Author: Dag Rosenqvist

A big thanks to everyone who participated during the festival! Big thanks also to our collaborators, presenters and all our funders for your continued belief in what we do, and for wanting to do this together with us. Las but not least – a huge thanks to the audiences who took part of the performances and talks during Step 2026!

The fourth edition of Step took place from March 4-12 2026. All in all, 58 events at 19 locations in eight municipalities in Region Västra Götaland and Halland were presented. Audiences in Ale, Göteborg, Härryda, Lerum, Mölndal, Stenungsund, Vara and Varberg got the opportunity to experience performances from Scotland, Norway and Sweden.

The selection for Step 2026 was done by our curators Gabrielle Haga – Senior Advisor at Scenekunstbruket in Norway, Annika Ostwald – Head of Operations and Artistic Director for Rum för Dans in Region Halland and Fiona Ferguson – Creative Development Director at Edinburgh International Children’s Festival in Edinburgh. Producentbyrån were responsible for bringing in local, regional, and national performances and events to the program.

Our international professional’s program gathered 55 delegates and participants from Scotland, Serbia, Iceland, Finland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden. During three days – March 4–6 – industry professionals gathered at Vara Konserthus, Mölnlycke kulturhus and Folkteatern in Gothenburg to experience performances, network, mingle and listen to talks about bicycle tours, the conditions for creating dance for young audiences in the Nordic countries, what resources we have at hand and what we need to create dance performances, an initiative for a new national distribution system for performing arts for young audiences and what the process of creating a performance for children with complex need might look like. In collaboration with Dansakademin, as a bridge from their initiative Open Stage, three West Swedish dance artists and companies presented their respective artistic practises.

Step 2026 was inaugurated at Vara Konserthus with speeches by Simon Ljungman – Artistic Development Director at Vara Konserthus, Carl Forsberg – First Vice Chair of the Regional Cultural Committee of Västra Götaland and by Step’s Project Manager Hanko Zell. The opening also featured a flash mob with students from the culture schools of Vara and Partille lead by choreographer and dancer Maja Fock.

So once again – a massive thanks for Step 2026!

Today it’s a week until we inaugurate the 2026 edition of Step at Vara Konserthus, followed by eight days filled with dance for young audiences.

Step 2026
In total, Step 2026 consists of nine performances and two workshops from three countries. There’s the outdoors performance Bare Rør by Panta Rei Danseteater where the pipes suddenly come to life, a vibrant performance exploring grief and death in DANCING WITH THE DEAD by Bobbi Lo Production, an acrobatic performance about playing together in Fritt fram by kompaniTO and an affecting performance about identity, upbringing and emancipation In Tony Tran’s Love Tenderly. There are performances about vulnerability and rustling paper in Papperssvalan by Memory Wax, an energetic celebration of togetherness in Pop! by Vince Virr, a glam rock dance theatre concert that playfully challenges gender norms in Rock me baby by Karstein Solli & Øystein Elle, an improvised and interactive dance performance that exists only here and now in En dans för ett ord by Regionteater Väst and a warm and a warm, non-verbal and funny family performance about biking freely in Tillie the Terrible by Tanja Andersson and Stefan Ostojić.

The festival takes place over nine days, from March 4–12. In total, the festival is comprised of almost 60 program items at venues in Härryda, Lerum, Mölndal, Ale, Vara, Stenungsund, Varberg and Göteborg.

The program in its entirety can be found here!

Professional’s program
Step’s professional’s program is a chance to meet colleagues, take part in artist presentations, see performances and hopefully get some new thoughts and perspectives. The program takes place Wednesday to Friday March 4–6 at Vara Konserthus, Lorry in Mölndal, Mölnlycke kulturhus, Folkteatern in Gothenburg, Kulturhuset Bergsjön, Spinnstudion, Atalante, Producentbyrån’s office and the Nordstan shopping mall. Registration is still open, so take the opportunity to let yourself get inspired during three full days of dance!

Click here to read more and register for the Step professional’s program!

Are you planning on celebrating the opening of Step 2026 at Vara Konserthus with us? In that case, you can travel to and from Vara together with us! We can offer a limited number of seats on a shared bus that will take us to and from Vara Konserthus on Wednesday March 4. The bus trip costs 150 sek, and it’s a first come, first served kind of thing. Make sure to secure your seat using the link below!

Travel Gothenburg – Vara
Departure at 08:00 from the hotel and arriving in Vara Konserthus at approx. 09:30

Travel Vara – Gothenburg
Departure at 15:00 from Vara Konserthus and arriving at the hotel at approx. 16:30

The bus departs from:
Comfort Hotel Göteborg
Skeppsbron 1
411 18 Göteborg

Please be there in good time before departure!

