Appeal of the German Ballet and Dance Theatre Directors Conference (BBTK) and the German Dance Association (DTD)
www.help-dance.org – Help and support for refugee dance artists from Ukraine and the bordering regions
Right now, thousands of people are fleeing Ukraine to escape violence and seek security during the war of aggression on the country. Some of these refugees are dancers and dance professionals. Likewise, artists from Russia and Belarus are also facing hardship.
While these individuals will need help navigating the social situation and the trauma of their escape, it is also important that they receive assistance with establishing professional connections. We must provide training opportunities, especially for dancers, as a small gesture of solidarity. Without training opportunities, especially over a long period of time, these refugee artists may lose not just physical strength but also confidence in their own abilities and hope for the future.
As a show of support, numerous ballet and dance companies have already offered support and are receiving inquiries. Many other institutions also want to help. In the medium term, refugee dancers will need assistance navigating insurance questions and residence permits, and they will need support to find financial security in these uncertain times. Istvan Simon (Praetorian Non-Profit Art and Health Consulting) has launched an initiative for collecting inquiries and offers.
The Bundesdeutsche Ballett- und Tanztheaterdirektor*innen Konferenz (German Ballet and Dance Theatre Directors Conference, BBTK) and the Dachverband Tanz Deutschland (DTD) are taking up the Praetorian Non-Profit Art and Health Consulting initiative by setting up a platform:
www.help-dance.org – Help and support for refugee dance artists from Ukraine and the bordering regions
Please direct all inquiries and information for the platform team to: help-dance@dachverband-tanz.de
The platform brings together:
• Training offers from ensembles
• Inquiries from refugee artists
• Information on issues of residence, health insurance and other benefits, the legal situation, regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic, etc.
• Additional support options
The information will also be available in German, Ukrainian and Russian.
The platform is jointly managed by BBTK, DTD and Praetorian.
Contacts and information from the associations and institutions
German Ballet and Dance Theatre Directors Conference (BBTK)
Heather Jurgensen – Ballet Kiel (Executive Committee of the BBTK)
Heather.jurgensen(at)kiel.de
Tel. +49 431 901 2858
Dachverband Tanz Deutschland
Valentina Boroni, Sarah Holzmann, Merel Roozen
E-mail: help-dance(at)dachverband-tanz.de
Praetorian Non-Profit Art and Health Consulting
Istvan Simon
info(at)praetorianprojects.com
Tel. +49 174 3532 469
Download PDF (in English)