Despite big stages, dazzling productions and prestigious events, the situation is bleak for many independent artists, and the trend is downwards.
And yet they carry on, because making art - like breathing - is essential. One of them is Sophie Yukiko. Born in Cologne, she has lived in Berlin for over eight years and works here as a freelancer. As a dancer, actress and author - but above all an artist - she is talented and versatile. In order to survive as a freelance artist in Germany, she also relies on her various careers. I asked Sophie about her career, her life reality, attitude, fears and also hopes, especially after the 2025 federal elections.
ZOE: How did you get into dancing?
Sophie Yukiko: Through my mother, who was a dancer herself. I was so little when I took my first ballet lessons that I can't even remember them.
ZOE: Has dance always been political for you?
Sophie Yukiko: No, it actually wasn't, because I was lucky enough to be given space early on to experience dance as an expression for myself and to learn to dance at the same time, so that I danced before I wanted to make a political statement. For me, dance was something natural, a part of my cycle and being. For me as a child and adolescent, dancing was more of a necessity like sleeping, eating or breathing. Of course, from today's perspective, I also have a politicized view of my relationship to dance. The need to dance that I felt as a child and teenager was probably a means of regulating my emotions and reacting to my reality. However, the conscious decision to use dance and my body as a political tool only came in adulthood.
ZOE: How is your political stand expressed in dance?
Sophie Yukiko: I think I'm still exploring this for myself - although I suspect that this search will not come to an end. My first works spoke politically about the relationship to the spaces in which I staged dance or performed it myself. I was very busy trying to understand what it means exactly which bodies are allowed to dance where and which are perhaps not. I am currently engaged in a negotiation with the dance form itself, its meaning and my internalized Eurocentric view of a supposedly qualitative dance. I guess you could say I'm trying - sometimes failing miserably - to decolonize my dance and thus also my body to a certain extent.
ZOE: In addition to dance, you also work as an actress and author, art forms that can supposedly convey messages and make statements much more directly. Despite your diverse artistic talents, you always find your way back to dance. Why is that?
Sophie Yukiko: A big reason I keep performing or working with dance is because the industries I'm trying to break into as a writer and actress are incredibly inaccessible, especially for non-academically trained artists. The belief that making art is only legitimate if you have previously attended a renowned institution and successfully completed its training persists in Germany. The fact that a lifetime of artistic work and experience outside of institutions can also teach you an artistic craft is not recognized. So I always end up back at dance because I am seen as a dancer - and often exclusively as a dancer and not as an artist. But I go round in circles, because with all the rejection I have experienced in recent years, it is precisely dance - just like in childhood - in whose arms I then seek and find comfort and am reminded of who I am and what I want.
ZOE: How would you describe the reality of your life and the lives of people around you who are involved in the performing arts to someone who has no contact with this reality?
Sophie Yukiko: It's a totally strange reality. Because as an experienced artist in Berlin, at some point you have access to places that are prestigious. You get invited to premieres and vernissages, you know directors, producers, publicists and you yourself get recognized. But a few days ago, I did a cash check for my projects in 2025 and, despite many offers and almost 100% capacity utilization, the bill doesn't add up. It's a life in the lower income group. If someone isn't in the fortunate position of receiving lots of offers, they can't really survive as a performer in the independent scene. The only way to survive is with basic funding and grants, from which many people are excluded. And these grants are becoming less and less.
In Germany, the idea prevails that low-income people are uneducated and have and perform jobs that we don't associate with prestige. However, when it comes to class today, the biographies and realities involved are usually much more complex. They cannot only be defined by the places where they take place, but are a complex web of education, networks, cultural capital and individual biographies, income and profession.
ZOE: That's an insightful observation, the discrepancy between prestige and actual resources. And the actual resources in the form of funding are constantly decreasing and are hitting the independent performing arts particularly hard. How do you view the current cultural policy situation in Berlin, where last year's cuts signaled an attitude that not only ignores but also devalues the social significance of diversity and inclusion?
Sophie Yukiko: I dress warmly and roll up my sleeves. Because if I can't have financial stability anyway, then I at least want to hit on the table a little and be uncomfortable.
