The DANCE ON ENSEMBLE was founded in 2015 by the Berlin-based cultural non-profit organisation Diehl+Ritter. It is part of the Dance On initiative that celebrates the artistic excellence of dancers aged 40+ and explores the relationship between dance and age both on stage and in society.
Working with internationally renowned choreographers and directors such as Rabih Mroué, Deborah Hay, Lucinda Childs and Jan Martens, the DANCE ON ENSEMBLE is developing a repertoire of ground-breaking and challenging contemporary dance works. Its aim is to create a solid base for a rich and ambitious future repertoire for dancers 40+.

 

As a member of the Dance On Ensemble since the beginning of the project, Ty Boomershine is responsible

for its artistic direction since 2019. Further members of the Dance On Ensemble are: Gesine Moog, Emma

Lewis, Tim Persent, Miki Orihara, Christine Kono, Anna Herrmann, Marco Volta, Lia Witjes Poole and Jone San Martin – all of them are professional dancers between the ages 43 to 71 who have danced in leading companies, among them Lucinda Childs Dance, Ballet Frankfurt, Martha Graham Dance Company, Nederlands Dans Theater, Hamburg Ballet and Cullberg Ballet. All dancers of great artistic excellence whose experience, charisma and dramatic power – in fact their entire dance life – are present on stage.

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The image of dance is partly shaped by the exceptional physical capabilities of young dancers. There are very few choreographies that suit the changed physical conditions of older dancers, and only a few companies use dancers aged 40+. This is a loss for dance and society, as experienced dancers have the ability to tap into the mental and emotional depths of choreographic material. They are present within the scope of their lived experiences. And they enrich the spectator’s experience with their physical intelligence and experience, which open up a key new dimension.

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DANCE ON has created strong alliances with coproduction partners – on a national and international level, among them Kampnagel Hamburg, tanzhaus nrw, Berliner Ensemble, Münchner Kammerspiele, Sadlers Wells London, Holland Dance Festival, STUK House for Image, Dance and Sound, ONASSIS STEGI Athens, Belgrade Dance Festival, and ADC – Association pour la Danse Contemporaine Genève. These alliances will ensure the DANCE ON concept is implemented sustainably and make an active contribution to establishing a dance repertoire 40+.

Diehl+Ritter, DANCE ON's initiator and producer, also initiated DANCE ON, PASS ON, DREAM ON, which is a large-scale project, co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union, addressing ageism in the dance sector and in society.