"The Gehry buildings do dance!"

In a former Düsseldorf streetcar depot, not far from the main railway station, you will find one of the most renowned dance venues in Europe: the Tanzhaus NRW. With its two stages and eight dance and rehearsal studios, it has become an international center for contemporary dance over the last 25 years. The performance and production venue, which also serves as an academy, emerged from the "Werkstatt für Tanz, Theater, Malen, Werken und Gestalten e. V." founded in 1978 and developed into an institution for dance under the aegis of founder Bertram Müller and his successor Bettina Masuch. Since 2022, Tanzhaus NRW has been managed by Lithuanian dramaturge, dancer and acclaimed dance critic Ingrida Gerbutavičiūtė. Gerbutavičiūtė spent 13 years during and after her studies in Berlin, six in Frankfurt am Main, before moving to Düsseldorf a year and a half ago. A great moment of happiness for her. She reveals why in this interview.

What attracted you to taking over the management of Tanzhaus NRW?
That's my favorite question. I've been asked that several times and I was surprised at first. Because Tanzhaus NRW is THE institution in the contemporary dance world, it enjoys a great international reputation. If you were to ask dancers today where they would like to perform in Germany, 99% would say Tanzhaus NRW. Tanzhaus NRW is known worldwide for its stage and artistic program. In the city, however, I have found that it is also highly regarded for its academy. Both are important to us - the stage and the academy. As part of the academy, we offer a wide range of courses for all age groups. The aim here is to overcome the separation between high culture, subculture and socioculture. Our central concern is the creative exploration of the human body and its role in contemporary society.

What makes you particularly happy about your new place of work?
My personal wish has always been to run a house or a festival. Since we also organize festival series at Tanzhaus NRW, both wishes have come true for me at once. That is a great gift. I love people and I love dance - so this is the right place for me. Being able to interact with my colleagues every day is a great experience. It makes me particularly happy when the audience is satisfied and comes out of the performance inspired. The joyful faces of the academy participants during or directly after the dance courses also confirm to me time and again how much dance can contribute to the well-being of each individual.

What would you like to change and promote at Tanzhaus NRW?
In future, I would like to focus more on the needs of the various social groups or, as I prefer to call them, societies. Our courses in tap, hip-hop, urban dance, voguing and ballet should be more strongly flanked by a health-oriented program. We have already developed courses for people with Parkinson's disease and have just started a project for people with dementia in cooperation with Scottish Ballet. The next step will be to work with people suffering from multiple sclerosis. Then I would like to create a dance program that connects the generations. We already offer courses at the academy where children can dance with their parents and grandparents. My wish for the future is to bring retirement homes and youth homes together and use dance for an intergenerational project. We are currently in the process of reviving the youth company and founding a senior citizens' company. Inclusion and sustainability are currently being addressed in a very targeted way.

Tanzhaus NRW celebrated its 25th anniversary this year. How is or was the anniversary year celebrated? Were there any special events or happenings?
We kicked off the new season with an anniversary festival at the beginning of September. Various artistic positions and formats were represented. In addition to the opening piece Carcaça by Portuguese choreographer Marco da Silva, there was French urban dance in the middle of the city with Bouzid Ait Atmane and Saïdo Lehlouh's "The Dancing" to watch and dance along to. There were concerts and party evenings, Brigitte Huezo's virtual installation "Post Digital Bodies". So the house has already been celebrated in many ways!

What does it mean for Tanzhaus NRW to look back on a quarter of a century of history?
The association from which Tanzhaus NRW emerged was founded 45 years ago; it has been called Tanzhaus NRW for 25 years and is based on Erkrather Straße. The house can look back with pride as it has developed into a world-renowned institution in the dance scene. At the same time, Tanzhaus NRW is an important point of contact for various communities in Germany and Düsseldorf when it comes to learning and practicing different dance styles. Collaboration with Düsseldorf schools and educational institutions has also become established, with pupils performing the dances they have learned on our large professional stage before the summer vacations. By interacting with young people, we know what moves them and what their issues are - we can all benefit from this.

Not counting the Tanzhaus NRW: How do you perceive Düsseldorf when it comes to art and culture?
In my eyes, the city has it all. The art and culture scene is very lively. All genres are represented and visible in the city. This is an asset that Düsseldorf can use to its advantage. Municipal institutions such as the Schauspielhaus, the ballet and the Oper am Rhein or the Tonhalle are flanked by art institutions. The independent scene is also very active. In addition to us, this includes the Forum Freies Theater FFT and the zakk. Then there are various festivals that make the cultural offering unique. I'm thinking of the New Fall Festival, Approximation, Asphalt or Chance. But also the Impulse Festival. Every other year, the international dance scene comes together in Düsseldorf as part of the NRW International Dance Fair.

And what do you like about Düsseldorf beyond the cultural offerings?
In terms of size, Düsseldorf is similar to my home city of Vilnius. It's easy to get wherever you want to go, which I find very pleasant and I'm happy to live here.

Is Düsseldorf different from the cities you lived in before, from Berlin or Vilnius? If so, in what way?
There is a great openness here. The open-mindedness and helpfulness really come from the heart. That gave me a very good feeling right from the start.

Is there anything you miss?
Well, I miss Vilnius because it's my home - and I miss my family.

Where do you go when you're looking for inspiration?
I visit international dance festivals and conferences. I've just been to "Aerowaves - dance across Europe", a network of the largest dance institutions in Europe. They organize a festival once a year where 20 newcomers are awarded prizes. I was on the jury and we had to sift through and evaluate almost 800 applications. You get a lot of input in a short space of time and see what's going on in the respective countries and get to know new, interesting perspectives.

Where do you take friends who come to visit?
When I have guests, I like to take them to the Paris Bar in the 25hours Hotel. You can have a drink there with a fantastic view of the Düsseldorf skyline.

Do you have a favorite place in Düsseldorf?
I love the Gehry buildings in the Medienhafen. They look to me as if they are dancing. They do dance, don't they? (laughs) It's a wonderful place. I'm often in the Medienhafen when I have appointments with the cultural office. On the one hand, it's interesting for tourists, but at the same time you're right on the Rhine and therefore surrounded by nature. I find that unique. I would definitely like to get to know the silver Pebble's in front of the Hyatt Regency Hotel, which looks like a spaceship that has landed on the headland, from the inside.

What do you do when you want to switch off?
I like to go for walks in Ostpark. I live in Flingern and it's just around the corner from me. For longer walks, I go to the Wildpark - my little daughter is nine months old and loves the park.

tanzhaus-nrw.de

Interview: Ilona Marx
Photos: Markus Luigs

Tip: Our podcast "Alle Rhein!" with Flockey Ocscor, who is a man of many talents. As a dancer, he and his crew have twice won the runner-up world championship title in the Locking discipline at the "Just Debout World Finals" in Paris and has taught at Tanzhaus NRW for many years. Ocscor is internationally renowned, even the legendary Erykah Badu has him on her radar. Our podcast host Mike Litt met him at the Schauspielhaus for "Alle Rhein!".