Now in its third edition, Dance Festival Malta is returning between the 25th and 28th of July 2024. Produced by Festivals Malta, the 4-day programme is an invitation to witness a diverse and inclusive calendar, exploring the medium of dance.

With 20+ workshops and masterclasses, 20+ performances and 80+ local and international artists, the festival has an underlying ethos to unite and bring people closer to one another through the expression of a universal vessel which we all have: the body.

Artistic director, Francesca Abela Tranter, recognises the power of movement as a meaningful way to transmit important messages through choreographies and dance presentations. This year, the festival is a celebration, as well as a love letter, to what we decipher as being human.

Dance Festival Malta’s mission is to keep the spirit of dance alive. Therefore, part of the programme invites dancers from all ages and kinds of backgrounds to participate in masterclasses delivered by local and international professionals.

Participants are invited to choose from an eclectic array of genres, from flamenco, classical Indian to contemporary, as well as ballet, to polish up their skills. Additionally, a number of masterclasses are also available to non-experienced dancers, as well as special inclusive classes for differently abled individuals.

A training ground by day, and a spectacle by night, the festival’s dynamic changes in the evening with performances exploring various themes, from politics, to aesthetically charged pieces, personal dialogues, experimentation, and more, all in the name of moving artfully.

Dance Festival Malta is making an effort to make the medium accessible, and therefore, the first day of the organised masterclasses is dedicated especially to youths aged between 8 and 15. If young dancers have no idea where to start with dance and are curious to dabble, the festival created a special opportunity known as the Youth Dance Platform, for emerging dancers to dip their feet and test new waters. Now in its second edition, the ‘Youth Dance Platform’ is a special feature for young dancers to submit temporary pieces to showcase dance talent in a non-competitive setting.

The festival is also issuing open calls to invite local artists and choreographers to submit their personal project and present it professionally as part of the programme, to foster and nurture local dance opportunities.

Moreover, an inclusive dance performance titled ‘Second Act’ is an intergenerational project, which will invite veterans of dance in their 40s and 70s, to unite and honour the medium of dance as a lifelong art form.

Community is also part of the festival’s undertaking that keeps the pulse of the festival alive, and this year the dance activist duet, Dance Beyond Borders, are inviting and collaborating with local communities from different countries such as Italy, Portugal, and finally Malta to engage in a collaborative project under the theme of migration.

Whether you’re a dancer, a lover of dance or simply curious, Dance Festival Malta invites you to be part of the ultimate dance celebration. For registrations and tickets visit their website here. 

Dance Festival Malta is organised by Festivals Malta and the Ministry for National Heritage, the Arts, and Local Government (Kultura). Sponsored by Finaro and APS Bank.