The German Dance Award is the most prestigious prize for dance in Germany.
The German Dance Prize has been awarded annually since 1983. 1983 to 1986 by the German Professional Dance Pedagogy Association. (DBfT) together with the professional journal Ballett-Journal/Das Tanzarchiv. From 1987 to 1994 by the DBfT alone. Since 1995 in conjunction with the DBfT by the Verein zur Förderung der Tanzkunst in Deutschland e. V. and from 2013 independently by the Förderverein Tanzkunst Deutschland.
Since 2018, the German Dance Prize has been awarded by the German Dance Association, jointly sponsored by the City of Essen, the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media. Since 2018, the main prize has been endowed with 20,000 euros. Two honors are usually awarded, which are endowed with 5,000 euros.
As the sponsor of the German Dance Prize, the German Dance Association works closely with the German Professional Association for Dance Education and the Federal German Ballet and Dance Theater Directors' Conference.
The prize honors outstanding personalities of dance in Germany. The focus is on the artistic work of choreographers and dancers, but personalities from the fields of education, journalism, science or other areas of dance creation can also be nominated.
In addition, outstanding performers and ensembles as well as special developments in the dance landscape are to be honored. This can refer to future-oriented initiatives, exemplary concepts as well as extraordinary productions.