This season, we’re once again taking a look behind the scenes at the Leipzig Ballet. We’ll explore how dance has been and continues to be used as a form of protest, and go backstage to see how roles are created.

8 October 2026 – »Dance as a Form of Protest«
Dance is one of the oldest forms of collective resistance. Whether in the strike dances of the labour movement, the Freedom Dances of the civil rights movement, or contemporary protest actions, the body becomes a political statement when language is insufficient or forbidden.

In this event »Spitze! Backstage Whispers with the Leipzig Ballet«, we offer a dance-studies perspective on the history and present-day reality of this practice. Where does it come from, what impact does it have, and what distinguishes the protesting body from the aesthetic one?

23 April 2027 – »Finding a Role?«
A character does not emerge by chance. Between the first rehearsal and the premiere lies a process of research, physical work and decision-making that usually remains invisible to the audience.
Ensemble members and choreographer Andreas Heise offer an insight into their process for the upcoming premiere of »O Fortuna«. How does one approach a character in dance? Where does a role begin, and how much of one’s personal self finds its way onto the stage?

Meeting point: Opera House entrance hall