These days a big part of not only the Austrian population spend much time on their favorite sports: sitting in front of a tv watching other people skiing. However, a small group of people in Vienna met at the beginning of december to discuss issues concerning their version of physical culture: Viennese dancers, choreographers, journalists and presenters were gathering to focus on international networking and national future perspectives in contemporary dance. The event was hostest by ImPulsTanz, danceWEB and SZENE Salzburg.

Some online magazines have started to file ?dance? under ?lifestyle?, a fact that should urge Austrian authorities to change their attitude towards the national dance community whose works are well-acclaimed at international festivals but lack recognition and financial support in their home country. Other nations, like France, are not only proud of success in sports championships but also host one of the most important international dance competitions: The Rencontres Chorégraphiques Internationales de Seine-Saint-Denis are a stimulation and encouragement of choreographic art not only in France but also in all countries that take part in the competition. In each of them so-called dance platforms take place giving the applying choreographers an opportunity to stage their work. For the Rencontres Chorégraphiques Internationales de Seine-Saint-Denis 2002 taking place 31 May until 4 June, 2002, platforms have been organized since September 2001, for instance in Finnland, Russia, Brasil and Italy. The Austrian dance platform will take place January 11 & 12, 2002 where among others Cie. Willi Dorner and Anita Kaya & Maja Slattery whose works were also presented at the ImPulsTanz Festival 2001 as parts of the [8:tension] series will show their pieces. Details in the Eventdatabase!