Hello Vorname, 

One can experience dance individually or collectively. This art form enriches and refines our senses and is communicative without words.

Dance is a human resource - a part of our DNA and is essential for social cohesion. Dance creates a common space for reflection which allows for slowing down. And I don’t think I am alone in my desire for dance to have a vital impact on the present and the future.

As a prominent educational institution steeped in history, it is both our obligation and responsibility in these changing times to react and take a stand.

How do we sustainably handle our cultural asset dance? How much is dance worth to us?

Just at this moment during active collaboration between so many, I see a huge opportunity for navigating the legacy of one of the oldest professions and the perception of dance as an existential need into the future.

Founded by a determined 23-year-old Gret Palucca, the Palucca University of Dance Dresden celebrates its 100th  anniversary in 2025!

Let us be courageous and show our values, which are the foundation of how we want to learn and work with each other. Let us come together in this centennial year, to celebrate the vitality of mind and body as a community and to improvise together.

Warmest greetings from the University,

Prof. Katharina Christl

Rector

Professor for Choreography | Head of Master Choreography Programme

„Palucca bewegt“ | 1 February 2025

We are looking forward to welcoming you to the event “Palucca bewegt” on 01 February 2025! This promises to be a very special day with numerous programmes full of creativity and inspiration.

• Improvisation workshops in every room – across classes and open to visitors
• Round table talks: “Improvisation - today and yesterday”
• Open improvisation workshop for children
• Viewing of personal student files*
• Open improvisation jam as shared highlight to end the programme

There is no need to register prior to participating in the event - just come by and join in!

We are looking forward to your participation and to a “moving” day full of new impressions!

*Please note Viewing personal documents is only possible with prior registration (at alumni@palucca.eu) and after presenting identification documents.

NEW IN THE ARCHIVE - FINDINGS

Summer Courses

They should be innovative, inspiring, and the teaching should be of high quality. That which began in 1926 under the concept “Holiday Courses” developed over 70 years to become the much-loved summer courses offered by the Palucca School in Dresden The courses provided dance enthusiasts from far and wide a chance to take lessons with Gret Palucca - if they had the necessary funds. In 1949 the courses cost 50 German marks and over the years they increased to up to 700 German marks (1999). In spite of this, the courses were sought-after and some served as the prescribed continued education for those dance teachers and dancers already in their professions.

The GDR approved of the summer courses which increasingly gained international renown and thus were instrumental to the cultural policy makers for proving the excellent achievements of the GDR in the area of dance. The Ministry of Culture was willing to make concessions for the increased prestige provided by the Palucca School Dresden - whether it be the issuance of residence permits or the provision of inter-zonal permits.

The first International Summer Course took place in 1957. The entry permit was issued by the Administration of the Palucca School Dresden and it assumed the return travel costs of its guests from the (non)socialist countries and Western Germany. The international orientation of the courses has remained the same up to today. Not only among the course participants, but also among the guest lecturers. For example, Dick O’Swanborn (Jazz), Sándor Vásáhelyi (Folklore), Patricio Bunster (Modern Dance) or later, Vivien Loeber (Classical Ballet), Bruno Stefanoni (Improvisation) and Jean Christophe Pellerin (Feldenkrais Method).

The last evidence of Summer Courses can be found in the University Archive in 1999 as being the 50th International Summer Course under the direction of Enno Markwart.

Source: Palucca University of Dance Dresden, University Archive, A1 University Administration 1949-990, Summer Courses - Stabel, Ralf:

Taking a back seat. When it’s not all about the choreographer.

Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to work as a choreographer on two large-scale opera productions, and this year I’ll be choreographing a play at the Deutsches Theater Göttingen. The work of a choreographer is often different from what one might imagine. In movies, choreographers are frequently depicted in stereotypical, sometimes clichéd ways—whether for dramatic or comedic effect. They’re often shown as omnipotent, egoistic, and temperamental geniuses, revered like gods, hovering over a dance troupe, while dancers are portrayed as mere vessels for their vision. The choreographer is always in the drivers seat. It’s the classic 'my way or the highway' approach.

One of my favorite satirical takes on this is the 'French Mistake' scene from Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles. If you haven’t seen it,

 I highly recommend it. However, people might be surprised to learn that choreographers do sometimes take a back seat, working collaboratively to create a production that may or may not align with their own vision. In these cases, they work in tandem with the director, shaping the piece through the director’s lens. Balancing ones own artistic viewpoint with the wishes of another is a delicate dance and at times a humbling process.

You might ask, what does that actually look like? Choreography goes beyond just dance; it’s about bringing movement to life on stage. Sometimes it involves working with people who aren’t formally trained in dance, or creating movement that serves a specific scene, in line with the director’s vision or the demands of the story.

 For example, in an opera, a choreographer might be tasked with organizing a choir within the space, while in a play, they might help actors with movement or posture that complements the dramaturgy. Last year, I choreographed for a 70-person choir in Andreas Dresen’s production of Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame. In addition to their movements and actions on stage, I was responsible for coordinating their entrances and exits through one single entrance. To complicate matters, the stage was divided into three revolving discs that spun at different speeds and in different directions. Each disc also had walls, creating a moving labyrinth. These less glamorous but intricate tasks are often part of the choreographer's job.

Another example is my upcoming project: Axel Ranisch’s production of Strauss’ Intermezzo, premiering this November at the Semperoper. In this production, seven female extras portray figures from various Strauss operas. These characters play a crucial role in Ranisch’s retelling of Intermezzo, and I am responsible for shaping their portrayal and creating almost silent film-like scenarios that help drive the narrative.

I think the biggest reason why I enjoy working on such projects is that there are often very clear boundaries. As I have mentioned before in previous articles constraints are often the engine for creativity. Working in collaboration with a director whether in opera or theater gives me new insight and helps me develop new strategies and new tools that can always be useful for future engagements.

Ultimately, choreography isn’t just about creating dance; it’s about storytelling through movement, whether that means shaping the actions of a choir, guiding actors, or even working within the physical constraints of a complex stage. The diversity of challenges keeps the work exciting and pushes me to expand my creative toolbox This collaboration, and the balance between artistic vision and practical limitations, is what makes the role of a choreographer so rewarding.

Kontakt: mic.j.tucker@gmail.com

Anniversary year 2025 - 100 years of Palucca University

Since its foundation by Gret Palucca in 1925, we can look back on a rich history of dance and want to celebrate it in style!