Talk & Connect - International Dance Dialogue #3: Shaping New Models - What kinds of exchange do we actually need?

September 9, 2026 | 2:30 – 4:00 p.m. CEST
Guests: Stine Nilsen (Artistic Director, Dansens Hus, Oslo), Ratri Anindyajati (Director, Indonesian International Dance Festival, Jakarta), Moritz Ostruschnjak (Choreographer, Munich)
Moderator: Prasanna Oommen

The third edition of Talk & Connect - International Dance Dialogue built on the insights from the first two episodes: Sustainable international exchange requires relationships on equal footing, shared responsibility, and long-term structures. Drawing on the diverse perspectives of a curator, a festival director, and a choreographer, the discussion explored how to counter criticism of the “marketplace” logic of international platforms. What kind of exchange does the field actually need, and what new curatorial models can meet that need?

Four Key Findings

1. Platforms are often perceived as marketplaces, while the dance community is seeking greater authenticity.
Both Stine Nilsen and Moritz Ostruschnjak described how international dance platforms are still perceived as marketplaces: impersonal, business-oriented spaces that focus more on visibility, invitations, and competition than on genuine dialogue. Nilsen argued that pooling resources and networking among theater and festival programs to raise the visibility of individual artists is more effective and sustainable than going it alone or competing. At the same time, however, she warned that if multiple curators agree on the same artists, this would limit access for artists who do not make the cut. There was agreement that transparency regarding curatorial decision-making processes – namely, disclosing how and why decisions are made – is an important practical step toward building greater trust in collaboration.

2. Local ecosystems that operate on a long-term basis often compete with the need for international, temporary visibility.
Platforms face a challenge: They want to both provide local artists with greater international visibility in their programming and feature artists who are already internationally relevant in order to reach the corresponding professional network. The example of ICE HOT’s first anonymous international jury in 2010 shows that anonymization led to the selection of more new voices alongside names already known in the scene. This had the surprising effect of prompting Nordic curators to begin showcasing more works from their immediate neighboring countries than before. Ratri Anindyajati and Moritz Ostruschnjak confirmed similar dynamics in Jakarta and Munich, where local visibility often takes a back seat to international programming. This runs particularly counter to local structures that support artists over the long term.

3. There is a desire for stronger recognition of local contexts and reciprocity in international exchange.
Ratri Anindyajati sees it as a challenge that international guest performances or collaborations—such as those by European artists at the Indonesian Dance Festival—often lead to disproportionate demands on local production and presentation conditions. Artists and institutions that apply to the Indonesian Dance Festival, she says, too often focus solely on showcasing their work rather than considering what they can offer the local community in return. Instead, she urges them to emphasize mutual added value right from the outset when making performance requests. She also pointed out a significant financial imbalance: a single European touring fee is equivalent to the monthly budget of her entire team.

4. Peer networks transform temporary visibility into long-term working relationships.
Moritz Ostruschnjak described platforms as particularly useful for artists’ visibility. However, he said he had received the most helpful and practical support to date from long-term relationships and peer networks such as Réseau Grand Luxe. Here, artists and curators work together to address concrete needs: negotiating fees, developing technical riders, or figuring out how to write a professional inquiry email. Stine Nilsen agreed that platforms are increasingly offering preparatory educational opportunities for artists, but cautioned that this awareness is not yet equally widespread throughout the art scene.

Conclusion
At the end of the session, there was a collective consensus that platforms remain irreplaceable. However, they should foster collaboration characterized by genuine interest, mutual benefit, and locally rooted models. The focus should be on curating with trust in the artists rather than marketing finished works. As Ratri Anindyajati put it: “My festival doesn’t curate finished work. It curates trust!”