The Guide to Attending b12 Berlin Festival for Contemporary Dance & Performance Art (2024)

Everything you need to know about the program, funding, accommodation, and more — from a dancer.

b12 Festival for Contemporary Dance and Performance Art (officially stylized in all lowercase) is an annual dance festival every July in Berlin, Germany. A training ground for professional-level dancers, the Festival offers more than 70+ research workshops, along with somatic, yoga, and outreach classes; free improv sessions; performance projects; and more. Their slogan is, “Research or die.”

I attended b12 from July 1 - 28, 2024.

This guide is based on my personal experiences and is in no way intended to discredit, defame, or maliciously criticize the event. Please refer to the organizer’s official website for the latest program updates and festival schedule.

b12 is a long festival. Covering 4 weeks in July, it’s one of the biggest dance training festivals in the world. With their strategic location in Berlin, teachers, facilitators, and participants come from all over to take part and perform. For me, hailing from Canada, attending b12 for the entire month was a serious dedication that took half a year to finalize.

What is dance travel?

Also known as “dance tourism,” dance travel is the dancer’s key to seeing the world while developing their craft.

dance travel — n. a means of travelling the world using dance as a catalyst and/or foremost purpose; activities can include taking workshops, attending festivals, teaching dance, and more.

There are several steps to follow for attending any dance festival abroad or in-nation:

Do your research. Which festival do you want to attend and when? What is the destination like? Do you need a Visa?
Get the money, and manage your budget.
Sign up. Look up their website.
Apply for grants (optional but highly recommended!).
Prepare travel essentials like cash exchanges, money debit cards, and travel insurance.
Pack light. Pack like a dancer.

b12 was an immensely provoking experience filled with highs and lows. I learned so much not just in dance but also organizing an extended trip in general.

With this guide, I hope to give you unfiltered, reflective insight into the particular quirks and workings of b12 Festival for Contemporary Dance & Performance Art.

Your travel documents

Before you even consider going abroad, check that your passport is valid for at least 6 months beyond your trip. Check your government website for any visas or other documents needed for the destination, as well as risk advisories. Renewing your passport and/or applying for visas will all take some time, so factor this into your planning.

The website

b12’s website is an accessibility nightmare. If you’ve already been on it, rest assured you and I aren’t the only ones who think this. One of the reasons for this is the sheer amount of workshops, classes, free events, and performance projects b12 currently offers. That’s 70+ options for the summer festival alone, which inevitably comes with scheduling conflicts, even more so with the different deadlines and admission processes for different workshops.

The website tries to organize all this by offering tabs and filters to view workshops by date, length, type, teacher, and/or the general calendar. Unfortunately this means pages within pages, tabs within tabs, and it becomes such a challenge to find anything directly that I wonder if it wouldn’t have been better to just scrap the design and make an Excel sheet.

In fact, I did make an Excel chart for myself with the workshops I most wanted to take and then another one for my final schedule.

If you wanted to find information about the much-sought-after work/study exchange, for example, you’d have to go to menu > about > team > and find the email contact for the person organizing work/study. Considering how popular the exchange is, it seems un-intuitive to me to place information about it under “team.”

There were also many design bugs when I registered. If I had several tabs open listing different workshops, and I wanted to add them all to my cart, I’d have to choose one tab to add each workshop by searching for them one-by-one. Otherwise, the cart wouldn’t sync with my previous adds on different tabs.

And if none of this is time-consuming enough, everything is in lowercase. Have you ever tried writing a grant and copy-pasting an all-lowercase biography? I have, and it is not fun to convert everything to proper grammar again.

There’s nothing wrong with stylizing, but I don’t think the government would smile upon an all-lowercase funding application. More about grants below.

Choosing your workshops

Looking through the workshop descriptions and videos, you’ll notice that b12 is very acrodancing-heavy. This is true throughout the European dance scene in general. I find they have a much greater emphasis on flow and acrodance floorwork.

What is acrodance? According to my b12 teacher, acrodance came from circus in an effort to find safer ways for circus artists to do their tricks and tumbles in unsafe environments (i.e. away from the foam-cushioned sprung mats of circus training gyms). It combines acrobatics, contemporary dance, and often parkour and breakdancing to form a seamless, flowing sequence of movement that works with inertia.

