The euro-scene Leipzig kicks off on 3 November: Focus on Québec

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With a focus on five outstanding companies from the Canadian province of Quebec, this year’s festival turns its attention to one of the most fascinating dance scenes in the world. The opening night alone features three guest performances representing very different artistic approaches: following his success last year, Manuel Roque returns to Leipzig with the world premiere of ‘Sweet Rodeo’.

To open the festival, the legendary choreographer Marie Chouinard presents an evening rich in contrasts: in ‘Magnificat’, her magnificent visual language meets Bach’s Leipzig masterpiece, whilst in ‘Henri Michaux: Mouvements’ she transforms bodies into living calligraphy.

Athena Lucie Assamba, an up-and-coming artist from Montréal with Cameroonian roots, combines African dance traditions with the energy of rave culture in the European premiere of “Nkul Nnam” (The Village Drum).

Hip-hop and street dance take the stage

At the same time, an international artistic trend is becoming more evident than ever before: hip-hop, street dance and club cultures are transforming the dance scene worldwide – it is no exaggeration to speak of an artistic revolution. What began on the streets, in squares and in clubs has long since conquered international stages.

And so too does the programme of the euro-scene Leipzig festival: ‘In my Body’ brings together several generations of stars from the Quebec hip-hop scene – the oldest among them having previously performed as the support act for James Brown. Another highlight is “Trailer Park”, created by the German choreographer Moritz Ostruschnjak for the internationally acclaimed ensemble tanzmainz: short video clips, viral gestures and choreographies from the internet come together to form a rousing dance performance.

Liam Francis is regarded as an innovator on the British dance scene: with “Dual till the Death & A Body of Rumours”, he presents psychologically gripping dance theatre. And to round off the festival, “2par2” by Alexandra ‘Spicey’ Landé – a key figure in the hip-hop dance scene in Québec – explores the interplay of love, conflict and social conventions with her ten-strong ensemble.

Plays about the loss of home and new beginnings

The themes of home, identity and belonging run like a common thread through the festival programme. Several theatre productions explore the experiences of flight, displacement and exile. The plays “The Child” by Afsaneh Mahian (Iran), “Exercises for a Possible Return” by the Syrian theatre group in exile, Collective Ma’louba, and “Campobello” by Eva-Maria Bertschy (Switzerland) tell the stories of people who have been forced to flee, who are contemplating a return after years in exile, or who are trying to build a new life far from home.

The focus is less on geopolitical conflicts and more on their immediate consequences for people’s lives – on uprooted lives, lost certainties and the search for a place where one can feel at home again.

The euro-scene Leipzig will take place from 3 to 8 November 2026.