Premiere

What is PREMIERE?

Launched in 2009, PREMIERE is an international program for a choreographic debut, offering a professional platform for young choreographers to introduce their artistic vision at their very first movement based dance performance. The aim of the program is to introduce dance artists and choreographers who are starting their independent careers and bring their artistic work to local and international audiences

Who is it for?

The program invites artists who have decided to work as a choreographer/director in a professional movement based dance field.

PREMIERE is aimed for emerging choreographers to start their professional career. The program accepts applications from all artists who wish to produce their first public dance performance. PREMIERE is looking for committed, highly motivated, dynamic, open-minded artists, ready to become a professional in the field of freelance dance art. The program is helping choreographers to build their own network and relations for their next steps in the professional dance field to be able to manage themselves and to become an independent self-managing artist.

What does PREMIERE offer?

The program offers the participating choreographers the opportunity to get acquainted with the logic of the dance field to help support the future independent activities of the choreographers.
PREMIERE also gives the choreographers the opportunity to introduce themselves as dance artists and experience bringing out their own production. As part of the series, we offer co-production and support from Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava, from applying for funding and support for the production to marketing and communicating the performances.

PREMIERE offers the choreographers:

• Production with Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava;
• support in preparing the budget of the application, assembling the team and organizing performance activities;
• financial support by application to Cultural Endowment of Estonia, which includes fees for the team and production costs;
• dramaturgical support during the production process;
• rehearsal process at STL studio (shared between two choreographers) 
• residency opportunities;
• communication and marketing of the performance and media coverage;
• professional feedback and mentorship on touring possibilities;
• audiovisual recording of the production.

PREMIERE, a program for emerging choreographers, has introduced 30 new dance artists through their debut performances during the last 11 years. List of the participants of the previous PREMIEREs includes the following artists: Elle Viies, Marta Jamsja,  Liisi Hint, Unholy Trinity including Kärt Koppel, Daniela Privis ja Annabel Tanila, Ingrid Mugu, Allar Valge, Sigrid Savi, Kadri Sirel, Keity Pook, Ruta Ronja Pakalne, Alina Belyagina, Joanna Kalm, Sylvia Köster, Maarja Tõnisson, Arolin Raudva, Mari-Liis Eskusson, Üüve-Lydia Toompere, Svetlana Grigorjeva, Kaisa Selde, Kristina-Mari Heinsalu, Christin Lunts, Sandra Palm, Siim Tõniste, Jaan Ulst, Karl Saks, Kati Juurik and Helena Pihel.

The performances have been held in Tallinn, Tartu, Helsinki, Vilnius, Viljandi, Hiiumaa island, Rakvere etc. The performance “Tsuud” of Karl Saks created in the scope of PREMIERE won the dance prize of the Estonian Theatre Awards for the Year 2010. Karl Saks and Svetlana Grigorjeva have also been awarded by Sõltumatu Tantsu Ühendus as the promising new choreographers of the year. In 2014 the PREMIERE production „vägisi“ by Mari-Liis Eskusson and in 2016 the PREMIERE production “Debutante” by Joanna Kalm were nominated for the Estonian Theatre Award dance prizes.