21. Lábán Rudolf-díj átadó és Mi lesz veled kortárs tánc? szakmai nap

This year marks the 21st presentation of the Rudolf Lábán Award, an independent professional recognition in the field of Hungarian contemporary dance. Ahead of the awards ceremony, the board of trustees is organizing a professional symposium on the present and future of contemporary dance.

ANNOUNCEMENT

After careful consideration, the board of the Rudolf Lábán Award has decided this year not to award the independent professional prize(s) for the best contemporary dance performance of the previous year, nor to compile a shortlist. With this strong statement, the committee aims to draw attention to the field’s years-long marginalization and acute crisis, which calls for immediate and effective professional and cultural-policy intervention. We will soon publish a detailed explanation of our decision. At the same time, as we have done in the past, we continue to consider it important to recognize the work of those active in the field of contemporary dance with special awards. At the 21st Lábán Award ceremony, four awards will be presented for artistic achievements spanning multiple seasons that have shaped the diverse landscape of Hungarian contemporary dance over the long term and continue to do so today.

The recipients of the 21st Rudolf Lábán Award Special Prizes:

KATALIN DÉZSI, lighting designer

KÉRÉSZ MŰVEK (Artus Studio)

MÁRTA LADJÁNSZKI, dancer and choreographer

UNDER500 Festival

Schedule

3:00–7:15 PM What Will Become of You, Contemporary Dance? – Professional Day – Club

8:00 PM Viktor Szeri: Reigen – Premiere – Main Hall

9:00 PM Rudolf Lábán Award Ceremony – FoyerDetailed program:

1. SPACE (venues for contemporary dance) – 3:00–4:15 p.m.

Roundtable discussion with the directors of performance venues and supporting organizations

Participants: Katalin Erdődi (Trafó), Balázs Erős (MU Theater), Péter Ertl (National Dance Theater), Zoltán Nagy (SÍN), Gergely Talló (Műhely Foundation)

BREAK

2. FUNDING – 4:30–5:45 PM

Roundtable discussion on funding for contemporary dance

Participants: György Szabó (Ex-Trafó, Dologidő), Zoltán Imely (Dologidő), Zita Rihay-Kovács (Theater Workers’ Union, Executive Director), Réka Szabó (ex-Tünet Ensemble/Szünet Ensemble, Dologidő)

BREAK

3. THE NEXT GENERATION – 6:00–7:15 PM

Roundtable discussion on the creators of the future, the next generation of dancers

Participants: Petra Péter (BCDC), Katalin Lőrinc (MTE), Jenna Jalonen (SUB.LAB.PRO.), Edit Domoszlai (Gradient Contemporary Ballet, Debrecen)

The program will be moderated by members of the Lábán Board of Trustees; following the discussion segments, there will be an opportunity to comment, share observations, and engage in debate. Participation is free.

The awards ceremony will take place in the foyer of Trafó’s main hall following the premiere of Viktor Szeri’s Reigen. For this year’s awards, the board of trustees is basing its selections on the most outstanding dance productions of 2025.

The Rudolf Lábán Award was established in 2006 by the MU Theater and Trafó, paying tribute to the namesake’s wide-ranging work in the renewal of dance. Each year, the award is presented by the board of trustees to the most outstanding domestic contemporary dance performance(s); its members closely follow premieres and artistic developments in the field.

This year’s decision-makers on the board of trustees for the Rudolf Lábán Award are: Szilvia Sisso Artner, journalist; Orsolya Bálint, dance critic and journalist; Lívia Fuchs, dance historian and dance critic; Csaba Králl, dance critic; Léna Megyeri, dance critic; László Százados, art historian; and Ákos Török, dance and theater critic.