Apart from acrodance, there are also several workshops in partnering, physical theatre, dance on camera, and a host of free improv jam sessions and movie nights. Performance projects, somatic workshops, and outreach workshops are separate items and have different fees and admission requirements.

Since acrodance often borrows from parkour and breakdancing, if you’ve never done those or even traditional acrobatics before, trying to choose an appropriate workshop can become difficult. For some reason, dancers love to write flowery descriptions of their classes, which I suspect comes from the challenge of translating abstract ideas into concrete sentences.

Whatever the case, many of the descriptions are quite ambiguous, and I suggest going on b12’s Instagram to watch the promo videos of the teachers you’re interested in for a better idea.

Even the T&C’s (2024) state:

The participant agrees that workshops present a flexible working environment and that the way workshops are advertised may differ partially from their actual execution. The participant furthermore agrees that disliking a workshop is not a reason to get refunded.

So research (aha) and select your workshops wisely!

Sometimes all a registrant wants to know is: Do I need to know how to do an aerial? Will there be a lot of shoulder rolls? What exactly are we doing???

Which brings me to my next point…

How professional is “professional?”

A.K.A. What moves do I need to be able to do? — the million dollar question lurking in the back of every dancer’s mind.

b12 is intended for professional-level dancers, which means you don’t have to be a vocational “professional dancer” to attend, but you should be dancing at a professional standard. What this means, however, they don’t specify.

It’s near impossible to specify, really, because a tap dancer is a professional dancer, but they won’t necessarily know how to tumble. A contemporary dancer is a professional dancer, but that doesn’t guarantee they can do an aerial.

This is the problem a lot of us participants ran into during the festival. Because everyone comes from so many different training backgrounds and experiences, and considering the vast expanse of dance, one can’t say that a “professional dancer” should be able to do X, Y, and Z.

Based on what I saw and experienced, I will say that there are a lot of circus and acrobatic elements in b12’s programming. It would be good to at least know how to do a cartwheel or hold a handstand against the wall before you go.

The saving grace for us non-acrobatic dancers here is that the primary focus of all the workshops is research. “Research or die,” remember? No one is going to be kicked out for lack of handstand ability; and if you really can’t keep up with something, you can modify as needed or take a breather on the sidelines. You know what’s best for your body.

The “research” element comes in the form of not just learning new techniques but also in exploring how you can elevate your existing skills with the things you’ve learned. At the end of the day, the research is for you, and it’s what you make of it that matters.

My own instructor said it’s less of a teacher-student relationship and more of a facilitator-participant one.

There are also some workshops open to all levels, such as the outreach and somatic ones.

The admission process

Applying to b12 involves sending a demo reel or video of you dancing to ensure that you meet the physicality required. You also have to be 18+ years old.

After submitting your workshops, b12 will reach out to you by email to confirm payment and send the Terms & Conditions. You have 3 days to confirm participation and another 3 days to send the fees. b12 will send a personalized QR code for you to sign in with at the festival.

Note that you don’t have to select all your workshops in one go. You can add workshops as many times as you like, up until the day before the workshop starts (pending space).

This ties into managing your budget, but I personally found that there’s no need to rush into signing up for most of the workshops if you’re conscious of money. Most of them allow a max of 40 participants, and since people come and go throughout the festival, it’s rare that all of them will fill up.

However, performance projects follow different guidelines (see below).

If there’s a teacher or workshop you really like, then by all means sign up for it as soon as possible to ensure a spot.

Work/study

The work/study exchange is pretty competitive, though if you didn’t know about this beforehand, you wouldn’t know to look for it online. It’s hidden really deep on the website.

You have to fill out an application form describing your length of stay and any experience related to helping out at festivals. If you’re selected, you get 3 hours of free workshop time for every 5 hours worked.

Duties can include registering people at the front desk, sweeping and mopping the studios, cleaning the dorms, etc. However, I’ve heard from a work/study student that they’re not allowed to choose just any workshop. They are given a list of them to pick from based on their scheduled shifts, to avoid conflicts. So, if you’ve got your heart set on certain workshops and/or have already registered for a bunch, you may have to rethink work/study — though it doesn’t hurt to apply. (This is just what was relayed to me; it’s always wise to ask the official team for clarification.)

