• The schrit_tmacher Festival 2026 will bring contemporary dance from all over the world to a variety of venues in three countries.
• With the new label "exchange", the festival focuses on exchange, community and active audience participation.

• Highlights in Aachen include the St. John Passion with dance in cooperation with Theater Aachen as well as new spaces and innovative formats.

New concepts, new venues, strengthened cross-border identity: the 31st edition of the "schrit_tmacher - just dance" festival promises exciting changes with the same proven quality. From February 24 to March 29, 2026, anyone interested can experience and enjoy contemporary dance with a wide variety of productions from all over the world.

"For me, the schrit_tmacher festival is one of the biggest highlights in Aachen's cultural calendar. I love dance and think it's excellent that the festival has such a strong euregional presence," emphasized Heinrich Brötz, Alderman for Education, Youth and Culture of the City of Aachen, at the presentation of the programme.

Since the first festival in 1993 at the Ludwig Forum Aachen, schrit_tmacher has become a cross-border dance and culture festival of international standing with performances, films, workshops and related projects. With stages in Aachen, Heerlen, Kerkrade, Maastricht, Sittard-Geleen and Eupen, the innovative and unique situation of a large festival taking place simultaneously in three countries has been created. And the Euregional and international audiences commute enthusiastically between all the venues

The "exchange" label
The focus of the innovations for the new edition is on building a "schrit_tmacher community". In addition to the dance performances, the program therefore also includes after-talks, preliminary discussions, parties and participatory events such as open-air dance workshops. In this way, visitors can exchange ideas, network and get actively involved in the festival. The corresponding program items bear the label "exchange". The equally strengthened cross-border identity is also reflected in the funding efforts, without which the dance spectacle would not be possible: among other things, the next edition will be supported by the European Union's "Small Project Fund" - for the first time, all regions submitted a joint application for funding.

The St. John Passion at Theater Aachen
The program in Aachen offers some highlights for all dance enthusiasts and the curious. The "Bergfest" in Aachen will be celebrated by an extraordinary cooperation: The St. John Passion with dance will be performed at the Theater, the new main venue in Aachen, on March 15 and 29. Festival director Yvonne Eibig is particularly looking forward to the unusual venues, in the Citykirche, in the Depot or in the Mulde in the Ludwig Forum: "The spatial changes enable us to have a decentralized event concept in Aachen. We are also taking the festival out into the city". Soloists and companies perform in the Rotunda in the Elisenbrunnen, for example, and strengthen the free, low-threshold offer of the dance festival. Other highlights for the festival director include the "Hype the Pain" performances in the Ludwig Forum with a 270° experience for spectators and an exchange with artist Kadir "Amigo" Memiş, who is creating a large-scale work of art in the depot.

Another innovation is the restructuring of the "Generation 2" label for young talent, which has been divided into the categories "Young" and "Talent" - because talent knows no age and should be promoted across all genres and generations. The organizers are also proud to once again be able to present the programme in Aachen over five weekends. For the first time in five years, family plays and school performances are also back on the program.

Information:
Internet: www.schrittmacherfestival.com
Instagram: @aachenmachtkultur
Instagram: @schrittmacher_festival
Facebook: schrittmacher Dance Festival Aachen - just dance

Advance booking:
Start: December 18, 11 a.m.
www.schrittmacherfestival.com
www.theateraachen.de
www.plt.nl
www.adticket.de
www.schrittmacher.reservix.de/events
as well as via Mediahuis Aachen GmbH, the Buchhandlung am Markt in Aachen-Brand, at the box office of Theater Aachen / Theater Heerlen / Theater Kerkrade / Theater Sittard and via the free ADticket hotline on +49 (0)69 90283986.

Tickets for events at the Alter Schlachthof cultural center in Eupen are available online at www.alter-schlachthof.be and at the usual advance booking offices.