Talk & Connect – International Dance Dialogue #1: Working together - international networks and partnerships

25 March 2026 | 14:30 - 16:00 h CET

Inputs: Quito Tembe (curator and festival director of KINANI in Maputo, Mozambique), Laurynas Žakevičius (artistic director Low Air Vilnius City Dance Theatre, Lithuania) and Stephanie Thiersch (choreographer and artistic director of company MOUVOIR)
Moderator: Prasanna Oommen (public relations specialist and author since 20 years)

This session of Talk & Connect – International Dance Dialogue explored how international collaboration in contemporary dance can be shaped in more sustainable, equitable, and meaningful ways. Bringing together artists, producers, and cultural leaders from different global contexts, the discussion focused on the realities of working across borders in times of political tension, financial constraints, and shifting cultural infrastructures.

At its core, the conversation highlighted that international collaboration is not just a logistical or artistic task, but a deeply relational and political practice. The participants reflected on the conditions needed to build partnerships that go beyond short-term production goals and instead foster long-term exchange, mutual understanding, and shared responsibility.

Three key takeaways

1. Sustainable collaboration requires time, trust, and long-term commitment.
Meaningful partnerships cannot be rushed. Building trust, understanding different working cultures, and developing shared artistic languages takes time—often beyond the limits of conventional funding structures. Long-term relationships, rather than project-based encounters, are essential for resilient international networks.

2. Equity in collaboration means rethinking power structures and perspectives.
Working across different geopolitical and cultural contexts requires awareness of structural inequalities—whether related to funding, mobility, or visibility. Fair collaboration involves listening, sharing resources, and questioning dominant (often Eurocentric) frameworks, allowing multiple perspectives to shape the process equally.

3. Collaboration as a collective strategy in times of crisis.
In a field marked by precarity, funding cuts, and global instability, collaboration becomes a key survival strategy. Sharing resources, building networks, and developing collective models—such as co-productions or “micro-industries”—can strengthen the dance ecosystem and create more sustainable ways of working.

Ultimately, the session emphasized that international collaboration thrives on openness, curiosity, and the willingness to engage with difference.