ZOE: Roll up your sleeves is the order of the day. When you see the rise of right-wing sentiment, you have no other choice, it's getting more insecure here and not just financially. As an artist, woman, black and queer person. What hopes and fears do you have for the next four years after the election?
Sophie: My fears are actually quieter right now because everything I've been afraid of for the last ten years has come true and worse, so now I know I can trust my judgment. There is chaos and madness ahead of us, and I believe that art is needed in precisely these times to archive what is happening and to show how much it hurts. My hope is that this time will lead to the development of complicity and solidarity, which in turn can really make a difference. In the heart, in the head, in culture and ultimately also - because it can always be steered by culture - in politics.
Comment:
With this in mind: Happy Women's History Month. But how much reason do we have to celebrate? To mark International Women's Day 2025, Verdi has published several articles on the gender pay gap between self-employed artists in the cultural sector and an analysis of how the cuts are exacerbating the problem.
It becomes clear that not only do freelance artists often live in precarious financial circumstances, but the pay gap between male and female artists is also very large. What we need in terms of cultural policy, in addition to more resources in general, are concrete programs that ensure equal opportunities in the independent art and culture scene. On behalf of the Ethics Commission, I would like to draw your attention to the statistics and demands of Verdi Kultur:
Gender pay gap in culture continues to rise
https://kunst-kultur.verdi.de/schwerpunkte/soziale-lage/zahlen-daten-fakten/++co++8608d6ac-f809-11ef-9081-91171a2ed43f
For more info on Sophie Yukiko and her thoughts on theater, read her latest article for Schirnmag, a reflection on power systems, hierarchies, diversity and change
“The great theater”,
https://www.schirn.de/schirnmag/das-grosse-theater/
The DTD Ethics Commission is working for a dance environment that is sensitive to discrimination, respectful and safe. These principles for the dance landscape can only be realised in a democratic and tolerant society. However, at a time when a party that is in some parts of the political spectrum far-right and therefore anti-democratic has a large electorate, it is important to take a clear stance. In view of the upcoming federal elections, we would like to call on everyone to use their vote and take part in the elections.
In the 2021 federal elections, around a quarter of all eligible voters did not use their vote. A low number of voters can help extreme parties to gain more influence and ultimately only act in the interests of a small proportion of society. Voting is a privilege that must be utilised. Democracy, which forms the basis for a free artistic and cultural landscape, must be protected and supported. In solidarity with all the dance professionals who help shape the German dance scene, and especially for those among them who do not have the right to vote, we call on you to go and vote.
Use your vote on 23 February 2025!
Berlin is making cuts and the area of inclusion and diversity in art and culture, including dance, is suffering as a result. The diversity fund (IMPACT funding) is likely to be cancelled and with it the funding of projects by deaf and disabled cultural workers. The Foundation Kulturelle Weiterbildung is to be abolished, as are the Diversity Arts Culture project office and the Institute for Cultural Participation Research (IKTf). The work of the Diversity Arts Culture project office in particular is unique and exemplary throughout Germany in the area of counselling institutions and cultural workers with regard to the removal of barriers and discrimination. The IKTf analyses audience behaviour and has proven to be a necessary instrument for opening up new audiences and enabling diversity in participation. The diversity offensive, a funding programme that promotes diversity developments at Berlin institutions, is in danger of being cancelled.
The drastic cuts have hit disabled, deaf and chronically ill cultural workers particularly hard, as well as cultural workers affected by racism, anti-Semitism, trans* and inter-hostility.
Berlin's diversity initiatives have so far successfully contributed to a democratic arts landscape. Their dismantling is a major step backwards in cultural development. It promotes injustice in the distribution of resources and thus enables the abuse of power and exploitation. This requires broad solidarity from all of us. The Ethics Commission of the Dachverband Tanz Deutschland therefore criticises these measures in the strongest possible terms and demands that they be corrected.
