The Society for Dance Research (gtf) fosters research in the field of dance and facilitates communication among researchers and practitioners. Inspired by UNESCO, the Society for Dance Research was founded on May 31st, 1986 in Cologne (Germany).

Having its base in the German-speaking world (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), it seeks to establish a broad network through international cooperation. As a space for dance discourse, the gtf explores current issues related to dance. We advocate a broad notion of research by integrating scholarly insights and dance practice in the fields of performance, education, and therapy. With this approach, the gtf appeals to dancers, choreographers, dance educators, dance therapists and dance scholars as well as journalists and professionals from theater, film, TV, art and music with an interest in dance. At the same time, the gtf seeks to facilitate the exchange and networking of early-career scholars.

www.gtf-tanzforschung.de

Further information on dance studies can also be found on our corresponding subpage.

The Association of German Dance Archives consists of seven participating institutions. Since 2007, it has set itself the task of presenting the knowledge and diversity contained in dance archives to the public and working together to promote the needs of dance archives and collections.

The association currently includes the following institutions:
Archiv Darstellende Kunst der Akademie der Künste Berlin
Archiv des Instituts für Zeitgenössischen Tanz der Folkwang Universität der Künste | Folkwang Tanzarchiv
Hochschularchiv der Palucca Hochschule in Dresden
Deutsche Tanzarchiv Köln
Deutsches Tanzfilminstitut Bremen
Mediathek für Tanz und Theater am Internationalen Theaterinstitut Deutschland in Berlin
Tanzarchiv Leipzig

To this end, the dance archives in the network have been working together for many years on various initiatives and projects.

Since 2019, the network has been bringing together dance archives, collections and initiatives in German-speaking countries to discuss current topics at the Round Table on Dance Archives and Dance Collections.

Since 2022, the archives have been playing a key role in setting up the www.tanz-digital.de platform. This platform presents the history and present of dance in unique combinations of different materials, bringing it to life. The great diversity of content is thanks to a growing community that is actively involved in making dance creation digitally visible.

In 2023 and 2024, a study on the structural conditions and work processes in five dance archives and dance collections in Germany was conducted as part of the TANZ-GEDÄCHTNIS-DIGITALITÄT project, funded by the Kulturstiftung der Länder (Cultural Foundation of the German States). The resulting recommendations for action can be viewed here.

The network is coordinated by the office of the Dachverband Tanz Deutschland (German Dance Association).

www.tanzarchive.de