Research award

2026 Research Prize of the Society for Dance Research

In 2026, the Research Prize of the Society for Dance Research (gtf) for academic theses in the field of dance will be awarded for the eighth time. With this prize, we aim to recognise and encourage young academics who are conducting research into a topic within the field of dance, and to encourage them to continue their engagement with dance studies. The Research Prize is accompanied by a cash prize of €300 and a free gtf membership for one year (including the current edition of the Tanzforschung yearbook).

Eligibility:
Academic theses (Bachelor’s or Master’s theses, diploma theses, Magister theses or final examination papers) in the field of dance from an academic or artistic higher education institution in Germany, Austria or Switzerland may be submitted. The thesis must have been assessed in the two preceding calendar years (2024 and 2025/26). The thesis may be written in German or English.

Submission deadline:
The final thesis (text, images, film) must be submitted in digital format, including an abstract and a letter of recommendation (from a university supervisor). The documents must be sent by 31 July 2026 to the following address: Marianne Bäcker Marianne.Baecker(at)ruhr-uni-bochum.de.

The award ceremony will take place during this year’s gtf symposium ‘In turn – Choreographies of Change’ (15 to 17 October 2026) in Frankfurt am Main and Giessen.