Tanzmesse 2024

Tanzmesse NRW, or just Tanzemesse, takes place once every two years in the city of Dusseldorf. The biennial trade fair takes place at the height of summer in late August and editions stretch for four days in total. NRW Landesbuero tanz is the official organiser for the event and programming takes place at Messe Dusseldorf. Anyone can buy a ticket and attend the trade fair. Working hours change depending on the fair’s programming. Now commuting. It’s easy to get to NRW-Forum Düsseldorf whether you’re with personal transportation or not. The exhibition centre is serviced by two underground lines - U70, U74, U75, U76, U77, which run regularly and pass through the city centre. There’s also bus line 805 at your disposal and the underground service. If you’re in one of the hotels next to the airport, there’s shuttle buses making the round between the airport and the centre. 

What You Can Expect as an Exhibitor 

If you’re looking for a strong dance community, then you can definitely find one here. The space at Tanzmesse is a hub not just for professional dancers, but also enthusiasts. The fair is not just a professional platform, but also its own festival with excellent performances;

Open Studios are a major component of Tanzmesse. These studios offer insight into current projects put together by companies and solo acts. In the past, visitors could catch a glimpse into works by Broken Borders Arts Projet, MOVEMENT J company and The New Zealand Dance Company;

Want to understand the flavor of a specific region? Tanzmesse hosts curated showcases that dig a little deeper into the dance scenes of particular countries and regions. In the past these have included Curated Showcase Canada, Curated Showcase South Africa and Curated Showcase East Mediterranean & North Africa

Tanzmesse is one of the most important dance fairs there is in the world. The big reason is because organisers open their arms wide and invite everybody. Last edition managed to attract nearly 1900 dance professionals, who traveled from 50 countries overall. Of course, Europe made up most of the visitors, but there are also companies from the Americas, Africa, Australia, and Asia. Overall, there were 50 performances across 8 theatres and 60 pitchings. On the business side of things, you had 120 booths selling the essentials for every dancer. The German Ministry of Culture and Science functions as the biggest sponsor for Tanzmesse in partnership with other local cultural institutions in Germany. As a specialist event, it’s one of the best there is and exhibitors have a successful time making sales and forming strong connections with customers. 

Tanzmesse 2022 Edition

Tanzmesse 2022 was held as a live event in the NRW-Forum in Dusseldorf, marking the event's successful relaunch. It took place between the 31st of August and the 3rd of September 2022 and attracted over 500 exhibitors. During the rendition, 45 participating countries were represented. Due to the removal of Germany's pandemic-related limitations, the venue did not include Covid-19 safety measures.