17,000 attendees at Biennale Danza 2026

Tomorrow, Saturday 1 August, is the closing day of the 20^th International Festival of Contemporary Dance of La Biennale di Venezia, attended by 17,000 spectators, and the venues 90% full.

Sir Wayne McGregor was confirmed in his position as Artistic Director of the Dance department for the next two-year period 2027-2028 by the Board of Directors of La Biennale di Venezia, chaired by Pietrangelo Buttafuoco.

The Biennale Danza programme conceived by Wayne McGregor concludes on Saturday 1 August with the prophetic What is War by Wen Hui and Eiko Otake, great artists from China and Japan well established on the international scene, which will have its Italian premiere at the Teatro Piccolo Arsenale (6 pm), and with the world premiere at the Teatro Malibran (9 pm) of Scirocco (Death in Venice; Bridge of Sighs), a tribute to the city of Venice created by John Neumeier, Imre and Marne van Opstal, Rainer Behr, Omar Román de Jesús, and Javier de Frutos, performed by WINNDance, the newly-formed company from Stuttgart, making its international debut.

“Sir Wayne McGregor’s confirmation as Artistic Director of the Dance department – stated Pietrangelo Buttafuoco – is a signal of continuity in La Biennale’s pursuit of excellence. His vision has deeply expanded the boundaries of choreographic language, showcasing both major international stars and a commitment to the new generations in Biennale College. In strengthening the international prrofile and prestige of the Department, Sir Wayne McGregor will continue for the next two years to make Venice a privileged laboratory to turn to for  a glimpse of the future of contemporary dance”.

“I am honored as Director of the Dance Biennale for two further terms – stated Wayne McGregor. It has been a privilege to work alongside exceptional artists, audiences and collaborators, exploring dance as a powerful force of innovation, imagination and connection. I am deeply grateful to President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco and the entire incredible team at La Biennale di Venezia for their continued trust. Together we will continue to expand the possibilities of choreography, champion bold new voices, interrogate our archives as valuable sites of innovative knowledge production and to create a space where artistic curiosity, experimentation and excellence can flourish. I look forward to building on what we have begun, and shaping the Dance Biennale’s next chapter with ambition, openness and optimism”.

Sir Wayne McGregor has been the Artistic Director of the Dance department of La Biennale di Venezia since 2021 and to the present day. In 2011 he was honoured with the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services rendered to dance; in 2021 with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Prix de Lausanne; in 2023 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the Royal College of Art in London; and in 2024 he was appointed a Knighthood, the first contemporary choreographer, after the two great fathers of classical ballet Frederick Ashton and Kenneth McMillan, to receive this acknowledgment for his merits in the field of dance. He is a member of the Circle of Cultural Fellows of King’s College in London and in 2017 he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the British Science Association.

Since 2006 McGregor has been Resident Choreographer at the Royal Ballet, the first choreographer from a contemporary dance background to be invited into the role. His work has been commissioned and is in the repertories of the most important dance companies in the world. McGregor is in demand as a choreographer for the theatre (Old Vic, National Theatre, Royal Court, Donmar), lyric opera (La Scala, The Royal Opera, ENO, Dutch National Opera), film (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, The Legend of Tarzan, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Sing, Mary Queen of Scots, The Outrun), music videos (Radiohead, Thom Yorke, The Chemical Brothers), and concerts (the revolutionary ABBA Voyage).

We would like to thank the Ministry of Culture for its significant contribution and Regione del Veneto for the support it grants the Dance department of La Biennale di Venezia.

The Media Partner for Biennale Danza is Rai. Through its information channels and Rai cultura – in particular channel Rai 5 and Radio3 – it has and will continue to present the festival highlights to its audiences.