11 May 2026  • French choreographer Leïla Ka brings her internationally discussed group work Maldonne to ImPulsTanz – Vienna International Dance Festival 2026 on 29 and 31 July 2026 at Vienna's Volkstheater. • The work for five dancers uses around 40 second-hand dresses to reflect on femininity, social expectations and solidarity. • ImPulsTanz, founded in 1984, has developed into one of the world's most influential contemporary dance festivals and is widely seen as a platform that reflects current international developments in choreography and performance. • Maldonne is supported by Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels, an initiative launched in 2020 to support contemporary dance and choreographic heritage. • Before Vienna, the production will also be shown at Sommerszene Salzburg on 16 June 2026. • Alongside stage productions, ImPulsTanz again expands across Austria with its free Public Moves dance classes in Klagenfurt, Linz, Salzburg and Vienna. A festival as an international indicatorFor more than four decades, ImPulsTanz – Vienna International Dance Festival has shaped Vienna's position within the international dance world. Founded in 1984, the festival has grown from a specialised event into one of the largest and most influential festivals for contemporary dance and performance worldwide. Each summer, choreographers, dancers and audiences from many countries gather in Vienna for performances, workshops and research projects that often reflect current artistic and social discussions.The programme is closely observed within the dance sector because it frequently introduces artists and choreographic directions that later gain wider international attention. In this context, the invitation of Leïla Ka can also be seen as part of the festival's continuing focus on emerging voices whose work connects strongly with contemporary debates around identity, gender and collective experience. Ka belongs to a younger generation of French choreographers who combine influences from urban dance, theatre and contemporary choreography. Without following a traditional academic dance education, she entered dance through hip-hop culture as a teenager before later performing in Maguy Marin's influential work May B. Her own productions quickly gained international visibility, while her choreographic work has also extended into popular culture through collaborations linked to artists such as Beyoncé. Forty dresses as narrative materialMaldonne, created in 2023, is Leïla Ka's first group piece. Five dancers move through an intense choreography surrounded by approximately forty dresses, including wedding dresses, evening gowns and nightwear. The garments are not treated as decorative costumes but as central narrative elements.The title refers to the French expression for a "bad hand" or misdeal in a card game. In the performance, clothing becomes connected to expectations placed on women through society, family traditions and public appearance. Dresses are worn, exchanged, dragged across the stage or transformed into sculptural objects. At moments they appear protective; in others restrictive or confrontational. The choreography shifts between synchronised movement, exhaustion, rebellion and moments of fragile stillness. Critics have frequently noted the contrast between physical intensity and theatrical imagery. The dancers' breathing, repetitive gestures and collective movement patterns reinforce the sense of pressure but also solidarity. Ka describes the work as an exploration of freedom and equal opportunities. Rather than presenting a linear narrative, Maldonne develops through physical situations and emotional states. The dresses carry traces of imagined previous lives, suggesting memory, social roles and personal histories connected to the body. Dance Reflections and international circulationThe Vienna performances are supported by Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels. The initiative, launched in 2020, works internationally with festivals, theatres and cultural institutions to support contemporary dance productions, touring and the preservation of choreographic heritage. It continues the long historical connection between the jewellery house and dance that dates back to the early twentieth century.The international circulation of Maldonne reflects the current global demand for works that combine strong visual language with social themes. The production has already toured widely and was nominated for the International Dance Prize at London's Sadler's Wells. From Salzburg to Vienna and beyondBefore arriving at Volkstheater during ImPulsTanz, Maldonne will be presented at Sommerszene Salzburg on 16 June 2026 at SZENE Salzburg. The connection between Salzburg and ImPulsTanz also appears through the festival's Public Moves programme, which has expanded contemporary dance activity beyond Vienna over the past decade.Public Moves celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2026 and offers free outdoor dance classes in several Austrian cities. The programme begins in Klagenfurt from 21 to 31 May, continues in Linz in June and reaches Salzburg from 18 to 28 June at Volksgarten. In Vienna, Public Moves starts at Seestadt on 6 June before extending to additional locations from 10 July onward. Classes are open to all ages and experience levels and remain free of charge. Tickets for many ImPulsTanz performances, workshops and research projects are already available through the festival website impulstanz.com, where further programme details and schedules can also be found. Image: Five dancers perform with raised dresses during Leïla Ka’s contemporary dance work Maldonne, presented at ImPulsTanz Vienna 2026. © Monia Pavoni |