»A cup of coffee with … « 2024 & 2025
Every second Thursday of the month from 9 to 10 am, choreographers, dance mediators and cultural managers share their experiences of choreography and dance in rural regions in the Zoom series »Auf einen Kaffee mit …«.
They discuss challenges, opportunities and best practices – once again with international guests in 2025. Moderated by Pascal Sangl (Tanzszene Baden-Württemberg), the series sheds light on the path from vision to realisation, from individual initiatives to collaborations and sustainable structures. All interested parties are cordially invited!
Pascal Sangl is a choreographer, dancer and dance mediator working in the Stuttgart region and beyond. As a cultural mediator, he sees it as his responsibility to sustainably strengthen society through art and culture – for peaceful coexistence.
Coffee Talk Archive 2024 & 2025 – Watch all the insights on replay
September 25, 2025 I Bernardo San Rafael on how dance can challenge the far-right rise in rural Germany
In this talk Bernardo San Rafael discusses his work in the public spaces of Demmin, a town in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, where he uses dance as a tool to counter the far-right shift in rural Germany. He emphasizes the importance of building strong networks and ensuring the sustainability of cultural projects to create a lasting social impact.
His career includes dancing for major German institutions such as Stadttheater Freiburg, Deutsche Rheinoper Düsseldorf/Duisburg, Theater Dortmund, and Oper Bonn, as well as performing with Angie Hiesl and Roland Kaiser in Cologne. As a teacher, he has led workshops in Istanbul (CATI), Skiathos (ERASMUS), Athens (ECHODRAMA), Freiburg (Bewegungsart), and Düsseldorf (Tanzhaus NRW). He has also collaborated with Plöger/Winkler/Becker in Düsseldorf and joined the Stuttgart-based theater company Lokstoff.
Today, Bernardo focuses on creating his own performances in non-theatrical settings, aiming to guarantee accessibility to the art of dance and foster dialogue in communities beyond traditional cultural venues. Learn more in Bernardo`s talk!
June 12, 2025 I Ralph Lister on UK based rural development organisation »Take Art«
Ralph Lister has led »Take Art«, a UK-based rural development organisation with a specialism in rural touring, for 30 years. »Take Art« is a non-building-based arts development organisation located on a farm in rural southwest England. It is funded by »Arts Council England« (ACE) and has an annual turnover of approximately €650,000. He led the first »SPARSE« project from 2018 to 2021 and also oversaw »Take Art’s« involvement in Ruritage, a Horizon-funded rural regeneration project from 2018 to 2022, in which its rural touring programme served as a model. He co-led the first »Perform Europe« project and was a founding member of the National Rural Touring Forum, representing UK rural touring schemes. Through »Take Art«, he also carries out advocacy, research, and evaluation functions for »SPARSE Plus«, contracted by the lead Italian performing arts partner, »AMAT«, based in the Marche Region.
In his talk, Ralph shares the story of building »Take Art«, its activities, and its importance to the Somerset region in southwest England, as well as his role in the EU project »SPARSE Plus« and its invaluable research insights on dance in rural areas.
»SPARSE Plus« is presented (by Bêbê de Soares) in another one of our Coffee Talks.
May 8, 2025 I Barbara Bess on the Artist-in-Residence Program »SOMATIC« (Mittelfranken)
Barbara Bess is a choreographer, dancer, and curator whose work explores the intersection of urban and rural spatial cultures. Since 2021, she has been developing the »SOMATIC« Artist-in-Residence Program for Movement Research at a former village school in the Bavarian region of Middle Franconia.
The »Alte Schule« (Old School) serves as a dynamic research platform, providing artists from various disciplines the opportunity to realize projects, collaborate, and exchange ideas. It fosters sustainable modes of artistic production while facilitating knowledge generation through collective engagement. The program welcomes performers, visual artists, dancers, multimedia artists, sculptors, and more.
Built around 1900 as a brick villa, the »Alte Schule« is located on the outskirts of Kirchfembach, a quiet village near Nuremberg, surrounded by serene yet inspiring landscapes. The surrounding fields, meadows, and fallow lands create a rich environment for outdoor research and site-specific performances.
Learn more about »SOMATIC« and the potential of artistic practice in the rural settings in Mittelfranken Barbara`s talk.
