The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a terrible, destructive attack on a sovereign nation. It is also an attack on our shared values, on freedom and enlightenment. The Tanzkongress stands for international communication and the variety of perspectives. It is the ability to speak openly that defines us as artists, as people.

Over the last years, the tanzmainz ensemble has developed into a nationally and internationally successful model for a forward-looking connection between fixed ensemble structures and aesthetic productivity of the independent scene. A new (self-)understanding of the dancers and the artistic directors plays an essential role.

The collaboration is designed as a joint artistic process: 21 dancers work closely with renowned or emerging guest choreographers and the dedicated production team to create three to five premieres per season. tanzmainz maintains a working method that is characterised by a sense of openness, mutual respect, and a high level of motivation.

The members of the tanzmainz ensemble are artists who have received comprehensive training in their fields and are keen to work intensively with the guest choreographers. tanzmainz sees itself as a place of creation: all of the works shown are debut performances and are developed in Mainz through collaboration between our guests and the company. As a bridge between the state theatre and the independent scene, tanzmainz strives to constantly expand its repertoire through innovative dance languages and forms of production.

The Staatstheater Mainz is the host and venue of the Tanzkongress 2022. With its central location and versatile infrastructure, the Staatstheater offers the best conditions for hosting Germany's most renowned event for the contemporary dance scene.

The Staatstheater was built between 1829 and 1833 and is located in the centre of the city of Mainz. Markus Müller has served as the theatre’s business manager and artistic director since 2014/15. Performances take place in the Großes Haus (great hall) and the Glashaus (glass dome) overlooking Gutenbergplatz. The Kleines Haus (small hall), built in 1997, is situated next door on Tritonplatz, and the U17 studio theatre has also been located there since 2014. Above the theatre restaurant Zum Grünen Kakadu, which opened in 2021, is the Kakadu Bar – a new venue for discussions, readings, music, art exhibitions, and nightlife.

Opera, theatre, tanzmainz, concerts, and the Staatstheater’s youth division justmainz offer a diverse programme that will appeal to all ages. The artistic landscape of the theatre is shaped by its numerous visitors, and by its resident directors, an incredibly talented ensemble, and the tanzmainz dance company. The Philharmonisches Staatsorchester is conducted by Chief Music Director Hermann Bäumer.

The enduring relevance of both the classics and contemporary works, the commitment to ensemble and repertory theatre, and the engagement with the city and the region all constitute the basis for the artistic profile of the Staatstheater. Theatre is understood as an opportunity for aesthetic engagement with society and politics. The theatre is performed in and brought to life as a discursive site governed by a sense of internationality, solidarity with one another, and openness. The special opportunities provided by a multi-genre site are harnessed in projects that bring together a number of different genres. Every two years, the tanzmainz festival draws a great many visitors to the theatre.