Dance Context Journal 2026 Is Out Now: The New Issue Explores Politics in Dance
The third edition of Dance Context Journal is out now. This year’s issue explores the political dimension of dance, examining how politics shapes artistic creation, the functioning of cultural institutions, representation, and the conditions in which dance is created and developed. As of today, 14 October 2026, the publication is available in both print and digital formats through our online shop and at selected distribution points. Individual articles will also be published on the Taneční aktuality website, where readers will be able to purchase them separately.
Where does politics manifest itself in dance? The third issue of Dance Context Journal demonstrates that the political dimension of dance extends far beyond the themes and messages of artistic works. It is also reflected in who has opportunities to create and lead institutions, how different bodies and identities are represented on stage, what conditions shape artistic work, and how knowledge about dance is transmitted. The issue also addresses artists’ mobility, environmental sustainability, and the broader context of cultural policy.
Under the editorial leadership of Petra Zeller Dotlačilová, this year’s Dance Context Journal brings together a diverse range of accessible, informative articles, commentaries, and peer-reviewed academic studies. Performer and researcher Nela Winkler examines the representation of women in leadership positions on the Czech dance scene. Csenge Olexa traces changes in queer representation in contemporary Hungarian dance, while Robin Lamothe explores mobility, carbon footprints, and the sustainability of the European dance scene. Through the figure of Eliška Bláhová, Zuzana Smugalová revisits the history of dance and movement education in the Czech Republic.
Contemporary social and institutional issues are further explored in opinion pieces by Hana Polanská, who examines the language of performance, efficiency, and measurability in cultural policy, and Lucie Bielik, who reflects on the current situation of the Slovak cultural scene. The academic section features studies by Anja K. Arend, Anne-Lise Brevers, Johana Panenková, and Marianna Panourgia, expanding the discussion of politics in dance through historical, institutional, pedagogical, and theoretical perspectives. The issue is rounded off by the journal’s traditional annual review, highlighting the most significant events of the past year on the Czech dance scene.
The publication and individual articles are available online
Dance Context Journal is published in both print and digital formats. Readers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia can order the publication through the Taneční aktuality online shop, which offers both the printed edition and a digital PDF version. International readers can purchase the PDF through our online shop. Readers outside the Czech Republic and Slovakia who are interested in the printed edition can contact the editorial team to arrange individual shipping. Individual articles in English will be published here on a rolling basis and will also be available for individual purchase.
The new issue of Dance Context Journal will be officially launched on 19 December 2026 at 3 p.m. as part of the Knihex festival. This year’s patron is Miřenka Čechová, a performer, choreographer, director, and writer who also features on the journal’s cover.
In collaboration with the editorial board, the editorial team is already preparing an open call for contributions to the next edition. Further details about the topic and submission guidelines will be announced soon.