Performance projects

Performance projects are exactly what they sound like — you rehearse and perform an original piece by a professional choreographer. These pieces can be structured however the choreographer likes, whether it’s collaborative with the dancers or set beforehand.

Projects are performed at the Dock 11 theatre, b12’s presenting partner. The theatre is a small, intimate space with a basic lighting grid and limited seating.

You can view all the choreographers’ bios and their proposed projects online, just as you would with workshops. There’s an alleged selection for performance projects, made by the choreographer, and a deadline by which you have to apply to be considered. (However, from personal experience, there isn’t necessarily any selection at all.)

Performance projects allow a maximum of 17 participants. Some extremely popular choreographers, like Shannon Gillen of Vim Vigor Dance or Maxine Doyle, had tons of applications for their works. In these cases, a selection is necessary. In other performance projects where there aren’t as many applicants, a selection is up to the choreographer, and everyone may just all be accepted.

If you apply for more than 1 project, and you’re accepted into all of them, you’ll have to make a selection yourself.

The fee for participating in a performance project is currently 700 EUR, quite a hefty price compared to the workshops. I know some dancers might feel strange about a “pay-to-perform” scheme when they’re already professional-level, but I think it just depends on what you want out of it. If you want to dance for an established choreographer you wouldn’t normally have access to — in Berlin, no less — then a performance project might be right for you.

You’re not limited to one either. If there are no scheduling conflicts, you can sign up for more (though realistically the max would be 2, since each project takes 2 weeks to rehearse and perform).

Since performance projects take longer to send confirmation of acceptance, b12 allows you to change your previously selected workshops to accommodate the project, regardless of the refund policy.

Refunds and changes

Speaking of refunds and changes, b12 lays out the policy in their Terms & Conditions, so make sure your read it thoroughly for the most updated version. They also have a FAQs page answering some common questions, and it’s very common in this festival to make changes to your itinerary.

I think a lot of people, including me, underestimated just how physically taxing the workshops can be, especially if you’ve never been there before. Some people chose to do 3 workshops a day (9 AM - 8:30 PM), which, even to dancers, is pretty crazy. I originally had myself set for 3 in the last week and then cancelled one of them after serious consideration — a wise choice for me.

According to the T&C’s (2024),

The participant can cancel the workshop with a full refund, apart from a 10 Euro administrative fee, if
a) the workshop fee is received more than three weeks before the workshop starts
b) the cancellation notice has been given up to 14 days after the workshop fee has been received.
If the workshop fee is received three weeks or less before the workshop starts, the cancellation period for a full refund, apart from a 10 Euro administrative fee, is 24 hours.
In any other later case of cancellation, before the workshop commences, a voucher of the amount of the full workshop fee will be available to the participant, apart from a 10 Euro administrative fee.

I received a voucher for my cancelled workshop. I can use it within the next 2 years to sign up for “whatever I want.” If the workshop/project fee is higher, I must pay the outstanding amount. If the fee is lower, there is no refund of the remaining amount.

In terms of changing workshops,

Changing workshops are only possible after the confirmation by the organizers. Any single change of workshops until 45 days before the originally booked workshop commences is free of charge. Any single change of workshops made 44 days (or less) before the workshops commences incurs a 15 Euro administrative charge. The administrative charge has to be paid before the workshop commences, otherwise the participant is not allowed to take part in the workshop.

If you get injured and obtain a doctor’s note, b12 will provide a voucher proportional to the amount of time missed.

Of course, if you don’t show up or miss a class of your own accord, no refund or voucher is obligated.

There are some other exceptions and rules in the T&C’s, so I highly recommend going through everything before you sign.

Paid opportunities

b12 offers some paid opportunities to participants. It’s best to subscribe to their newsletter to the first to know about open calls.

The aforementioned “movie nights” at b12 are all curated dance films, open to anyone around the world for submission. You don’t have to be an in-person participant to apply for this. An honorarium is granted if your film is selected.