Click here to reserve your seat now!

The festival is approaching by leaps and bounds. Perhaps you’ve been to the previous festivals? Or maybe this is your first time? Regardless, the answers to any of your questions are below!

What is Step?
– It’s an international dance festival for young audiences ages 0-18 year, which this year is presented for the fourth time in West Sweden.

What performances are you presenting this time?
– There’s an outdoors performance where the pipes suddenly comes to life, a vibrant performance exploring grief and death, and acrobatic performance about playing together and an affecting performance about identity, upbringing and emancipation. There are performances about vulnerability and rustling paper, an energetic celebration of togetherness, a glam rock dance theatre concert that playfully challenges gender norms, an improvised and interactive dance performance that exists only here and now and a warm and a warm, non-verbal and funny family performance about biking freely.

What performance should I see if I have a small child with me?
– Bare Rør and Rock me Baby would surely work well.

I have an older child, what would you recommend then?
– Fritt fram and Pop! both works well for older children. If thay are approaching their teens, then perhaps Love Tenderly or DANCING WITH THE DEAD would work.

I want to laugh, what should I choose then?
– Tillie the Terrible and Papperssvalan are both funny.

I want to be surprised, what do I choose then?
– En dans för ett ord. We don’t even know how it’s going to turn out, seeing as it’s entirely improvised from a word given to the dancers by the audience.

In what cities can I see performances?
– This year, a total of eight municipalities are part of the festival; Ale, Gothenburg, Härryda, Lerum, Mölndal, Stenungssund, Vara and Varberg.

Where are the dance companies from?
– The companies come from Scotland, Norway and Sweden.

How do I get tickets?
– You’ll find the program by clicking here. Tickets to the performances are booked through each venue.

I’m not used to going to dance performances, should I go anyway?
– Yes! Just remember that you really don’t have to understand everything. Sometimes it’s just fun or very pretty and nice, and that can be enough, right? Welcome!

Facts: the festival by numbers
Participating companies: 9
Represented countries: 3
Number of items in the program: nearly 60
Participating municipalities: 8

Gabrielle is, along with Fiona Ferguson from Edinburgh International Children’s Festival and Annika Ostwald from Rum för Dans, one of this year’s three curators.

How does it feel to be a part of Step?
– I’ve known the team at Step for many years; I think it’s been close to ten years since I first met them. Because of that, it was very easy to say yes when they asked if I wanted to be involved as one of the curators for this year’s festival. The Step team is a stable and dedicated group, and we at Scenekunstbruket feel a strong sense of collegial connection with them.

What were your thoughts when putting the program together?
– We curators don’t put together the programme ourselves, but we propose performances, completely independently of one another. It was great fun to see what the other curators had selected as suggestions for this year’s festival. I proposed performances that show a breadth of formats and genres, for different age groups, and that also reflect the diversity within the Norwegian dance field for young audiences.

What has been the biggest challenge?
– The hardest part for me has been having to choose things out. In Norway, we have an enormous production of dance for young audiences thanks to Den kulturelle skolesekken. There is so much being produced, and at such a high artistic level, that the most difficult thing has been selecting just a few.

What are you most proud of this year?
– I think the Step team has created an incredibly strong and cohesive festival, where the professional programme and the performances complement one another, and where there is both a focus on the local audience and on delegates coming from other places. I think it has become a very cool mix of large and small performances, in traditional theatre spaces as well as in alternative venues and outdoors.

What are you looking forward to the most?
– I’ll be attending the festival during the professional program from 4–6 March. It will be very valuable to gather several Nordic stakeholders to jointly discuss a Nordic map of the infrastructure for performing arts for young audiences. I’m also looking forward to the performances, to meeting other professionals, and to getting to know the different venues in and around Gothenburg. And of course, to experiencing the great hospitality of the Step team.

The countdown has begun. Soon it will be time to inaugurate this year’s edition of Step, Western Sweden’s own international dance festival for children and young people. This time, the festival takes place in Vara – a new participant in this context.

The opening begins outdoors. The Norwegian dance theatre company Panta Rei Danseteater presents the performance Bare Rør. It is offered both to those who have come specifically for the opening and to those who happen to be passing by at just the right moment.
“The democratic aspect is important to Step. And there’s something quite lovely about people who are simply out for a walk also being treated to a bit of dance,” says Hanko Zell, the festival’s project manager.

