Dans < 3 Stockhholm (4-8 Dec 2013) took place last year organized by Dansens Hus. Eva Broberg talks about how the modul-dance festival created a context to present international artists to a local audience.

Interview recorded during a modul-dance meeting in Faro in May 2014.

02:47 min.

Dansens Hus (House of Dance) is a centre for contemporary dance and closely related performance art from Sweden and around the world.

Located in central Stockholm, Dansens Hus has two stages with 800 and 140 seats respectively. We present around 35 performances a year and have between 60,000 – 90,000 visitors on an annual basis.

Dansens Hus was founded in 1991 and works actively to strengthen the role of contemporary dance in Sweden. In addition to performances, Dansens Hus arranges seminars, lectures, workshops and exhibitions.

Dansens Hus overall goal according to the regulatory statement issued by the Departments of Education and Culture is the following: to secure a place and a sense of urgency for dance in society by presenting mainly contemporary Swedish and international dance and closely related performance art of the highest quality, and in other arrangements, such as film, lectures, seminars, etc., to promote the development, availability, breadth and diversity of dance for audiences and mass media.

Dansens Hus is an exciting meeting place and an inspiring environment permeated by professionalism, creativity, diversity, openness and respect. We see the opportunity for relatively new and exciting art forms that appeal to both young and older differentiated audiences who are curious about contemporary expression. As much as 35% of Dansens Hus audience says that they visited Dansens Hus for the first time.
Continuous marketing targeting youths, students and young adults is also producing positive results. The percentage of youths in the public is very high – 30% under 26 years of age.

The rehearsal and training rooms, comprising two dance studios, fulfill an important and essential part Dansens Hus operations. They are primarily used for rehearsal and groundwork for new productions, as well as training and teaching.

Dansens Hus is located in the new Folkets Hus building that was inaugurated in 1960. Sven Markelius is the architect behind this modernistic building built in functional style. The stage was initially planned to house a cinema. However, the Stockholm City Theatre moved in in 1960 and stayed until 1990 when it moved to Kulturhuset. Formed in 1989, Dansens Hus moved into the premises in 1991.

Although the building is not classified as a heritage building, it has been well-preserved. The original interior remains today in the foyer, featuring Arne Jacobsen’s Swan chairs and teak tables. The Markelius textiles are reproductions. Original teak walls are found in the restrooms, as well as chequered floors and Dals paper towels.

Folkets Hus is owned by LO but is managed by the City Conference Center. The building contains a congress hall, restaurants (Cabaret and Aladdin) and Dansens Hus, which rents the foyer, stages, offices, training rooms and basement.

dansenshus.se