1. Die Gesundheit der Menschen wird auch durch ihre sozialen Beziehungen bestimmt
Aus biologischer Sicht gehört der Mensch zu einer Gruppe und kann nur als Mitglied einer Gemeinschaft gesund funktionieren, wenn die zwischenmenschlichen Beziehungen auf Vertrauen, emotionaler Sicherheit, Unterstützung, transparenter Kommunikation, Kooperation und Solidarität beruhen[1]. Soziale Beziehungen wirken sich direkt auf das zentrale Nervensystem, die Gedächtnisbildung, den Tonus von Sympathikus- und Parasympathikus, die neuro-endokrinen Systeme, die Entzündungsmodulation und die Hormonregulation (z. B. Cortisol, Sexualhormone usw.) aus[2]. Studien belegen, dass ein ausgeprägtes pro-soziales Verhalten eine genetische, organische und neurologische Grundlage hat[3], und damit aus evolutionärer Sicht die soziale Integration ein Schlüssel zum Überleben des Menschen ist. Von daher stellen Ausgrenzung oder Marginalisierung aus der Gruppe sowie Ablehnung, alle Arten von Diskriminierung (einschließlich sexueller Belästigung), emotional missbräuchliche oder ausbeuterische Beziehungen, Schikane und Mobbing, übermäßige Machtkonzentration und dysfunktionale Machtasymmetrien einen nicht zu unterschätzenden Stressfaktor dar[4]. Auch ermöglichen soziale Beziehungen einen besseren Zugang zu geeigneten Gesundheitsdiensten und beeinflussen somit alle drei Aspekte des bio-psycho-sozialen Modells der Gesundheit.
2. Ethische Prinzipien in den Darstellenden Künsten
Eine der grundlegenden Determinanten sozialer Interaktionen sind die ethischen Normen, an denen sich Gemeinschaften orientieren; sie haben einen großen Einfluss auf die Gesundheit des Einzelnen[5]. Ethische Prinzipien basieren auf einer gemeinsamen Vereinbarung einer Gruppe über Wertentscheidungen. Sie prägen die moralischen Grundsätze des zwischenmenschlichen Miteinanders, d. h. was in der Gruppe als richtig und was als falsch angesehen wird. Einige dieser Grundsätze sind gesetzlich kodifiziert, andere sind ungeschriebene Regeln (wie z.B. Höflichkeitsformen), und wieder andere spiegeln sich in kollektiv vereinbarten und normativen, aber nicht gesetzlich festgelegten Leitlinien wider. In den darstellenden Künsten müssen ethische Fragen komplex angegangen werden, denn künstlerisches Schaffen gerät oft in Widerspruch zu ethisch akzeptablen Verhaltensweisen. So stellte der Dramaturg Björn Bicker 2020 fest: „Viele Menschen in Theaterberufen haben keine Lust mehr in einem Klima der Angst und Überforderung zu arbeiten. Seit Jahren wird die unerträgliche Diskrepanz zwischen fortschrittlich-emanzipatorischem Gestus auf der Bühne und dem patriarchalen, ausbeuterischen, auf Willkürherrschaft basierenden Arbeitsalltag hinter den Kulissen beklagt.[6]” Im 21. Jahrhundert ist das Recht des Einzelnen auf Gesundheit als ein grundlegendes Menschenrecht definiert, aber in den darstellenden Künsten, einschließlich des Tanzes, führt dies oft zu Konflikten mit der künstlerischen Freiheit. Diese Interessenkonflikte müssen an runden Tischen, in offenen Foren und auf Konferenzen erörtert werden, zumal das Ungleichgewicht der Macht bedeutet, dass Aspekte des Gesundheitsschutzes von Natur aus benachteiligt sind (z. B. Choreograf*in/künstlerische*r Direktor*in vs. Tänzer*in, Ballettmeister vs. Tanzstudent*in).
