„contact.energy’26“
„contact.
energy’26“
SAT 
Nov. 14, 
Theater Erfurt | Großes HausTo mark the grand finale of the 10th International Dance Theatre Festival, we invite you to an evening brimming with energy and creativity. For many years, this competition—open to participants from across Europe—has been a festival highlight for audiences, bringing the latest trends in the international dance scene to Erfurt.
Choreographers and dancers from all over Europe were invited to submit unique and compelling performances. From all the entries, the ten most outstanding works were selected; on November 14, 2026, these solos, duos, and trios will be presented to both an expert jury and the audience. We sought choreographies that, through the power of their creative energy, forge a connection between artists and the audience.
The three most impressive performances will be awarded a total of €2,000 in prize money, including an audience award that you can vote for. Look forward to an electrifying festival finale and choose your personal favorite!
Jury
Sabrina Sadowska
Sabrina Sadowska trained as a dancer and ballet teacher in Basel. Following engagements as a dancer in Trier, Bremerhaven, and Halle, she served as ballet mistress and deputy ballet director at Ballett Vorpommern. From 2001 to 2016, she directed the “Tanztendenzen” festival for emerging talent in Greifswald; in 2013, she moved to Chemnitz, initially taking on the roles of ballet operations director and principal ballet mistress. She founded and directs the “TANZ | MODERNE | TANZ” festival and has served as Ballet Director at Theater Chemnitz since the 2017/2018 season.
She is deeply committed to supporting dancers as they transition out of their performing careers. To this end, she is active as a founder and Chair of the Board of the *Stiftung TANZ – Transition Zentrum Deutschland* (Dance Foundation – Transition Center Germany). In recognition of her work, she was awarded the Medal of Merit of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2016, among other honors.
László Nyakas
László Nyakas was born in Cluj-Napoca (Romania) and trained as a ballet dancer and ballet teacher at the local Choreographic Institute. Following a career as a soloist with renowned companies such as the Hungarian National Ballet, the Basel Ballet, and the Semperoper Dresden, he increasingly dedicated himself to teaching and artistic work. He has held positions as a ballet master and deputy artistic director in cities including Braunschweig, Munich, and Münster. Since August 2023, he has served as Dance Director and Ballet Master at Theater Osnabrück.
In addition to his international work as a guest instructor and ballet master, he is deeply committed to fostering young talent and specializes in the Russian Vaganova method combined with classical Romanian dance technique.
Ester Ambrosino
Ester Ambrosino is a dancer, choreographer, and the artistic director of Tanztheater Erfurt e.V., an organization she founded in 2007. After training in classical dance in Palermo, she studied contemporary dance at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen. She subsequently danced with the Folkwang Tanzstudio, worked with Pina Bausch, performed as a guest artist with Tanztheater Wuppertal, and was a member of Tanztheater Bremen. For many years, she has played a defining role in the Thuringian dance scene through her choreography and projects. She has received numerous awards for her artistic work, including the City of Erfurt’s Culture Prize. Her current production, *Ein Schritt von Dir*, is set to receive the Thuringia Theatre Prize in 2026. Since 2008, she has also curated the International Dance Theatre Festival Erfurt and championed international networking within the field of contemporary dance.
