b12 – Festival for Contemporary Dance and Performance Art
Four-week international dance and performance research festival in Prenzlauer Berg – workshops, performances, and residencies at DOCK 11 and EDEN Studios
About b12 Festival
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Research Instead of Performance
'Research or die' – this motto encapsulates the programmatic focus of the b12 Festival. While traditional dance festivals centre on performances, b12 prioritizes research: How do choreographers and performers develop new movement and performance languages? What risks, both physical and emotional, are necessary for this? The festival operates as a four-week workshop process, with workshops being the primary format, complemented by performances and public presentations.
DOCK 11 and EDEN Studios
The main venue is DOCK 11 at Kastanienallee 79 (Prenzlauer Berg, Pankow district) – one of Berlin's most important studios for contemporary dance, featuring two theatre halls and several studio spaces. Additionally, the EDEN Studios are located at the same site. Both venues have significantly shaped Berlin's dance development over two decades and serve as an international showcase for the Berlin dance scene.
Format: Workshops, Performance Series, Residencies
Over 80 workshop leaders from around the world teach in various formats: 8-, 6-, and 4-day intensive research workshops, performance projects with established choreographers, somatic practices, and mentoring sessions. The content ranges from classical contemporary dance to film, text, acrobatics, theatre, and experimental and futuristic forms.
Performance Series
Parallel to the workshops, curated performance series are held, which are also open to the Berlin public: b12 Mavericks (four curated performances), Critical Mass (four experimental events), Asteroids (three three-day collaborative projects), and Sungrazers, along with other special formats. This makes the festival a public showcase of a four-week workshop process.
b12 Festival — edition 2026
The 2026 edition continues the four-week format that has defined the b12 Festival since its inception in 2015. Throughout the festival, multiple workshop strands run in parallel with over 80 instructors from around the world – from 4-day intensive courses to 8-day deep dives with established choreographers. The performance series serve as the public showcase of the festival's work.
New from 2026: the 'Stay & Research' package. It combines accommodation in Berlin with workshop participation and is specifically aimed at international participants who wish to engage in one or more workshop strands for several weeks. This is an important step for the internationalization of the festival and for accessibility for participants without a Berlin residence.
Programme b12 Festival 2026
Performance Series: b12 Mavericks (curated performances)
- July 7, 2026 – Mavericks #1
- July 12, 2026 – Mavericks #2
- July 20, 2026 – Mavericks #3
- July 27, 2026 – Mavericks #4
Performance Series: Critical Mass (experimental)
- July 9, 2026 – Critical Mass #1
- July 16, 2026 – Critical Mass #2
- July 23, 2026 – Critical Mass #3
- July 30, 2026 – Critical Mass #4
Asteroids (three 3-day collaborations)
- Three collaborative projects spread throughout the festival – international teams, each with a three-day development and presentation phase
Sungrazers and other formats
- Several specialized performance formats, each with its own curatorial line
Workshop Strands (over 80 workshop leaders, fee applies)
- 8-day intensive research workshops
- 6-day research workshops
- 4-day workshops
- Performance projects with established choreographers
- Somatic practices and mentoring sessions
- Stay & Research packages new from 2026
Full program and workshop list at b12.space/summer/welcome.
Highlights b12 Festival 2026
- Four weeks of summer edition (July 6 – August 2, 2026)
- Over 80 international workshop leaders
- Performance Series: b12 Mavericks, Critical Mass, Asteroids, Sungrazers
- New: 'Stay & Research' packages combine accommodation and participation
- Founded in 2015 by Johannes Wieland and Evangelos Poulinas
- Main venue DOCK 11 + EDEN Studios in Prenzlauer Berg
Prices b12 Festival 2026
Practical information — b12 Festival
Getting There
DOCK 11 + EDEN Studios, Kastanienallee 79, 10435 Berlin (Pankow district, Prenzlauer Berg neighbourhood). Tram M1 / 12 to Schwedter Straße / Schönhauser Allee. U-Bahn U2 Eberswalder Straße approx. 5 min. walk.
Tickets
Workshops are subject to a fee and must be booked in advance (limited spaces). Performance series have separate tickets available via dock11-berlin.de. New: 'Stay & Research' packages combine accommodation and workshop participation.
Organizer
b12 e.V. Artistic Direction: Johannes Wieland and Evangelos Poulinas. Supported by international and national partners.
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Travel to this festival
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Where it takes place b12 Festival
DOCK 11 + EDEN Studios, Prenzlauer Berg
Kastanienallee 79, 10435 Berlin