After the opening performance, the programme continues indoors at Vara Concert Hall – a venue well suited to the occasion, not least because of its location.
“We want to spread dance throughout the region. So it’s a luxury that this type of venue exists outside the major cities as well, allowing children to experience international dance in the town where they live.”

Helena Helén, producer at Vara Concert Hall, shares the enthusiasm.
“We want to make space for the independent cultural sector, so for us this is a fantastic and honourable opportunity.”

On the same day as the opening, a number of school leaders will also be gathering in the building for a conference. A coincidence – but a fortunate one.
“It’s great that they get to experience this, because to a large extent they are the ones who make it possible for students to take part in dance or other cultural activities during school hours. And of course, it’s also nice to be able to offer a dance performance perfectly timed for a coffee break,” says Helena.

The event will, of course, include ceremonial speeches, among others by Simon Ljungman, Development Manager at Vara Concert Hall, and Carl Forsberg, First Vice Chair of the Regional Cultural Committee of Västra Götaland.

Hanko then promises a truly exciting surprise.
“I don’t want to reveal too much, but I can say that we are very happy about our collaboration with dance artist Maja Fock and with the Vara School of Culture…”

All the activities during the opening day at Vara Konserthus are free of charge, but you have to register. Click here to fill in the registration!

Culture should be wherever children are. That’s the heart of Step—an idea that sends the festival dancing not only through the region’s largest city, but beyond Gothenburg’s borders as well. It’s a simple thought, yet one that relies on strong and steady partnerships.

For Vara, this is the first time. Lerum has been involved from the very beginning. This year, Step appears in six towns across West Sweden—something that would not have been possible without dedicated staff. For Lena Torquato Lidén, cultural coordinator in Lerum, participating is an obvious choice since it gives so much in return. This is now the fourth time Lerum is involved, and there will likely be more.

– Step allows us to offer international dance for children and their adults, something we wouldn’t be able to offer otherwise. It’s fantastic and of course something we want to do.

She also appreciates the idea of shifting perspectives. In many cases, people from Lerum have to travel to Gothenburg to experience culture. But when Step holds performances in Lerum, the cultural traffic sometimes flows in the opposite direction.

– We know that many people, especially those with younger children, really value being able to enjoy this type of experience in their own town. It’s wonderful to be able to give them that.

Helena Helén, producer at Vara Concert Hall, also believes that the offer to participate in Step is impossible to turn down.

– The collaboration is a perfect fit for us. It aligns with our mission, which involves both presenting and promoting dance on our stages and offering a broad cultural program for our children and young people. We’re grateful and honoured to be invited to take part.

This year marks Vara’s debut in Step. In previous years there has been interest, but no available venue. That’s why Helena finds it especially exciting that they are not only participating this time but are also hosting both the opening and the professionals’ programme.

– It’s an honour to host the professionals’ programme. It adds an extra dimension to the festival. For us, it’s a way to make ourselves visible on the dance map to those active in the field.

Hello Dag Rosenqvist, head of the professional’s program for Step.

Why does the festival need a professional’s program?
– We want to support the dance scene! That’s why we started Step. But we soon realised that the sector needed more than just a festival – it also needed a meeting place. Many people working in this sector miss the sense of collegiality. They work locally and often feel quite isolated. Through the professional’s program, we create an opportunity for everyone to meet, whether they are public officials, producers, practitioners or presenters.

What does the professional’s program include?
– Three packed days filled with networking and performances, workshops and talks. If I were to highlight one event, I’d like to mention The Nordic Map. On Thursday after lunch, together with representatives from all the Nordic countries, we will try to create a shared overview of the current situation in each country, and then discuss how we can work towards greater collaboration and more touring opportunities across the Nordic region.

Who do you think should take part in the program?
– The professional’s program is aimed at everyone working with dance, performing arts, or culture for children and young people more broadly. We have no strict criteria – if you feel that this is for you, then it most certainly is.

How do you take part in the professional’s program?
– You register online via Step’s website starting on 15 January. You can sign up for one day or all three. Everything is free of charge except for one performance in Gothenburg, but some events have limited capacity. In those cases, it’s first come, first served.

What are you looking forward to the most?
– For everything to start! After all the thousands of emails and phone calls, it will be wonderful to finally meet everyone and see all those encounters happen live.

Facts: The professional’s program
When: 4–6 March 2026
Where: Vara Concert Hall, Mölnlycke Cultural Centre, Folkteatern in Gothenburg, with the possibility to see additional performances in Mölndal and Gothenburg.
How: Registration takes place online from 15 January until the program begins. Admission is free to all program events (except for the performance Rock me Baby at Atalante in Gothenburg on 5 March).

