The Bundesdeutsche Ballett- und Tanztheaterdirektor*innen-Konferenz (BBTK) is a voluntary association of ballet and dance theater directors for the purpose of mutual information and cooperation. The first BBTK took place in 1998 on the initiative of Marc Jonkers and at the invitation of the NRW Landesbüro Tanz in Cologne. This founding meeting was followed by meetings every six months in different cities in Germany, from Saarbrücken to Dresden, from Kiel to Munich. Speakers of the BBTK were Marc Jonkers, Prof. Martin Puttke, Dr. Christiane Theobald, Ivan Liška and since 2017 Tarek Assam.
The BBTK acts as a point of contact for the German Stage Association and the German Cultural Council, offers legal advice for directors and companies, and works on problem areas such as pension provision, professional development, copyright and exploitation issues. It is dedicated to lobbying on a national and European level, and offers help and solidarity in the case of threatened closures as well as start-up assistance for young ballet directors.
Personal members of the BBTK can become the ballet and dance theater directors of the predominantly publicly funded German federal theaters. If a ballet director leaves the company, it is possible to remain associated with the BBTK as an "associate member". Ballet directors from neighboring German-speaking countries can also accept this membership status. The BBTK elects every three years a speaker and a seven-member presidium. The presidium appoints a managing director. The content-related work takes place in the working groups, which are formed topic-specifically. One day before each BBTK, the so-called "Managerial Round" meets, in which predominantly the operations directors and ballet managers of the BBTK members are represented and work out certain topics of the upcoming BBTK. The BBTK is a member of the Council for Performing Arts and Dance and of the Dachverband Tanz.