The 8th International SOLO Contemporary Dance Festival will take place on August 30–31 at CerModern’s open-air stage. Ankara’s modern art center CerModern is hosting the festival, which will welcome 20 dance artists from 13 different countries this year. This edition holds special significance as it coincides with CerModern’s 15th anniversary.
The festival, which centers on the narrative the individual creates with their body, highlights dance not just as a performance but as a field of thought and discovery. It stands out with its unique format that emphasizes the power and intimacy of solo performances. The two-day program features contemporary and conceptual dance performances, workshops, and artist meetings with important dancers from Turkey and around the world.
The Body’s Narrative on Stage
The festival is coordinated by Esma Meydan, with program consultancy carried out by Deniz Alp, Özgür Adam, and Galip Emre—known for their active roles in contemporary dance on national and international platforms. SOLO’s curatorial vision is shaped by the idea of bringing the body’s potential as a means of expression to the stage, inspired by the individual’s inner world.
This special edition, coinciding with CerModern’s 15th year, draws attention to the sustainable relationship between art and space. Since 2009, CerModern has brought various art disciplines to audiences, and through SOLO, it offers dance as a living, breathing form of artistic expression.
Although each performance is limited to a single body, the effort to create a universal narrative is one of the festival’s distinguishing features. Offering the audience not just the experience of watching but also of thinking and empathizing, the festival shows how contemporary dance connects individual stories to collective memory. The performances on CerModern’s open-air stage promise a stage experience that is both physically and emotionally impactful.