Today we finally open the registration for the 2026 Step professional’s program. Welcome to three days filled with dance, talks and encounters! The professional’s program takes place Wednesday to Friday, March 4–6 in Vara, Mölnlycke and Gothenburg. We believe and hope that these days will bring about new thoughts and ideas.

Click here to get to the registration!

The professional’s program in its entirety is a bit too big to present here, but below are some of the things that we will present.

The Nordic map
Thursday March 5 we will present the structures for producing and presenting dance for young audiences in the Nordic countries. Here we have invited Gabrielle Haga from Scenekunstbruket in Norway, Pernille Møller Taasinge from Aaben Dans in Denmark, Taneli Törmä from Tanssiteatteri Minimi in Finland, Tinna Grétarsdóttir from Reykjavík Arts Festival in Iceland and ASSITEJ Sweden. The idea is to gain a common understanding on what it looks like in each respective country, followed by a shared discussion on how we can work for more collaborations and touring possibilities in the Nordic countries.

En dans för ett ord
In collaboration with Regionteater Väst, we have the great pleasure of presenting the performance En dans för ett ord as part of the day at Mölnlycke kulturhus on Thursday March 5. En dans för ett ord is an improvised and interactiove dance performance that starts from a word given from an audience member to the dancers. One dancer lets the word transform into gestures, movement and dance, the other chooses music and sound. The performance is free of charge, but you have to register for the professional’s program to attend.

Step Extended
As part of our initiative Step Extended, which aims at showcasing the local and regional dance community, we have invited dance artists Maja Fock and Anna Hallqvist as well as the company Värmdans to present their respective artistry at Folkteatern in Gothenburg on Friday March 6. We will also present a talk with Gothenburg based dancer and choreographer Tanja Andersson and clown and actor Stefan Ostojić about touring with bicycles with social circus. This presentation will be held at Vara Konserthus, Wednesday March 4.

Theme Scotland
It wasn’t really planned for, but we find ourselves having a bit of a Scottish theme during Step 2026. As we wrote previously, we have invited Scottish choreographer and dancer Hayley Earlam to give a workshop on creating dance performances for children with complex needs. And to continue with the Scottish theme, we have also invited Shetland based choreographer and dancer Kathryn Gordon to visit Step 2026 as part of our international delegate program. We met Kathryn when she presented her amazing performance A Journey of Flight during the Edinburgh Fringe in August 2025. Both Hayley’s and Kathryn’s participation has been made possible through funding from British Council. In addition to this we are very happy to also be able to invite representatives from Imaginate, and for those of you who doesn’t know it, choreographer and dancer Vince Virr, who has created and performs Pop! is also from Scotland.

The professional’s program is an opportunity to let yourself get inspired, experience performances, take part in talks and presentations and meet others who work with dance for young audiences, in Sweden and internationally. The 2026 professional’s program takes place at Vara Konserthus, at Mölnlycke kulturhus and at Folkteatern in Gothenburg. The program is free of charge, but you have to register.

Click here to register!

We are now releasing the professional’s program for Step 2026! The professional’s program takes place Wednesday to Friday, March 4–6 at Vara Konserthus, Mölnlycke kulturhus, Folkteatern in Gothenburg, with the option of seeing additional performances in Mölndal and in Gothenburg.

It will be three days filled with artist presentations, international guests and participants, mingling, performances, workshops, talks, travels and encounters. As always, the program is almost entirely free of charge and is for anyone working with or for dance, performing arts or culture for young audiences in general. Read more about the professional’s program 2026 here. Please note that registration opens on January 15, and that some items in the program have strictly limited capacity. Read more about the 2026 professional’s program here!

The time has also finally come to release the final two performances for Step 2026! From Malmö, we welcome Memory Wax and the performance Papperssvalan, that is about vulnerability and rustling paper. From Gothenburg we welcome dancer and choreographer Tanja Andersson with the performance Tillie the Terrible that she has created together with the clown Stefan Ostojić. A warm, non-verbal and funny family performance about biking freely.

We also have the great pleasure of inviting Glasgow based dancer and choreographer Hayley Earlam who creates inclusive performing arts for children with complex needs and who is also working with choreographer Marc Brew. Hayley will present the process with her own performance Brrr, and will also host the workshop Sensing Movement: Creating Sensory Performance giving an insight into the creation of the performance. We met Hayley when we were in Edinburgh earlier this Autum as part of the Nordic Momentum 2025 delegation, and we are very happy to now be able to invite her to Step 2026.

As if all of this isn’t enough, we have now also started releasing the program with dates and locations. There are still some things remaining, among other things additional performances and ticket links, that will be added to the website on the other side of Christmas!