Baltic Dance Platform brings to Riga over 200 dance professionals

In less than a month, from 9th to 11th of February, the third edition of the Baltic Dance Platform will take place. Following editions in Vilnius (2019) and Tallinn (2022), this year, the event will be hosted at the H2O6 kvartāls in Riga, Latvia. The Baltic Dance Platform will bring together more than 100 dance professionals (62 from the Baltic region and 56 from other countries) and approximately 100 artists. 

The Baltic Dance Platform is a three-day showcase festival, organized by three institutions: the Estonian Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava/STL, the Latvian Dance Information Center and the Lithuanian Dance Information Center. Its primary goals include promoting Baltic contemporary dance, fostering local and international connections, as well as creating new opportunities for artists and dance professionals in the region.

The Baltic Dance Platform programme features a diverse range of events and activities, comprising nine performances (three from each country), three post-show talks, fifteen pitching sessions (five from each country), networking meetings, along with guided visits to local culture and performance venues.

The performances and pitching sessions presented at the Baltic Dance Platform were selected by an international jury: Julia Asperska (PL), Pedro Barreiro (PT) , Johanna Ikola (FIN), Bush Hartshorn (UK), and Gergely Talló (HU), from among 77 applications submitted by Baltic and Baltic-based artists. The jury highlighted the diversity of Baltic contemporary dance scenes pointing out both the conceptual and technical strength of the submitted works while recognizing the significance of dance that resonates beyond the stage creating a dialogue with broader societal themes.

The chosen works offer a wide spectrum of approaches to dance and movement: from minimalistic, contemplative and repetition-based pieces to spectacular, genre-transcending performances, from solo works to collective choreographies. The Baltic Dance Platform programme will give space for self-reflection, appreciation of complexity and simplicity, dialogue with dance traditions, and the experience of radical softness. It will be the time for experimenting with societal expectations, norms, and roles, crafting speculative narratives, and trying out alternative ways of being.

Apart from the official Baltic Dance Platform programme, additional performances by Latvian dancers and choreographers will be presented on the 8th and 12th of February. Therefore, the international guests are welcomed to arrive earlier and extend their stay, so as to delve more deeply into the local dance scene. 

Whereas most of the events are available only for registered guests and are fully booked, some events will be accessible to a wider public. The tickets can be purchased for following performances: “A Duet” by Dovydas Strimaitis (LT), “Yet Another Day in Paradise” by Lukas Karvelis (LT), “Cracks” by Grėtė Šmitaitė (LT), and “Cowbody. Oh wow, it’s you!” by Hanna Kritten Tangsoo and Sigrid Savi (EE). 

The full programme, as well as the information on the tickets sale are available on the official Baltic Dance Platform website: https://balticdance.org. 

The organisation of the Baltic Dance Platform is supported by: Latvijas Republikas Kultūras ministrija, Baltic Culture Fund, the State Culture Capital Foundation, Nordic Culture Fund – Nordisk Kulturfond.