April 10, 2025 I Collective »Kulturland Ogrosen« on combining art, movement, horticulture & education at a former farm in Brandenburg
Nadja Raszewski / choreographer and dance educator and Daniela Grosset / cultural manager and theater teacher have realized many artistic dance productions and socio-cultural projects in a variety of contexts in recent years, in Berlin, Germany and internationally. Their work involves a community art spirit and is always about participation and co-creation of the participants. Autobiographically motivated they have founded the »Kollektiv Kulturland Ogrosen« in 2019 as a response of their desire to expand their field of action into rural areas. Their local activities cover both cultural and educational aspects. They now live on the site of a former pig farm in Ogrosen / Niederlausitz organizing art events in the form of residencies, workshops and performances, and growing flowers as members of the slowflower movement (https://www.slowflower-movement.de/). Various dance productions have already been developed and shown in the expanded dance studios.
“Culture in rural areas should not remain unattainable as an elitist dimension, but rather it should be experienced by everyone.” By combining art, movement, horticulture and education Kulturland Ogrosen offers a wide range of cultural activities to the local community and warmly invites people to experience them. This is what we talk about in this conversation.
www.tanztangente.de/portfolio/kulturland-ogrosen
March 13, 2025 I Bebê de Soares on EU project »SPARSE Plus« on supporting and promoting arts in rural settlements of Europe
The initial »SPARSE« project has established rural touring networks in four European countries from 2018 to 2021. The current »SPARSE Plus« project running from 2023 to 2027 involves 11 partners from 9 European countries and will result in cross-border touring with the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Sweden. This project is funded as a medium scale Creative Europe Co-operation and it involves the following partners: Associazione Marchigiana Attività Teatrali (Marche, Italy) as Coordinator with SA Eesti Tantsuagentuur (Estonia), Artists Group Fish Eye (Lithuania), Shoshin Theatre (Transylvania, Romania), Riksteatern Varmland (Varmland Sweden); with new partners Pro Progressione (Hungary), SINUM (Hungary), Nova Sit (Czech Republic), Teatro 4Garoupas (Germany), Art Fraction Foundation (Poland) and Fondazione Toscana Spettacolo (Tuscany, Italy).
Bebê de Soares is the artistic director of the German SPARSE Plus partner »Teatro 4Garoupas«, located around Cologne. She is a board member of »ASSITEJ« International. Since 2019 she is back in Germany after 8 years in Chile, where she is producer and organizer of tours, residencies and collaborations on a European level, such as »PERFORM EUROPE« and »SPARSE Plus«.
In her talk Bebê de Soares gives an insight on her work within the international rural touring network.
www.sparse.eu / www.facebook.com/SPARSEU/ www.instagram.com/sparseproject/
December 19, 2024 I Final Coffee Talk 2024: »Tanz Nordwärts«, map.weit.draußen, video archive and get-together – with Sabine Chwalisz
In the final Coffee Talk of the year we look back together at our »Tanz Nordwärts« Touring that took place in November 2024 across three northern federal states of Germany. We report on reaching audiences with our mobile dance productions in exciting locations such as the »Zukunftsschloss« Gadebusch, the Kulturkirche Brügge, and several schools within the area. Secondly, we want to point your attention to our »map.weit.draußen«, an interactive mapping tool designed to illustrate where and how dance in rural areas is active. Last but not least, we celebrate the release of our Coffee Talk archive. It offers a chance to rewatch the previous talks or share then with friends and colleagues.
In a relaxed get-together, this Coffee Talk offers insights, exchange, reflections on the format, and time for participants’ remaining questions.
December 5, 2024 / Rui Silveira on Something Great, a non-profit organisation and live arts centre in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
On December 5, 2024, we had a talk with Rui Silveira, founder and co-artistic and managing director of Something Great, a non-profit organisation and live arts centre in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Since 2022, the centre has operated as an international residency for artists and will gradually open its four venues to the public between 2026 and 2030. Located within a large complex of outbuildings at Schloss Mentin in Ruhner Berge – a rural municipality of 14 villages near Parchim – the centre is just 1.5 hours from both Berlin and Hamburg.
