Dance & Research In the Future Time

ongoing

DRIFT - DANCE & RESEARCH IN the FUTURE TIME (2025–2029) is a four-year European initiative designed to support emerging choreographers in scaling up their practice to the European and international level. Here, emerging refers not to early career, but to artists whose work is gaining recognition and momentum across borders—often mid-career choreographers developing mid-scale projects. DRIFT responds to critical sectoral needs: fragmented support for choreographic research, limited access to transdisciplinary exchange, and insufficient pathways from experimentation to production and touring. The project also addresses the need for artists to build sustainable international trajectories and for festivals to amplify their role as incubators and connectors. Its main objective is to establish a coherent, multi-phase framework combining immersive LABs, research residencies, local and digital engagement, showcases, co-productions, and structured touring. Throughout, DRIFT encourages transdisciplinary dialogue and cross-sector experimentation, enabling choreographers to refine both artistic language and production capacity. Key outcomes include: – the development of 20 choreographers through research, mentorship, and local engagement; – the co-production and international touring of 10 mid-scale works; – the reinforcement of partner festivals’ curatorial and hosting capacities; – the consolidation of a vibrant European ecosystem for contemporary choreography between existing networks for emergence (Aerowaves) and large scale project (Big Pulse) By bridging artistic research and professional dissemination, DRIFT empowers a new generation of choreographers to scale up, connect, and thrive internationally.