3. Wie können ethische Prinzipien die Gesundheitsförderung im Tanz unterstützen?
Muskel-Skelett-Erkrankungen, akute Verletzungen sowie endokrinologische Probleme und psychische Erkrankungen (z.B. Essstörungen, PTBS)[7] sind bei professionellen Tänzer*innen überrepräsentiert[8]. Wenig Aufmerksamkeit wird trotz zahlreicher tanzmedizinischer Befunde den Auswirkungen sozialer Tanzgemeinschaften auf die individuelle Gesundheit geschenkt. Ausgearbeitete ethische Leitlinien, durch die Transparenz, Anti-Missbrauch und Anti-Diskriminierung gefördert werden, fehlen.[9] So gilt es für die Praxis, schriftliche Ethikleitlinien und Verhaltenskodizes zu entwickeln, Beratungsangebote, regelmäßige Schulungen und Coachings anzubieten sowie Maßnahmen zu Organisationsdiagnostik und Monitoring einzuführen. Ethikleitlinien sollten eine klare Unterscheidung zwischen akzeptablen und inakzeptablen Verhaltensweisen aufweisen, eindeutige Definitionen (Body Shaming, Mobbing, Belästigung, transparente und durchsetzungsfähige Kommunikation usw.) beinhalten, Wege der Beschwerdebearbeitung und Sanktionen sowie Schutzmaßnahmen aufzeigen (s. dazu das Muster einer Betriebsvereinbarung des DTD[10].) Mit der konsequenten Berücksichtigung sozialer Aspekte von Gesundheit ist ein erweitertes Gesundheitsbewusstsein, somit eine Verringerung der Risikofaktoren für die psychische und physische Gesundheit zu erwarten. Auch kann ein demokratischer Zugang zu Gesundheits- und Rehabilitationsdiensten eine schnellere und professionellere Rehabilitation ermöglichen und nicht zuletzt auch eine Senkung der Kosten bewirken. Für Künstler*innen kann dies mehr Raum für freies, innovatives Schaffen und eine auf guter Gesundheit basierende Selbstdarstellung ermöglichen.
Boglárka Simon-Hatala
[1] Holt-Lunstad, J. (2018). Why social relationships are important for physical health: A systems approach to understanding and modifying risk and protection. Annual review of psychology, 69(1), 437-458.
[2] Sbarra, D. A., & Coan, J. A. (2018). Relationships and health: The critical role of affective science. Emotion Review, 10(1), 40-54.
[3] Woo, B. M., Tan, E., & Hamlin, J. K. (2022). Human morality is based on an early-emerging moral core. Annual Review of Developmental Psychology, 4(1), 41-61.
[4] Cacioppo, J. T., & Cacioppo, S. (2014). Social relationships and health: The toxic effects of perceived social isolation. Social and personality psychology compass, 8(2), 58-72.
[5] https://www.britannica.com/topic/ethics-philosophy
[6] https://web.archive.org/web/20200723133559/https://, www.br.de/kultur/bjoern-bicker-theater-der-zukunft-100.html
[7] Thomson, P., & Jaque, S. (2015). Posttraumatic stress disorder and psychopathology in dancers. Medical problems of performing artists, 30(3), 157-162.
[8] Jacobs, C. L., Cassidy, J. D., Côté, P., Boyle, E., Ramel, E., Ammendolia, C., ... & Schwartz, I. (2017). Musculoskeletal injury in professional dancers: prevalence and associated factors: an international cross-sectional study. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 27(2), 153-160.
[9] Jackson, N. M. (2022). Dance and Ethics: Moving Towards a More Humane Dance Culture. Intellect.
[10] https://www.dachverband-tanz.de/fileadmin/dateien_DTD/Muster_DV_BV_01.04.2023___Dokument_mit_allen_Anha%CC%88ngen_.pdf
The Ethics Commission of the Dachverband Tanz Deutschland warns of the federal government's planned funding cuts for the independent dance scene and the resulting discrimination and power imbalances.
Many artists and cultural workers in the dance sector are already living in precarious situations. In addition to their artistic work, they often have to take on second jobs and worry about the next project commitment in order to secure their finances. The current funding guidelines are already associated with high requirements. They demand constant innovation and new ideas, so that projects cannot be repeated and can only be developed further in exceptional cases. All these structures, combined with a high level of bureaucracy, make sustainable work almost impossible at present.
