OUR STORY
Big Pulse Dance Alliance is a vibrant partnership of European festivals and institutions united by a shared purpose. With a passionate belief in the potential of dance to share stories, create powerful experiences and connect with individuals and communities, Big Pulse is dedicated to strengthening and expanding the reach of contemporary dance.
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How it all began
In 2019, during the ICE HOT Nordic Dance Platform in Reykjavik, a group of like-minded festival directors from contemporary dance organisations across Europe came together to explore how, collectively, they may be able to better support a thriving contemporary dance sector.
From these discussions, Big Pulse Dance Alliance was born – a partnership of 12 European dance festivals and institutions connected by a common aim of promoting, strengthening and broadening the reach of contemporary dance. This partnership, and its proposed programme of activities were awarded EU Creative Europe co-funding for a 4-year period, spanning 2021 – 2024.
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Our goals
At the core of the Big Pulse ethos are three main aims: To support artists and diversify dance programming on the big stages of Europe; to bring dance to new spaces, reaching diverse audiences and increasing accessibility; and to build a lively network of European dance festivals, ensuring a sustainable and vibrant dance scene that brings artists and audiences together to share exceptional dance experiences.
We believe that by coming together as artists, producers, administrators, curators, directors, experts and academics, we will be able to build a resilient dance sector and tackle the challenges of the future.
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Our vision
United by a passion to promote, strengthen and broaden the reach of the contemporary dance sector, Big Pulse Dance Alliance aims to diversify dance programming on stages and in public outdoor spaces; support artist development through mentorship, travel and workshop programmes; and invite new audiences to engage with the artform through bold new works, dynamic live or digital performances and engaging participatory activities. The project’s long-term vision is to establish a lively network of European dance festivals who work collaboratively and sustainably to further the life-changing impact of dance.