Then there are student showcases called “free radicals.” You can apply to perform your own solo or duet. An 100-EUR honorarium is provided if you’re selected.

The daily life: Eden***** Studios

Eden***** Studios almost feels like a campus, a really mini one. The studios are lined with floor-to-ceiling windows that look out onto the forestry all around; it makes for a truly spectacular setting in an otherwise urban city.

The workshop times are pretty intense, with most of them being 3.5 hours long. If you’re doing workshops back-to-back, there’s only a half hour between each to eat a snack and rest.

The workshop times are generally: 9 AM - 12:30 PM, 1 PM - 4:30 PM, and 5 PM - 8:30 PM.

Don’t count on Eden***** Café onsite to fuel your nutrition needs. I’ve noticed that many European coffeehouses are very strict with serving only what they say: coffee. Sometimes there’ll be a couple slices of pie or pastries. Eden***** Café has some great pie, coffee, and vegan bowls (plus it’s very laptop-friendly), but nothing else. Luckily, Berlin is dotted with biomarkts (organic grocery stores) everywhere, and it’s not hard to find something relatively healthy and delicious to pack.

The biggest inconvenience every day was signing in for each workshop. You have to go back to the front desk to scan your QR code before each one, each day, and if you have 2 workshops in a row, that cuts into your half hour break time. Although, even if you don’t sign in, someone working the front desk will go to your class to track everyone down anyway. I hope they take a look at improving this process in the future.

There are little hammock chairs and some picnic tables provided throughout the space. On a sunny day, it feels so good to just lounge around or lie on the grass. Many friendships are made or strengthened on the literal ground of Eden***** Studios.

Managing your budget

Unless you’re part of the 1% who never have to worry about spending money, artists will probably want to have a budgeting system in check before they go to b12. The Tripcoin app is a great Apple budgeting tool, and it’s free with no ads! (Thank you, Lonely Planet, for the tip.)

Participants travelling from afar often stay for at least 2 weeks or longer. Local residents and neighbouring Europeans have the convenience of taking a workshop, leaving to attend to their job for a couple days, and coming back for another workshop before the month’s end. This doesn’t apply to participants who can work remotely; they often (secretly) keep their job while dancing it out.

If you’re a Canadian traveller staying for the whole month, I recommend a budget of $10,000 CAD. This includes the costs of accommodation, groceries/eating out, workshops, travel, and entertainment.

Whatever your personal budget is, it helps to start saving early — at least half a year in advance. There are several ways you can save on the festival front, including early bird discounts, artist discounts, stay-and-research packages, work/study, and more.

You can find all the workshop prices, deadlines, and bundles here: workshop prices - b12 Berlin Workshop Festival.

I’ll go into stay-and-research more later.

For currency exchanges and on-the-go top-ups, I personally use Wise. It’s free and easy to set up an account, and from there you can order both a physical and digital card. If you want a physical card, carve time for it to arrive, since it takes around 18 days. The digital card has all the same functions; you just can’t use it on an ATM.

One way to gain funding and help offset the price of participating is to apply to grants.

Applying to grants

Applying to grants is optional, but I highly recommend it!!! It could mean the difference between paying for everything out of pocket and having (almost) your entire trip funded without a cost to you.

If you’re a dance artist with a sound reason for attending b12, it does count as professional development! Many governments and even some smaller foundations offer grants to artists and arts workers to fund workshops, training, apprenticeships, and more.

The Canada Council for the Arts, for example, has an Explore and Create grant to support professional development for artists, up to a maximum of $10,000 CAD. You can only apply to this grant once a year, regardless of the outcome.

It’s very much worth talking to an officer on the phone first if it’s your first time applying. They can offer tips and tricks and additional information that isn’t found on the website. The current grant approval process is based on 3 factors: impact 40%, relevance 40%, and feasibility 20%.

Impact: How does your project affect your artistic community?

Relevance: How is your project necessary to your own artistic practice?

Feasibility: How able are you to undertake this project? (This is why I suggest registering before you submit a grant application, so you have something concrete to put in this section.)

The chances of a successful grant depend on how many other applications there are, how strong your application is, and — to a certain extent — who is on the jury.