The planned funding cuts and the cancellation of the budget for the Bündnis Internationale Produktionshäuser endangers the fair practice of the dance profession and threatens the continued existence of the independent scene. A lack of financial, material and human resources not only has a direct impact on artistic quality, but also on interpersonal relationships. Fair fees, fair working hours and well-equipped teams are essential for ethical co-operation. The federal government's efforts override ethical principles (such as anti-discrimination, sensitivity to structural power imbalances and sexualised violence), which the Ethics Commission advocates. We are moving backwards with such measures.
Through this political decision, the representatives of the federal government are distancing themselves from the realities and needs of a large part of the population and excluding less privileged people from art and culture by weakening the independent cultural scene. The planned measures will structurally reinforce hierarchies and the creation and consumption of art and culture will (once again) become a privilege to which only a few have access. The independent scene is the art space that is closest to the reality of many people's lives. It picks up on political phenomena and reflects on them, creates space for debate and sometimes even triggers social movements.
The population has a right to such an offer, because only a strong independent scene represents the true diversity of our society and a strong democracy.
In order to permanently protect the independent arts, in particular dance as an art form and its performers, from discrimination and to strengthen its existence, the Ethics Commission of the DTD demands an immediate revision and correction of the cutback decisions.
In March this year, the German Cultural Council focused on the topic of „sexualisierte Gewalt im Kulturbetrieb“("sexualised violence in the cultural sector") in its monthly newspaper " Politik und Kultur". The collection of 20 articles is entitled „Hinschauen und Handeln“("Look and act"). The articles make it impressively clear that it is not only necessary to raise awareness of sexualised violence in music schools, amateur theatres, public libraries, art colleges or cultural education for children and young people, but that prevention concepts and protective measures are also essential. Unfortunately, this does not apply to the contribution from the field of dance education. Does the problem not exist here? Aren't the physicality of dance and the proximity-distance antinomy of (dance) education particularly susceptible to sexualised border crossings, whether intentional or not?
We don't know!
There is no data and no publicity for this sensitive and extremely shameful topic. So we have to take a closer look. But even then, we don't know how children and young people experience themselves and their bodies in dance education settings. Especially at the age of 10 or 12, they are not in a position to recognise, classify, let alone name touching that is perceived as unpleasant, verbal harassment or voyeuristic observations as sexualised assaults (cf. UBSKM 2014). Abusive acts are only recognised as such in retrospect. This makes it particularly difficult to assess whether the field of dance education and mediation is at all or particularly at risk.
What we know
What we have known since 2010, however, is that pretty much every area of society, especially in contexts that seem particularly trustworthy such as family, church, school, daycare or sports clubs, is also a place of sexualised violence against children (Apin 2020, p. 9). In particular, the comprehensive and at the same time shocking scope and extent of the research results from sport should give us pause for thought (see interim report of the 2021 Sicher- im-Sport study). In sport, as in dance, the body as a sensory, movement, expression and social organ takes centre stage. Tactile contact and touching are a natural part of movement sequences as well as assistance and can be perceived as intrusive. Less variable dress codes or casual sexist remarks affect adolescents in a particularly sensitive and vulnerable place: their own bodies. The bodies of children and young people are subject to the judgements of their trainers, choreographers or dance teachers and thus to an implicit power imbalance. The potential risks of sexualised violence are therefore always a constitutive component of dance education settings.
What needs to be done
Last but not least
After all, it is not the task of those affected to report assaults or acts perceived as assaultive to children and young people, but rather it is the task of adults, organisations and institutions to clarify their own structures and actions in order to be able to offer a safe space for the development of adolescents in and through dance.
Antje Klinge
Sources:
Apin, N. (2020). Der ganz normale Missbrauch. Wie sich Missbrauch gegen Kinder bekämpfen lässt. Ch. Links-Verlag.
UBSKM. Unabhängige Beauftragte des sexuellen Kindesmissbrauchs (2014). Zahlen und Fakten. Sexuelle Gewalt gegen Kinder und Jugendliche. Zugriff unter https://beauftragte-missbrauch.de/fileadmin/Content/pdf/Zahlen_und_Fakten/Fact_Sheet_Zahlen_und_Fakten_zu_sexuellem_Kindesmissbrauch_UBSKM.pdf.
