Bern Ballett is one of Switzerland's leading contemporary dance companies, operating under the artistic direction of Isabelle Bischof. The dynamic, multicultural ensemble commissions premieres and collaborates with established and emerging choreographers.
Bern Ballett is a contemporary dance company based in Bern, Switzerland, performing at the Stadttheater under the artistic direction of Isabelle Bischof. The company is a multicultural ensemble that commissions new works engaging with contemporary themes and historical material. Bern Ballett collaborates with established choreographers and emerging talent, with recent productions including works by Jiří Pokorný, Ella Rothschild, Sidonie Fossé, and Rachelle Anaïs Scott. The company’s repertoire includes Morgana, Echoes of a Future, SYNERGY INC. or How to Fix a Broken Heart, and Carmen.
The company participates in NEXT STEPS, a career-development initiative for professional dancers transitioning to choreography, jointly organized with Tanzkompanie St. Gallen and the Migros Kulturprozent Tanzfestival Steps. Bern Ballett presents Laboratoire Suisse de la Danse, a series of experimental performances featuring movement improvisations and repertoire excerpts. The company offers education programs for schools, including introductions, rehearsal visits, free movement workshops led by company dancers, and class sponsorships that allow students to follow a production’s creation process. Public dance rehearsals are held at the Vidmar Ballettsaal.
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Bern Ballett is a dynamic, multicultural dance ensemble and one of the leading contemporary companies in Switzerland, operating under the artistic direction of Isabelle Bischof. The company commissions premieres that engage with contemporary issues and transfers historical material into the present, while valuing collaboration with both established choreographers and emerging talent.
Bern Ballett performs at venues including Stadttheater, Vidmar Ballettsaal, Vidmarhallen, and other Vidmar facilities in Bern, Switzerland. The costuming department is located in the Vidmarhallen at Könizstrasse 161, CH-3097 Bern-Liebefeld.
Bern Ballett offers contemporary dance productions, premieres, repertoire performances, public dance rehearsals, and introductory talks before selected performances. The company provides school programs including special introductions, post-show discussions, rehearsal visits, free movement workshops taught by company dancers, and Patenklassen where classes accompany a production through its creation process. The company participates in the NEXT STEPS career-development initiative for professional dance artists.
The general public can attend performances and public rehearsals. School classes and interested groups can participate in special introductions, post-show discussions, rehearsal visits, and free movement workshops. Professional dance artists looking to transition into choreography can apply for the NEXT STEPS initiative. Choreographers aged 18 and over with professional training can submit to Tanzplattform Bern.
School classes can participate in educational programs. The NEXT STEPS initiative is for professional dance artists transitioning into choreography. Choreographers for Tanzplattform Bern must be at least 18 years old with professional training. Movement workshops require no prior experience.
The company participates in NEXT STEPS, a pilot project enabling artists based in Switzerland to transition from dance careers into choreography by collaborating with larger professional ensembles. Tanzplattform Bern offers a Jury Award commission and an Audience Award fellowship for movement research with the company.
The company presents premieres, repertoire performances, and revived works as part of its season. Productions include works by both established and guest choreographers. The company hosts Laboratoire Suisse de la Danse, a series of experimental performances featuring movement improvisations and repertoire excerpts. Tanzplattform Bern is a choreographic competition with jury and audience awards.
Contact the box office at 031 329 52 52 or the main office at 031 329 51 11. Email kasse@buehnenbern.ch for general inquiries, karin.hermes@buehnenbern.ch for school-related information, plus@buehnenbern.ch for teacher events, or kostuemfundus@buehnenbern.ch for costume inquiries at 031 979 53 37. The Stadttheater ticket office is open Monday to Friday 11:00-18:30 and Saturday 10:00-13:00.