In this Coffee Talk, Rui shares the story of Something Great and its transformation from an internationally renowned performing arts touring agency based in Berlin into a cultural charity and live arts centre rooted in an 18.6-hectare manor estate in southwest Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Dedicated to supporting, promoting, and presenting live arts, the centre primarily focuses on contemporary dance and performance art while also welcoming and supporting other art forms, such as visual arts.
November 21, 2024 I Sarah Soethoudt on connecting dance, interdisciplinary autonomy and accessible art in Venlo, the Netherlands
Sarah Soethoudt is a contemporary dancer, choreographer, cultural coach and founding member of the artist collective FLUJAS in Venlo, Noord-Limburg. This region consists mainly of villages and small towns, which is both a blessing and a challenge for any professional artist working in the area. As a dancer and choreographer, Sarah creates site-specific works, using the local forests as both inspiration and setting. She also develops performances for specific purposes, collaborating with partners such as museums and nature organizations. As a culture coach, she helps to lift off local artistic initiatives, supporting both professional artists and inhabitants within Venlo. Finally, FLUJAS is an artist-run collective dedicated to improving working conditions for independent artists across Noord-Limburg. Most creators in this region face challenges related to exposure, finances, collaborations and know-how. FLUJAS brings artists together and gives them the space for trust and creation without pressure.
In this Coffee Talk, Sarah speaks about her interface work as a cultural coach, her artistic practice and collective work with a focus of rural areas in the netherlands.
November 7, 2024 I Christina Elliot on the »Rural Touring Dance Initiative« in the UK
On November 7, 2024, we were excited to host a conversation with Christina Elliot, Head of Programming & Producing at »The Place«, London’s creative powerhouse for dance development. Christina leads The Place’s theatre program, artist development initiatives, as well as new production and touring projects.
In this Coffee Talk, Christina introduces the »Rural Touring Dance Initiative« – a UK-wide project that supports dance artists and rural promoters in bringing high-quality dance performances to rural areas. Since its launch in 2015, RTDI has brought some of the UK’s leading dance companies, such as Lost Dog, Protein, and Scottish Dance Theatre, to rural spaces. Christina shares insights into how RTDI has transformed rural dance touring in the UK and continues to positively shape the wider touring ecology.
October 24, 2024 I Bianca Kruppa on Community Work at »Falsche Farm« (Diebis, Bayern) and the joy of making mistakes
»What can modern, sustainable and culturally diverse rural life look like, where a large variety of people can participate and co-create?«
During this Coffee Talk, Bianca Kruppa shares some of her experiences as a community dance artist and facilitator in the context of her work at »Falsche Farm«. She mainly focuses on community building and personal research questions regarding dance in rural areas. Bianca lives and works in rural southern Germany. Currently she’s studying MA Dance: Participation, Communities, Activism at the London Contemporary Dance School.
With this key question, »Falsche Farm« can be understood as an ongoing place in progress. It holds space for content shaped by the creativity and expertise of its local people. As a co-founder of »Falsche Farm«, Bianca regards this progress as a collective resistance against the pursuit of the supposedly “right answer” – creating space for something new instead. In doing so, Bianca’s community often finds itself on an overwhelming spectrum between aspiration and reality while maintaining the joy of making mistakes.
October 10, 2024 I Markéta Málková on connecting communities and nature through dance in South Bohemia, Czechia
On October 10, 2024, we were excited excited to host a special conversation with Markéta H. Malkova, director of the »REZI.DANCE« artist residency in Komařice, South Bohemia. Since 2016, »REZI.DANCE« has offered dancers from around the world a unique retreat to create in the tranquility of nature while engaging with the local community. Through projects like »The Body in the Region«, Markéta fosters the active participation of local villagers, from children to seniors, in the creative process. She organizes the »HARVEST« festival, bringing contemporary dance directly into the rural landscape.
In this Coffee Talk, Markéta shares her experiences and provides insights into the challenges and opportunities of producing dance in rural areas. She demonstrates how art, nature, and community can successfully come together.
