From 10 to 14 June 2026, Lugano will host the third edition of Lugano Dance Project, a biennial event dedicated to contemporary dance and the dialogue between artistic creation and cultural heritage. An event that, over the years, has consolidated its role on the international scene, becoming part of the programming of the LAC Lugano Art and Culture as a moment of synthesis and relaunch of the season.
Born from an idea by Carmelo Rifici and Michel Gagnon , and curated by Lorenzo Conti , the festival offers five days of shows, site-specific performances, meetings, workshops, and screenings throughout the LAC and various venues around the city. This format intertwines artistic vision and critical reflection, in keeping with the contemporary vocation of Lugano's cultural institution.
The theme: dance and legacy
In a global context marked by geopolitical instability, climate crisis, and social transformation, Lugano Dance Project chooses to focus on the theme of legacy. A key concept that permeates choreographic practice as living memory, transmission, and reinvention.
The reflection unfolds around central questions: how can we transmit bodily knowledge? How can dance build identity and continuity? And how can new artistic forms be generated from the intersection of individual and collective memories?
According to the curators, transmitting means preserving the past by reinterpreting it in light of contemporary challenges, but also creating the conditions for future generations to build their own cultural legacy.
The opening between memory and rereading
The festival opens on Wednesday, June 10, with the national premiere of Kontakthof – Echoes of '78 , conceived and directed by Meryl Tankard. The work engages with one of Pina Bausch's iconic works, reinterpreting it almost fifty years after its creation.
The project features Bausch's longtime performers and brings together archival materials and contemporary stage presence, reflecting on time, memory, and the transformation of bodies. This project fulfills a desire expressed by Bausch herself: to see her work reinterpreted by the same dancers years later.
Between solos, immersive performances and new creations
The program continues on Thursday 11 June at the Palazzo dei Congressi with Music Music Histoire(s) du Théâtre VII by Trajal Harrell, a solo work that explores music as a founding element of choreographic practice and personal transformation.
On Friday 12th and Saturday 13th June the LAC hosts I am Swiss (or not) by Ticino artist Camilla Parini, an intimate and immersive performance for one or two spectators at a time, suspended between reality and imagination. On the same day, at the Teatro Foce, Yasmine Hugonnet presents Our Times, a work constructed as an open choreographic device, accompanied by live music.
The Swiss choreographer also creates Parentèle – Première relation , on stage on Sunday 14 June, a project born from an artistic residency and focused on the relationship between creation and parenthood, with mother artists on stage together with their children.
The festival will close with the world premiere of White Space by Kyle Abraham, a prominent figure on the American scene, known for his ability to blend different languages – from classical dance to hip-hop – into a recognizable style.
At the Lugano Dance Project, a day dedicated to participation
Saturday, June 13th, promises to be one of the festival's busiest moments, with Omar Rajeh's The Gathering project serving as the unifying theme. The day includes performances, workshops, and participatory activities.
Among these, Soul(s) Power by Hamdi Dridi, which explores urban and contemporary dance, and Prelude to violence by Ghida Hachicho, a documentary work that reflects on the mechanisms of collective violence.
In the evening, Piazza Bernardino Luini becomes an open space with Dance People , a participatory performance that invites the public to participate in the creative process. The day concludes with a DJ set in the LAC Hall.
Training, dialogue and research
In addition to its performances, Lugano Dance Project dedicates ample space to professional training and discussion. Workshops and seminars are complemented by round tables and thematic meetings, involving industry professionals and artists.
Among the events, the morning organized by Reso – Rete Danza Svizzera, dedicated to the production and dissemination of works, and the focus on dance and dramaturgy with professionals from Switzerland's various linguistic regions.
The theme of legacy is also explored through meetings with artists and scholars, including Cecilia Bengolea and Emily May, leading up to a final dialogue on the North American dance scene.
Cinema and artistic contaminations
The program is enriched with a section dedicated to video, hosted at the Cinema Iride, where Cecilia Bengolea presents three works that intertwine dance, landscape, and ethnology. This further expands the concept of heritage to include audiovisual language and interdisciplinary research.
A choral project
Produced by LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura, Lugano Dance Project is made possible thanks to the contribution of institutional partners and international supporters, including Franklin University Switzerland, Pro Helvetia, and the Lugano Region.
The complete programme is available on www.luganodanceproject.ch , while tickets and information can be obtained at the LAC box office (Piazza Bernardino Luini 6, Lugano) or on the website www.laclugano.ch.
