OPEN CALL Solo Dance Contest 2026 

Klub Żak annaunces an OPEN CALL for the 15th edition of Solo Dance Contest 2026, an international competition that every year gathers dancers and choreographers from all over the world.

The competition will take place during the 18th Gdańsk Dance Festival on September 14–17, 2026. The competition is addressed to all professional dancers from Poland and abroad who are over 18 years of age. Deadline for sending the application is March 22, 2026. We will invite selected solos to the main competition, which will be judged by an international jury consisting of personalities from the world of contemporary dance. The total prize pool is EUR 6,000! During the competition, an audience prize of EUR 500 will be awarded, and the remaining EUR 5,500 will be distributed by the Jury between the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes.

During this year's edition, the Polish Solo Dance Contest PL qualifiers will also be held for the second time. To participate in the qualifying rounds, which are scheduled for April 18-19, we will select from 10 to 12 solo performances performed by people from Poland, which will be presented to the audience and a group of experts. The pre-selection jury will select at from 5 to 7 solos that will qualify for the main competition.

Please note that according to the competition rules, solo needs to be submitted by the person performing it. Works submitted by the third parties won't be considered in the competition.

Who can apply?

All professional dancers over 18, with documented artistic activity and/or a dance studies diploma;

We are waiting for solo works that:

- are no shorter than 5 minutes and no longer than 20 minutes,

- premiered after June 1, 2024.

When?

- Beginning of the Call: January 9,2026,

- Deadline for submitting the application: March 22, 2026,

- Polish qualifiers for the competition: April 18-19, 2026,

- Main competition: September 14-17, 2026 (during the main program of the 18th Gdańsk Dance Festival).

What do we offer?

- Three financial prizes with a total value of EUR 5,500, which will be distributed by the Jury,

- Audience Award of EUR 500,

- invitation to Gdańsk and solo presentation on the Klub ŻAK stage,

- reimbursement of travel costs up to PLN 400 for people traveling within Poland and up to EUR 180 for people traveling from abroad,

- accommodation and food during the competition.

Participants of of the Polish eliminations are offered:

- reimbursement of travel costs up to PLN 400 (train, bus),

- accommodation and food on the day of presentation,

- remunerations for presentation of the solo in the amount of 450 PLN gross.

Application form and regulations of the competition: https://gdanskifestiwaltanca.pl/en/Contests/Solo%20dance%20contest

Questions can be sent to: gft@klubzak.com.pl

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