ImPulsTanz

ImPulsTanz – Europe’s largest dance festival – returns for the 41st time between July 11 and August 11. This year, the international dance and performance scene is coming to Vienna for the second time. On top of the performances, there will be 250 workshops at the Vienna Arsenal for those who don’t just want to watch, as well as the free outdoor Public Moves dance classes.

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In the summer of 2024, there will be plenty of emotion-filled dancing once again when Vienna becomes the European hub of contemporary dance. ImPulsTanz will once more be presenting a remarkable range of performances and numerous workshops and research projects for active participants. The festival is good for the city: Visitors, workshop participants, performers, and choreographers form a multicultural, open community, which leaves its mark on the city in summer.

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Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui/Eastman (BE): 3S — Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui / Eastman (BE): 3S – © Filip Van Roe

Lucy Guerin Inc. (AU): How To Be Us – © Gregory Lorenzutti

ImPulsTanz 2024 - Performance "Jumelles" by Anne Juren & Frédéric Gies — Anne Juren (AT/FR) & Frédéric Gies (AT/SE): Jumelles – © Thomas Zamolo

Ishmael Houston Jones & Keith Hennessy (US): TRY – © Robbie Sweeney

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui / Eastman (BE): 3S – © Filip Van Roe

Lucy Guerin Inc. (AU): How To Be Us – © Gregory Lorenzutti

Anne Juren (AT/FR) & Frédéric Gies (AT/SE): Jumelles – © Thomas Zamolo

Ishmael Houston Jones & Keith Hennessy (US): TRY – © Robbie Sweeney

Stars from Kentridge to Keermaeker

ImPulsTanz 2024 will dazzle audiences with its unique variety of performances on Vienna’s numerous stages and in its museums. Highlights include key moments from dance history, revivals and world premieres, from large-scale stage shows to intimate formats, from icons to newcomers. Want some examples?

South African choreographer Dada Masilo will present her interpretation of Hamlet.
William Kentridge, another South African, brings André Breton, Frida Kahlo, Frantz Fanon and Claude Lévi-Strauss, among others, to the Burgtheater with The Great Yes, The Great No.
In Vocabularium, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker takes the audience on a journey through the last 40 years of her company Rosas. Creation 2024 is dedicated to Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons with dancer Radouan Mriziga, violinist Amandine Beyer and their ensemble.
In Wim Vandekeybus’ latest work Infamous Offspring, his group Ultima Vez ventures into the labyrinth of ancient myths with flamenco legend Israel Galván.
The Flemish-Moroccan choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and his company Eastman in 3S draw invisible lines between their countries of birth.
William Forsythe is bringing a major exhibition of his work to the MAK – Vienna Museum of Applied Arts. Four installations will be on show there, including the interactive video installation City of Abstracts.
Alexander Vantournhout presents his first group piece Foreshadow.

Classics and newcomers

The festival is re-staging acclaimed pieces under the ImPulsTanz Classic heading. Among them this year is (M)IMOSA from the series Twenty Looks of Paris is Burning at The Judson Church by Cecilia Bengolea / François Chaignaud / Marlene Monteiro Freitas / Trajal Harrell, performed at ImPulsTanz in 2013 - in which they bring the Harlem voguing scene together with pioneers of postmodern dance.

French choreographer Maud Le Pladec and Canadian performance duo Andrew Tay & Stephen Thompson will be taking part in ImPulsTanz for the first time.

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ImPulsTanz Workshop Dynamics, Rhythm and Texture with Kristina and Sadé Alleyne – © Koneé Pics

ImPulsTanz Workshop World Dance - Karine La Bel, dancers in motion — ImPulsTanz Workshop World Dance with Karine La Bel – © Martina Lamovsek

ImPulsTanz Workshop 2021 with Daybee Dorzile — ImPulsTanz Workshop with Daybee Dorzile – © Shan Robitzky

Nina Saurugg bei einem Luftsprung im MuseumsQuartier — Long-standing workshop participant Nina Saurugg in action in the MuseumsQuartier – © Karolina Miernik

Nina Saurugg bei einem Contemporary Jazz Workshop mit Profitänzer und Choreograf Salim Gauwloos — Nina Saurugg at a contemporary jazz workshop with professional dancer and choreographer Salim Gauwloos – © Facundo Gabba 2015

ImPulsTanz Workshop Dynamics, Rhythm and Texture with Kristina and Sadé Alleyne – © Koneé Pics

ImPulsTanz Workshop World Dance with Karine La Bel – © Martina Lamovsek

ImPulsTanz Workshop with Daybee Dorzile – © Shan Robitzky

Long-standing workshop participant Nina Saurugg in action in the MuseumsQuartier – © Karolina Miernik

Nina Saurugg at a contemporary jazz workshop with professional dancer and choreographer Salim Gauwloos – © Facundo Gabba 2015

Let's dance

Dancing for yourself is about feeling oneself. In all intensity. The ImPulsTanz workshops – in parallel with the performance program – therefore cordially invite absolutely everyone to do so, from beginners to trained dancers. Many workshop participants are so enthusiastic that they return year after year and share their passion for dance as a big ImPulsTanz community.

More than 250 workshops and research projects will be held in the light-filled studios at the Arsenal, ranging from ballet to hip-hop and modern dance to voguing.

Among the lecturers are exciting newcomers from around the world, such as Sophia Rodríguez, RubberLegz and Marie Kaae. Fan-favorites Laura Arís, Zvi Gotheiner and Joe Alegado will be returning to the stage.

There will also be the extremely popular free outdoor dance classes Public Moves, which will be taking place at seven locations across the city. Everyone is welcome to join in free of charge and learn about different styles of dance from international and local instructors – from African dance to contemporary dance.

Let's Party

ImPulsTanz is also about partying together. The meeting point is the ImPulsTanz Festival Lounge in the Burgtheater vestibule. Here is where the music program Soçial takes place, here is the space for concerts and DJ sets with a different program every evening. The Live'n'Local series focuses on Austrian live acts and highly promising newcomers. At ImPulsTanz on Decks, ImPulsTanz artists, partners, and employees play their favorite tracks – diverse, not always perfect, but all the more charming for it. The two huge ImPulsTanz parties in the courtyard of Vienna City Hall are legendary.

Dance tips away from ImPulsTanz

In Tanzquartier Wien, contemporary dance and performance are at home, and dance events of every kind are listed on the event calendar. Vienna is historically connected with "its" Viennese waltz, which guests of the city can also learn in the classical dance schools – in preparation for attending a Viennese ball.