Forschungsprojekt SicherImSport (2021). Factsheet zum Abschluss der Datenerhebungen / Zwischenauswertung. Zugriff am 18.06.2024 unter: https://www.sportsoziologie.uni-wuppertal.de/fileadmin/sportsoziologie/Projekte/FactSheet_SicherImSport_Zwischenbericht.pdf.
[1] Sexualised violence lies in a grey area of criminal law and ranges from verbal harassment and voyeuristic observation of the child's body to (only seemingly unintentional) fleeting touching of the breasts or genital area. Acts of abuse that are always punishable include sexual acts on the child's body (hands-on) such as French kissing or manipulation of the genitals as well as severe forms of sexual violence such as oral, vaginal and anal penetration (cf. transl. UBSKM. Unabhängige Beauftragte des sexuellen Kindesmissbrauchs 2014).
[2] The concepts of the BKJ, for example, offer guidance (https://www.bkj.de/grundlagen/praevention-und-kindeswohl/) as well as LAG Tanz NRW (https://www.lag-tanz-nrw.de/praeventionsarbeit/unser-schutzkonzept).
There are 63 dance and ballet companies in Germany. 10 of them consist of more than 30 dancers and are among the most renowned in the world. This art form has developed enormously over the last 40 years, both artistically and in terms of dance technique. The physical and psychological demands are very stressful and often result in a very short career. Dancers therefore need protective regulations to protect them from injuries, accidents and mental stress.
One of these protective regulations is the collective labour agreement NV-Bühne. In this set of rules, a distinction is made in various special regulations (SR) between solo dancers and group dancers. While SR-Tanz contains better working hours and payment regulations for dance group members, SR-Solo contains far fewer regulations for dance soloists. Dance group members are granted one working day off and one half day off per week - which may not fall on a Sunday morning or a public holiday. The SR-Tanz also regulates pay groups that are at the same level as opera chorus members and are based on orchestra pay in the respective theatres. For dance soloists, the regulations on days off and pay are much less favourable.
These differences represent a contradiction. The soloists in particular, who have more workload and responsibility, receive a smaller fee and have fewer regeneration phases. Before 1990, the companies consisted of approx. 75% dance group members and approx. 25% dance soloists. Today it is the other way round. For the most part, only solo contracts are awarded, with the obligation to participate in group tasks. Employers claim that these types of contracts are artistically necessary, as the nature of choreography has changed in recent years and there is no longer a hierarchical distinction within a company. The fact is that the cutbacks implemented since the 1990s have hit dance the hardest. Employers pay soloists lower salaries and can command more of them.
In most cases, the solo dancers are used as group dancers. This allows the theatres to save money at the expense of the artists. It is precisely the area with the best occupancy rates and great popularity with audiences that is the worst paid in the theatre. Theatres are quick to get rid of dancers when their performance is limited due to injury or age. This is very often followed by retirement. Great admiration from audiences and poor treatment from employers are closely linked. The poor conditions remain hidden, as these are inexperienced young people in this profession who do not know their rights and remain silent about the abuses for fear of not being extended.
Now the dancers are well informed about their rights by Dancersconnect and the stage union (GDBA). This has led to an astonishing development. While there were just under 200 members of the stage union (GDBA) in 2017, there are now more than 870 dancers.
No matter how much admiration and recognition the dancers receive, only they themselves can improve their situation. According to the motto: "you get what you negotiate and not what you deserve". Dancers should connect with allies for ethical treatment - such as the GDBA, the Ethik-Kommission Tanz or Dancersconnect. The aim should be that there is only one special regulation (SR) for dance, which includes solo and group dancers. This is the only way to achieve fair pay and reasonable working hours. Orchestras in the artistic field could serve as a role model here, as they have shown that working conditions can be significantly improved through their solidarity with one another.
Adil Laraki, March 2024
Introduction and context:
It is very difficult to fully grasp and understand the events in the Middle East. We struggle to find the 'right' words and at the same time know that they can never be the 'right' ones for everyone. We too have not been able to reach a clear consent...
