Division of Theater and Dance Studies

At the foyer of the Institute for Theatre Studies

Theater and Dance Studies comprises the Bachelor's program in Theater Studies (B.A.) and the consecutive Master's programs in Theater Studies (M.A.) and Critical Dance Studies (M.A.). Likewise, numerous research projects are located at the Institute.

Subjects of Theater Studies

Theater Studies focuses on the history, aesthetics, and theory of theater and theatrical forms, as well as on their conditions of production and impact. Given the variety of arts and media involved in theater and the different social and cultural systems within which theater can be found, the themes and subjects of the field can only be addressed through an interdisciplinary approach.

Theater Studies is understood as a discipline at the interface of cultural studies, art studies and media studies, which cultivates interdisciplinary openness and takes into account the interrelationship of theory and practice as well as of sciences and arts in its questions, methods and modes of presentation.

The subject deals not only with theatrical performances of all genres (drama, musical theater, dance theater, performance art), but also with theatrical ways of thinking and acting in all areas of society (which today are subsumed under the term theatricality). The focus is on the three areas of contemporary theater, theater history, and theory and aesthetics.

To the degree programs in Theater Studies:

Subjects of Dance Studies

Dance studies understands dance - across cultural and historical boundaries and in different social and artistic contexts - as a carrier of practical knowledge and aesthetic discourses about body and movement. Based on these overarching themes, Dance Studies opens up different perspectives on the historical, artistic and social aspects of dance, thus forming an interface between different disciplines of science and the arts.

The research-oriented course of study includes studies on the history and aesthetics of dance, an examination of the possibilities of movement analysis and recording, as well as practical and scenic exercises that address the body and how it can be experienced in movement and reflect on these processes while taking theoretical approaches into account. In doing so, a continuous interweaving of theory and practice is strived for, which finds its expression in new teaching formats and in a close cooperation with national and international institutions.

The Valeska Gert Visiting Professorship for Dance and Performance, which is filled each year by a representative of the international dance scene, and collaborations with national and international choreographers, companies and cultural institutions as well as the cooperation with the wide-ranging Berlin dance scene open up different perspectives on contemporary dance and create the possibility of an exchange with its prominent representatives.

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