Welcome to the 20th edition of Steps! For almost 40 years, the Migros Culture Percentage dance festival, together with its partner theatres, has been bringing contemporary dance to your doorstep. In 2026, national and international dance companies will once again tour all regions of Switzerland for four weeks. Included are selected choreographies from the current dance scene that have given us goosebumps.

We would like to share this magic, because in view of the global situation, the question arises as to how we as a society can meet the challenges of our time. We are convinced: with shared experiences. Dance connects. Dance has the ability to build bridges and create spaces for encounters. In other words, dance brings people closer together. In a time characterised by crisis, this aspect seems invaluable.

We have endeavoured to capture the diversity of current dance creation and to reflect this in our programme. Furthermore, it is important to us that the selected productions deal with socially relevant topics in an artistic way and make them tangible for the audience. At the same time, we remain committed to two other matters close to our hearts: sustainability – both ecological and social – and belonging.

It is important to us to grow, to learn, and to embrace new perspectives. A concrete example: for the 2026 edition of the festival, we asked the members of the HORA Theatre ensemble for their professional opinion. With ‘HORA says’, we are creating a special festival compass: a video in which the actors of the Zurich theatre, dance and performance group HORA share their impressions of each production.

We look forward to many extraordinary encounters, on and off the stage. Let’s dance into spring together!

Your Steps Team