.
Anniversary summer in Europe
Twenty eventful years of living and working in the European area: this is what the company is celebrating this year with a diverse programme in Berlin and many other European cities showing productions such as »Körper«, »Continu« and »gefaltet«, as well as the new production »Sacre«, in towns like Marseille - European Capital of Culture 2013 -, Avignon, Brussels, Helsinki, Luxembourg, Oslo, Reggio Emilia, Rome, Rouen, Sibiu and Vilnius.
20 years of Sasha Waltz & Guests – 20 years of European Citizenship
This nomination, during the company's 20th jubilee year also coincides with the 20th anniversary since the introduction of European Citizenship. The right to live, travel and work freely in the whole of Europe has been essential to the work of the Berlin-based ensemble ever since it was founded by Sasha Waltz in 1993.
To this day, more than 250 artists and ensembles – architects, visual artists, film makers, choreographers, designers, musicians, singers and dancers – from 24 countries across Europe have contributed as »Guests« to our projects. Dialogue is at the heart of the company's work and constantly brings up new opportunities for an incredible array of artistic disciplines to meet and interact. Dance as an art form in particular transcends language barriers and geographical frontiers. Dancers, true »prototypal european citizens« bear within them the diversity of Europe and let it shine through to the audience on stage.
»The title is a wonderful aknowledgement of the remarquable achievements of our dancers and coworkers from Europe and the entire world: the multiplicity of their cultural experiences is a source of inspiration of inestimable value when it comes to working in such a great ensemble, which now stretches over two generations. These interactions and exchanges on- and backstage, and with our international audiences, is the powersource for our work.«
Sasha Waltz
Moving Europe – the Blog
Throughout the year, Sasha Waltz & Guests will be keeping track of their activities in and around Europe through an interactive blog. Soon on www.movingeurope.sashawaltz.de: travel articles, interviews, biographies, photos, films... We are especially looking forward to communicating more closely with our audiences in Europe and the world.
The European Union’s »Culture« Programme
The title of »Cultural Ambassador« is a part of the »Culture Programme (2007-2013)« through which the EU encourages diversity and collaboration within European culture. The title is awarded with regards to the cross-border mobility of those working in the cultural sector, the transnational circulation of cultural and artistic output, and inter-cultural dialogue. In this decision, 5 criteria are of particular importance: relevance, excellence, sustainability, influence, and European added value. Out of 88 proposals from across Europe, three new one-year »cultural ambassadors« were chosen. Along with Sasha Waltz & Guests and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, two other German projects were selected.
The selection committee also particularly emphasized the importance of the company's far-reaching international network: to date, Sasha Waltz & Guests has done 250 guest-performances in 103 European cities – with the constant support from over 150 European festivals, and co-production and guest performance partners, as well as various musical ensembles. »These partnerships will guarantee a long life for the company and a sustained relationship with very big audiences around Europe and the world«, said the selection committee in its statement.
Anniversary summer in Europe
Twenty eventful years of living and working in the European area: this is what the company is celebrating this year with a diverse programme in Berlin and many other European cities showing productions such as »Körper«, »Continu« and »gefaltet«, as well as the new production »Sacre«, in towns like Marseille - European Capital of Culture 2013 -, Avignon, Brussels, Helsinki, Luxembourg, Oslo, Reggio Emilia, Rome, Rouen, Sibiu and Vilnius.
20 years of Sasha Waltz & Guests – 20 years of European Citizenship
This nomination, during the company's 20th jubilee year also coincides with the 20th anniversary since the introduction of European Citizenship. The right to live, travel and work freely in the whole of Europe has been essential to the work of the Berlin-based ensemble ever since it was founded by Sasha Waltz in 1993.
To this day, more than 250 artists and ensembles – architects, visual artists, film makers, choreographers, designers, musicians, singers and dancers – from 24 countries across Europe have contributed as »Guests« to our projects. Dialogue is at the heart of the company's work and constantly brings up new opportunities for an incredible array of artistic disciplines to meet and interact. Dance as an art form in particular transcends language barriers and geographical frontiers. Dancers, true »prototypal european citizens« bear within them the diversity of Europe and let it shine through to the audience on stage.
»The title is a wonderful aknowledgement of the remarquable achievements of our dancers and coworkers from Europe and the entire world: the multiplicity of their cultural experiences is a source of inspiration of inestimable value when it comes to working in such a great ensemble, which now stretches over two generations. These interactions and exchanges on- and backstage, and with our international audiences, is the powersource for our work.«
Sasha Waltz
Moving Europe – the Blog
Throughout the year, Sasha Waltz & Guests will be keeping track of their activities in and around Europe through an interactive blog. Soon on www.movingeurope.sashawaltz.de: travel articles, interviews, biographies, photos, films... We are especially looking forward to communicating more closely with our audiences in Europe and the world.
The European Union’s »Culture« Programme
The title of »Cultural Ambassador« is a part of the »Culture Programme (2007-2013)« through which the EU encourages diversity and collaboration within European culture. The title is awarded with regards to the cross-border mobility of those working in the cultural sector, the transnational circulation of cultural and artistic output, and inter-cultural dialogue. In this decision, 5 criteria are of particular importance: relevance, excellence, sustainability, influence, and European added value. Out of 88 proposals from across Europe, three new one-year »cultural ambassadors« were chosen. Along with Sasha Waltz & Guests and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, two other German projects were selected.