September 26, 2024 I Roberto Casarotto on Curating Dance Projects in North-East Italy
Roberto Casarotto is the co-director of »Aerowaves«, the European Platform for Dance promoting cross-border mobility of the work of emerging dance artists. He is also the initiator of »Dance Well« – Movement Research for Parkinson’s and other processes aimed at fostering participation in cultural activities both on a community and on an individual level. From 2006 to 2022, he was responsible for the dance projects and programs at »Centro per la Scena Contemporanea di Bassano del Grappa« (CSC) and »Operaestate Festival Veneto« in small cities and rural areas in the North East of Italy. He still develops international projects there now, supported by the EU Creative Europe and Erasmus + Programs, aimed at supporting artistic research, engaging local citizens and promoting artistic mobility and development in the field of dance. Prior to working for dance organizations, Roberto was a professional contemporary dancer.
In this Coffee Talk, Roberto gives insights into his wide range of experience in program creation and producing contemporary international dance in rural areas of northern Italy.
September 12, 2024 I Pablo Sansalvador on Guiding Dance Productions and Embracing Failure
In this talk Pablo Sansalvador delves into his dynamic approach to nurturing and promoting dance in communities beyond the metropolitan spotlight. Drawing from his extensive experience, Pablo reports on how he captivates potential stakeholders, builds dedicated audiences, secures funding and oversees the entire dance production process — from initial concept through touring and final dissemination. Pablo`s journey was not just marked by successes but also by setbacks, which he regards as invaluable learning experiences. He candidly shares these personal failures and the lessons they’ve taught him, emphasizing the importance of “learning by doing” in the often unpredictable world of dance production.
This Coffee Talk provides deep insights for dance makers and supporters alike, particularly those working in or aspiring to reach communities outside major cultural hubs. Pablo Sansalvador is a freelance creator, dance artist and the artistic leader of TanzLabor Ulm.
July 11, 2024 I Hannah Ma about radical solidarity in dance
»Lost in No(W/H)here? The need for community building through radical solidarity« – That`s the topic of this talk.
We need radical solidarity to build the intersectional bridges the world requires. What can dance do? How can dance be that bridge? How can dance have a radical solidarity effect? What can this impetus mean locally and translocally in the exchange between the Global North and the Global South? How do we deal with structural racism, classism, abelism, and all other forms of discrimination in our local contexts? How can we jointly translate findings globally? We have learned that neither applying theories nor translating terms (e.g. “Asian Americans” to “asiatische Amerikaner”) can reflect the realities, histories, and representations of marginalization. It needs the creation of safer and braver spaces where we can find deeper understanding and unlearn binaries. How can we create spaces around dance in rural areas where we work together long-term and form friendships, networks, and communities that cultivate and promote these spaces? How can we create spaces for dance in rural areas where we can work together long-term, form friendships, networks and communities that cultivate and promote discourse and reflection (on privilege), solidarity and empathy?
June 27, 2024 I Charlotte Mathiessen about the work of »TanzPlan Ost«
»TanzPlan Ost« is the unique funding platform for contemporary dance in the region of Eastern Switzerland/Principality of Liechtenstein. The two-year program cycle begins with the ChoreoLab, a workshop and exchange week for professional dance makers. Following this, two artists are invited to develop a new stage piece as part of the Associate Artist Program and present it on tour at various venues in Eastern Switzerland. The three formats contribute to effectively supporting dance creators, networking with each other, sustainably anchoring dance in the region, specifically strengthening it, making it (more) visible and attracting an audience for it. »TanzPlan Ost« is managed by Mona de Weerdt and Romeo Oliveras.
»TanzPlan Ost« is presented by Charlotte Mathiessen, dramaturge, choreographer and dancer. Charlotte was part of »ChoreoLab« in 2022 and has worked on two Associate Artist projects as a performer and dramaturge. In this Coffee Talk, she explains the project in more detail.
https://www.tanzplan-ost.ch/editorial
June 13, 2024 I Kick-off event with the team of »tanz weit draußen«
On June 13 a new series started. In the recording of the opening, Pascal Sangl and Elisabeth Nehring provide a thematic preview of the following editions with international guests, and the ‘tanz weit draußen’ network introduces itself and its work. Representatives of the regional teams from Brandenburg, Baden-Württemberg, Schleswig-Holstein/Hamburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, from Aktion Tanz and the project management team present the project, answer questions and engage in discussion.