Nevertheless, we do not want to remain silent.
Thoughts of the DTD Ethics Commission on the Middle East conflict
We are deeply shocked and concerned by the inhuman violence in the Middle East. Our sympathy goes out to all those who are victims of the escalating violence caused by Hamas terror attacks and by the Israeli armed forces in Gaza. The resulting hardened, polarizing and hostile reactions on our streets and on social media are disturbing and challenge our pluralistic society.
We as the Ethics Commission of the Dachverband Tanz Deutschland ask ourselves what art and dance can do to encourage discourse and deal with ambivalence. Our attention is drawn to the human body.
National, ethnic, religious and cultural assumptions and labels are often attached to the body without reflection. As an artistic medium, dance in its many forms can shake up categorizations so that each individual is seen as a human being.
We would therefore like to take action and use the next Traveling Salon as a platform for further exchange. We want to listen to dance professionals from different backgrounds, religious orientations and physicality who live in Germany and are directly affected, and consider together how and what dance in particular can contribute to creating respectful human coexistence.
The Ethics Committee of Dachverband Tanz Deutschland DTD
There are no power-free spaces - not even in dance. As an art form in which the body is at the center, dance requires special attention. It is therefore essential to deal with the issue of power and the abuse of power in dance.
The Dachverband Tanz Deutschland (German Dance Association) has recognized the problems of abuse of power, transgression of boundaries and discrimination (such as sexual, racial, ethnic, body, contracts). It installed an ethics working group four years ago with the aim of drafting documents for a future ethics commission. In November 2021, the Ethics Commission was officially established.
The committee consists of eight members, elected equally by the MA and the DTD Board, a liaison to the DTD, and a DTD team member who provides administrative support. The members bring important different expertise: legal, theoretical-scientific, medical-psychosomatic, mental and physical health, dance artistic (urban, classical, contemporary and African dance), trade union, dance pedagogical and dance research. All work on a voluntary basis; they receive a meeting fee.
The first task was to conduct research: To what extent have working conditions in the field of dance already been researched? What personal and professional rights do dance workers have? What studies are available on ethics, abuse of power and dance? The various expert opinions were very helpful for this research. This resulted in topic areas that were systematically worked on in subgroups. Concrete ideas flowed into the commission meetings and were further worked on together.
In June 2023, the commission was able to go public with its first result: the online portal was launched. Central to the commission are its ethics guidelines (see www.dachverband-tanz.de/ueber-uns/ethik-kommission). The online portal is currently divided into six sections. The Materials section contains information material on legal, structural, contractual bases as well as practical instructions for action and a collection of valuable sources.
Research has shown that the degree of institutionalization in training institutions is particularly high and can lead to conflicts. With an online test, the commission invites self-assessment, which dance organizations can use for in-house development of low-discrimination structures.
Under Good Practice Examples, institutions and their respective concrete measures of discrimination-sensitive, democratic and employee-friendly structures are presented in an approx. 15-minute video. The videos, which will be posted at regular intervals, contain a brief introduction to the topic and its legal and political implications, as well as an interview with an everyday expert. The focus is on the application and practice of discrimination-sensitive measures, challenges and approaches to solutions.
The list of industry-specific, national and regional contact points will show which counseling options already exist; the list will be continuously expanded.
The forum opens a space for own experiences as well as the exchange among dance-interested and concerned persons.
Finally, events around the topic of ethics and dance are announced under dates. The "Traveling Salon" is currently being set up, a format to promote respectful exchange and discourse in the scene in an informal setting and at regular intervals at different locations on a selected topic.
With its work, the Ethics Committee strives to contribute to increased transparency. It wants to lay the foundations for conscious ethical action, in order to sensitize for inadmissible border crossings or to avoid them and to increase the appreciation of all those active in dance. The challenges will be to ensure protection and anonymity as well as to enable a low threshold for those affected. Last but not least: the topics that are opened up by the Ethics Commission must also be served and managed with its own resources. Therefore, it cannot take on the function of an advice center itself, but can offer useful information, sources, references and suggestions.
Margrit Bischof, August 2023