Tanztreffen der Jugend

A nationwide youth dance festival

The Tanztreffen der Jugend is one of the most prestigious youth dance festivals in the German-speaking world. It has been hosted by the Berliner Festspiele since 2014 as part of the Treffen junge Szene series – a programme that brings together young theatre, dance, literature and music productions from across Germany.

2026 marks the 13th edition: 62 ensembles from all 16 federal states have applied with their work. A specialist jury selects the final festival productions in a two-stage procedure – from schools, independent theatres, dance groups and youth cultural institutions. The focus is on «exemplary and remarkable works by and with young dance makers» in contemporary and urban movement languages.

Haus der Berliner Festspiele

The venue is the Haus der Berliner Festspiele at Schaperstraße 24 in the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf borough – the central venue of the Berliner Festspiele, which also hosts the Theatertreffen, Maerzmusik and Musikfest Berlin, among others. The main stage, rehearsal stages and garden turn into a meeting point for young dance makers from all over Germany for one week.

Stage, workshop, encounter

The festival combines three pillars: festival performances of the selected productions, an accompanying workshop and laboratory programme, and a talks and encounter format between the participating ensembles, their educational mentors and the Berlin dance scene. The «Über die Grenzen» (Beyond Borders) format complements the German perspective with international guest ensembles from Europe and beyond.

Impact and history

The Berliner Festspiele have documented the prize-winners and festival productions since 2014 in their media library – a growing archive of young German-language dance. For many participating dancers and choreographers, the Tanztreffen is the first major stage outside their home city. The festival is considered a talent platform and an interface between youth cultural work, the professional independent dance scene and institutional dance support in the federal state of Berlin.

Pre-selection announced on 23 June

The selection of the productions invited in 2026 is traditionally announced on 23 June 2026. An intermediate selection of the best applications from 16 federal states leads to the final festival line-up; the definitive running order will appear on the festival website in September.