Between 22 and 26 April 2026, the Central European Dance Theatre and Bethlen Square Theatre will organise the twelfth International Monodance Festival, a joint dance festival. The event, which has been a unique cultural event in Hungary since 2005, will once again bring to Budapest the most outstanding works and artists of contemporary dance.
The programme of the biennial festival always includes a selection of dance performances from recent years. The mono-dance genre, modelled on monodramas, is a collection of personal confessions that focus on individual destinies and the inner world of the creators. Following the international success of the festival, Monotanz Seoul was held in Seoul in 2019, and has since been hosted in the capital of South Korea in odd years and in Budapest in even years.
One of the main pillars of this year's programme is the reflection of Ukrainian and Central European artists on the crises of the present. A dancEUA In the framework of the Creative Europe project, we will host productions by Maciej Kuźmiński and Daria Koval Resistance Movement documentary solo, or Alina Sokulska and Maria Plotnikova Magura/ Territory & People which explore issues of war experience and bodily memory.
On the opening day of the festival, Krisztián Gergye will present an all-art performance in honour of the renowned painter's life's work, in connection with the Barcsay 125 commemorative year. The Hungarian line will be strengthened by László Mádi Doctrine choreographed by the Central Europe Dance Theatre, which K-Arcok series explores the mysteries of the performer's personality and inner world.
The international line-up will include performances by South Korean, Austrian and Croatian artists. South Korean guest performances will include Mono Shifting an international collaboration, and Lee Seung Ju I tilt which transforms the artist's military memories of the Korean Demilitarised Zone into the language of dance.
The festival's accompanying programmes offer a variety of experiences this year as well: by Gábor Dusa PROBE/TIME 2? in the café of the Bethlen Téri Theatre, in the Monotanz Seoul and a fence exhibition in front of the theatre. The performances are followed each evening by audience meetings, moderated by Katalin Lőrinc, university professor and dance artist.
We pay special attention to the Beyond Front@: Bridging Periphery in the framework of an international project Bridging Academies a programme of performances by students from Central European dance universities. As a side event, Korean performers will hold professional workshops at the Korean Cultural Centre.
Date: 22-26 April 2026.
Location: Bethlen Téri Theatre (1071 Budapest, Bethlen Gábor tér 3.)
Detailed programme: www.bethlenszinhaz.hu/monotanc