ABOUT BRIDGE
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The Bridge is a dance project from the Professional BALLET School BASEL Association in collaboration with Tanzhaus Basel that offers young dancers a direct path into the professional world of ballet. The 5 weeks program gives talented dancers the opportunity to work every day under the guidance of experienced artistic directors and ballet masters, helping them to develop the skills required to succeed in international dance companies.
The Bridge is a full-time program for dancers between the ages of 18 and 23. It is designed as a practical bridge from school to the professional stage. Participants rehearse, perform, and train in conditions that are close to those of an established ballet company, followed by on-stage audition. This allows them to gain the technical, artistic, and personal experience they need to begin their careers with confidence.
THE CHALLENGE
Transitioning from training to a professional career is one of the greatest challenges in the lives of young dancers.
Most professional companies require 2–3 years of stage experience before show themselves in person for auditions and unltimetly offering employment. This creates a vicious circle: no engagement without experience – no experience without engagement.
Graduates often spend years searching for positions, investing heavily in applications, travel and auditions, often without success. This leads to frustration, financial strain, and in many cases, abandoning the profession. Meanwhile, the number of graduates continues to grow, while job opportunities remain stagnant.
The Bridge will provide a structured solution to this gap, ensuring a safe but professional environment for dancers in their crucial first professional experiences.
MISSION
The Bridge serves as the bridge between professional dance school graduation and full time professional careers. It prepares emerging dancers through rigorous technical training, exposure to world-class repertoire, and direct collaboration with internationally renowned artistic directors, ballet masters, and choreographers.
Participants gain essential stage experience through performances at Tanzhaus Basel, developing artistic maturity, adaptability, and professional readiness. Designed primarily for local dancers aged 18 to 23, It recreates the environment of a working dance company while maintaining a human-centered approach that encourages each dancer to explore and refine their unique artistic identity.
A distinctive feature of the project is a dedicated performance event tailored specifically for ballet professionals, including artistic directors and ballet masters. This event functions as a live, on-stage audition, followed by networking sessions that provide dancers with direct feedback and meaningful opportunities to establish professional connections.
Through this integrated approach, The Bridge not only develops technical and artistic excellence but also actively facilitates dancers’ entry into the international professional dance community.
