Biennale College Danza: new call for applications open until 6 March

In his fifth year as Director of Biennale Danza, Wayne McGregor will be leading the Biennale College Danza. This unique training programme is designed to equip 16 young dancers with new skills, knowledge and abilities in their chosen career path; nurtured by inspiring world-class teachers, coaches, choreographers and industry professionals. Through high quality technical, creative, improvisatory, performance and audience experiences the 2025 cohort will immerse themselves in an intensive three-month programme.

In an introductory residency, McGregor and his team will concentrate on exploring evolved Physical Thinking through choreographic and performance practices. This intensive program will enhance the group’s collaborative skills in preparation for creating work together, while also sharing techniques for generating dance material and composition.

Renowned choreographer Sasha Waltz will present an evening of dance with Biennale College Danza, showcasing her adaptation of Terry Riley's iconic work, In C. Created as a variable dance interpretation of this piece, intentionally designed not to be a fixed stage performance, this is an experimental system of 53 choreographic figures for a structured improvisation with clear rules and laws: In C is a dynamic, modular piece that examines the dialogue between dance, music and space, both digitally and in real life.

In a unique site-specific project THE HERDS, Biennale College will collaborate on an unprecedented large-scale public art and climate change initiative. As Herds of life-size puppet animals invade city centres from Kinshasa to the furthest edge of Norway, fleeing the depredation of their environment due to climate change – Biennale College Danza will encounter The Herds in Venice creating a bespoke choreographic intervention by hip-hop star Anthony Matsena.

Continuing our ambition to have the greatest living dance artists in dialogue and collaboration with Biennale College (past years have included Alessandra Ferri, Carlos Acosta, Saburo Teshigawara, Cristina Caprioli, Carolyn Carlson and more), our participants will have our 2025 Golden Lion superstar polymath Twyla Tharp as guest speaker.

Biennale College dancers will also collaborate with 2 emerging choreographers (see separate call out) who will each present their own short creations during the 19th International Festival of Contemporary Dance of La Biennale di Venezia.

Dancers selected for this programme will have access to individual mentoring, masterclasses and talks and will attend the international performances by companies invited to Biennale Dance 2025.

The project will take place from May 15^th to August 2^nd 2025.

Call for dancers

Alongside this bespoke learning and study programme, there will be a specific pathway for 2 early career choreographers.

With curated mentorship from McGregor, the selected choreographers will have the opportunity to explore and question their own dance practice, with a view to reaching further into their creative self. Encouraging a critical self-reflection and a broadening of artistic possibility the programme affords intensive time and space for choreographic/conceptual development through the practical making and sharing of new site-specific work for and with Biennale College dancers. As a career forward pathway, the initiative is designed to support and champion a new generation of choreographers through hands on experience and motivating challenge. Vitally this will also include a focus on the ‘business of choreography’ from IP to contracts, getting commissions to working with collaborators - arming artists with the foundational livelihood skills to compose and execute their real-world working portfolio. Interfacing with the dancer pathway outlined above, including daily class, masterclasses, choreographer observer-ships, festival performances/talks and mini-residencies will be woven into each choreographer’s plan.   

The project will take place from May 15^th to August 2^nd 2025.

Call for choreographers

Biennale College is an experience that since 2012 has complemented all the Departments of La Biennale di Venezia – Art, Architecture, Cinema, Dance, Music, Theatre, ASAC – to promote young talents, offering them the opportunity to work in close contact with mentors to develop creations that will become part of the artistic programmes.

Biennale College, organized by La Biennale di Venezia, enjoys the support of the Ministry of the Cultural Heritage and Activities – General Directorate for the Performing Arts and the Regione del Veneto.