Dance returns to occupy the metropolitan space in the ninth edition of Dansa Metropolitana

From 5 to 22 March, Dansa Metropolitana celebrates its ninth edition, turning theaters, streets and singular spaces into vibrant stages for movement. The festival unfolds its program across twelve municipalities —Badalona, Barcelona, Cornellà, El Prat, Esplugues, Granollers, L’Hospitalet, Sabadell, Sant Cugat, Santa Coloma, Terrassa and Viladecans— and reaffirms itself as a unique and benchmark project both nationally and across Europe.

A total of 177 performances of 90 shows will be presented, alongside 370 activities embracing a wide diversity of languages and formats. The program includes 16 world premieres and several Spanish premieres by international companies, together with leading figures from the contemporary scene.

This year’s edition focuses on the freedom of bodies to inhabit and transform public space, reinforcing the festival’s commitment to an open, inclusive and participatory vision of dance. Dansa Metropolitana continues to work towards democratizing access to culture, broadening audiences and supporting the artistic fabric of the territory.

Among the leading international names are creators and companies such as Poliana Lima, Poyo Rojo, Dewey Dell, Dorothée Munyaneza, Hung Dance and the Danish Dance Theatre under the direction of Marina Mascarell. On the national scene, artists such as Rocío Molina and Manuel Liñán shine alongside new voices and co-productions committed to innovation and risk-taking.

Co-productions once again stand as one of the pillars of the festival, fostering creation and enabling new projects to reach metropolitan stages, both in venues and in unconventional spaces.

Beyond performance, the festival strengthens its community and educational dimension. The Àgores project, coordinated by the festival’s artistic director Giulia Poltronieri, will involve more than 700 people who will actively participate in the program, turning public spaces such as squares into places for gathering and celebrating dance. At the same time, the educational program will reach more than 800 students through workshops, laboratories and mediation experiences with creators.

The opening ceremony will be ELLES, a show created especially for the occasion and directed by Hansel Cereza, featuring the participation of women’s groups from L’Hospitalet. The closing celebration will take place on 22 March at parc de la Ciutadella, in a large open event inviting everyone to dance.

With this new edition, Dansa Metropolitana consolidates its model of cooperation among municipalities and reaffirms its desire to make dance a tool for encounter, transformation and civic cohesion.