Under the slogan BE THE DANCE YOU WANT TO SEE, the Belgrade Dance Festival announces its twenty-third edition. From March 13th to April 8th, 2026, fifteen companies from eleven countries, featuring exceptional choreographic works including one world premiere, will be presented in Belgrade and Novi Sad.
In honor of dance, outstanding artists and companies from different parts of the world will gather. Masters of inexplicable movement, artisans of the most precious instruments, will open themes that examine contemporary phenomena and society, once again testifying to the endless possibilities of dance.
Thanks to this festival, Belgrade and Novi Sad have become important milestones in artistic biographies – places where new productions are discovered and where renowned and emerging authors are presented with equal care. High standards and the relevance of the programming have strengthened the festival’s position on the international map, while the bold introduction of diverse choreographic signatures and aesthetics has continually raised audience expectations.
By presenting dance through its highest achievements, the festival has captivated and repeatedly surprised its followers. Over more than two decades, nearly 580 choreographic works have been presented in Serbia, with an average of 15.000 spectators and 100 accredited journalists from Serbia and abroad attending the programs each year. The event has developed with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, the City of Belgrade, the Provincial Secretariat for Culture, the City of Novi Sad, the EU Delegation to Serbia, as well as embassies and cultural centers of participating countries. Traditional friends of the festival include DDOR Insurance, RK Beograd, Nestlé, the Serbian Post, and others.
Aja Jung, founder and director of the Festival, who is also the director of the Ballet of the Serbian National Theatre in Novi Sad since 2025, underlines the synergies that are being generated thanks to the two roles: “I believe that my experience in the field of artistic dance is an invaluable asset for any ballet company. The truth is that I never wanted to stand at the head of a ballet in a big opera house, although I had invitations before, primarily from Belgrade and Athens. I was afraid of the cumbersome administrative apparatus, the system that often suffocates the basic product, as well as the accumulated problems that the opera houses in the region have been unwittingly rolling for decades. Nevertheless, contacts with the world ballet community and leading contemporary choreographers presented by the Belgrade Dance Festival, along with a complete insight into everything that is happening on the international stage – allowed me to make an ensemble like the Ballet of the Serbian National Theater modern and relevant in the region, in a relatively short time. I am happy and honored by the work ethic and trust of the young ballet artists of the Serbian National Theater, just like the perfect team that manages to follow all ideas and goals. I would like the day to last longer and to have time to stop after some small victories, which is impossible. The result of continuous work is a great festival, which this year also represents the most current cross-section of events on the world stage, as well as the fact that the Ballet of the Serbian National Theater is building an important position in the region. This is evidenced by the guest appearances we have made and those that await us during this season, performances with stars like Marianela Núñez, Iana Salenko, Daniil Simkin and Patricio Revé, or the fact that in just a few hours we manage to sell a hall with over 1000 seats… It’s no small feat! The Novi Sad Ballet is becoming a brand, just as the Belgrade Dance Festival is a European brand that has been going on for 23 years“.
What are this year’s themes? “Any serious international festival must be a platform for diverse voices. Even for those artistic approaches and conclusions, themes or aesthetics with which the selector does not have to agree. In this sense, the link between the works does not exist, and it is the only way to gather different audiences and last. The only condition is quality. On the other hand, it seems that all these years, the Belgrade Dance Festival stands behind its complex slogans, which simply create a kind of frame in which the entire edition “fits”. The motto Be THE DANCE YOU WANT to see unequivocally portrays the inner strength of unique artistic phenomena, choreographers and dancers who have something to tell us, changing us observers with their creativity and their view of the world. The openness and desire of people to change themselves is a rare trait today. Despite this, the dance that our Festival brings is bold and fresh. From Akram Khan and Jasmin Vardimon, who arranged some anthology scenes from their ballets and boldly changed their context and idea, to new appearances on the world stage, such as Chiara Bartl, who instead of a ballet floor chooses a heated field on which movements are underlined by sparks, or Kalle Nio, who tests our patience with perfect techniques that erase the force of gravity. After all, the Festival has forever changed the generations of its audience, as well as the trends of artistic dance in this region. Numerous critics of international reputation testify to this. If we didn’t change ourselves from the roots every time, risking everything and believing in the best dance, we wouldn’t even count these many years. Giving up was out of the question, although there were always many reasons“.
As part of a consistently great program, what are the new features or events we can’t miss? “From the moment Spanish choreographer Marcos Morau entered the Aterballetto hall in Reggio Emilia and announced a new piece, I knew the show would be a hit. Even as a child, Morau was obsessed with the music of Morricone, and dreamed of making a tribute to the famous composer, and Aterballetto is simply the perfect company for contemporary dance. The music will move from the cinema hall to the big theater stage, and it will be an unforgettable evening. I draw attention to one piece that will take us from the theater to the open swimming pools of SC Tašmajdan in Belgrade. It is the performance “Rozeo” by the French troupe Gratte Ciel, which for the first time brings an astonishing ballet to our festival at a height of about 15 meters. The piece is intended for the whole family, and teaches us about the invisible beauty of movement and life itself… Don’t miss out on being the dance you want to see!”
Check the full programme of the website of Belgrade Dance Festival: https://belgradedancefestival.com/program