Now, my application this time wasn’t successful, despite passing the minimum score required to receive a grant, while another dancer I met from Australia was successful with hers for the same event. It all depends on so much. I think it’s worth working with a professional grant writer the first few times to ensure your application is as strong as possible.

With the Explore and Create grant, as long as you submit your application before the actual project starts, you can retroactively apply any expenses to the grant amount received.

Expenses unrelated to your grant are not applicable (e.g. watching a movie for the fun of it).

“I can’t find the studio” — directions to b12

Workshops and rehearsals take place at Eden***** Studios (yes, those asterisks are part of the name) in the Pankow district of Berlin, north of the city centre. There are a total of 6 professional-grade dance studios on the eden***** grounds, all surrounded by lovely forestry and greenery. There’s also a cafe onsite called Eden***** Café.

Eden***** Studios is also known as Dock 11 Eden on Google Maps, which makes it extremely confusing for first-timers when they’re trying to figure out whether to go to Dock 11 Eden or Dock 11 Berlin.

Some other iterations spell it as Eden Studios***** or Dock 11 Eden*****. It’s very inconsistent.

Dock 11 Berlin is the theatre where performance projects are shown.

Dock 11 Eden is where everything else takes place, including rehearsals for performance projects.

Please note that Dock 11 Berlin also has its own studios where performance projects may rehearse closer to tech or dress days (which some Europeans call the “general”) and should not be confused with Eden***** Studios!

I highly recommend doing a trial run to Eden***** Studios before your first workshop if you have time. Since the studios are located behind the café, the entrance is very obscure and unclear. If the café is open, you can pass through to the studios out back, but during times when it’s not, you have to go around the alleyway on the far side of the café. Most people use the alleyway regardless because it’s more accessible (i.e. no stairs up and down).

The first few days might be a bit confusing. This summer they didn’t label the studios 1-6 until 2 weeks into the festival. You’ll probably spend some time walking into the wrong workshop/rehearsal. When in doubt, just ask!

Here’s an image showing how to get to the studios:

Accommodation

Where do I live? More importantly, where do I live that’s also not crazy expensive??? The housing crisis in Berlin is off the charts, though short-term rentals are usually easier to procure than long-term ones.

The most convenient areas to live in for b12 are Prenzlauer Berg, Pankow, and Mitte. There are several options for finding accommodation for b12.

Stay-and-research package: The most direct and convenient housing option. There are actually several dorms above the café at Eden***** Studios! They’re bundled with certain workshop and performance project options for a total cost of 950 - 1540 EUR. Details here: workshop prices - b12 Berlin Workshop Festival. These packages are usually sold out within the first few weeks of registration opening, so you really have to plan ahead if you want one.

Stay with a friend: I am so fortunate to have several friends in Berlin already, and luckily one of them had a spare room available for the month. I split the rent with her, costing me 650 EUR, and that was that. Easy peasy. It’s always nice to stay with a familiar face in a foreign country.

Hostels: Europe is big on hostels, so there’s no shortage of options for extended stays in the city. You may have to do a bit of digging, since some hostels have a 7-night-maximum policy (hostels were intended for short-term stays, after all), but they definitely win for cost efficiency (though still not as cost-efficient as staying with a friend). A popular option for b12 is Circus Hostel, on the M1 direct tram line to Eden***** Studios.

Apartment hotels: Also known as “living hotels,” apartment hotels are another rising commodity throughout Europe. These are basically hotel rooms with more features, like a kitchen and lounge space. The Base is where many teachers and participants at b12 stay, being only a 10-minute walk away. It can get quite expensive — about 2000 EUR for the month — but depending on your needs, it might be the best option. Eden***** Studios is quite isolated from transit hubs (the Pankow station is the last one on that U-Bahn line).

Co-living spaces: A mix between apartment hotels and co-working spaces, co-living is akin to staying in a communal dorm, the emphasis being “communal.” These are usually large apartments split into individual rooms — sometimes with a standalone kitchen in each room — and common spaces shared between 3-6 people on average. Think university dorm vibes but post-graduation, and you’re paying for everything without a student loan. It’s usual to be moving in with strangers in this scenario; most of these people are expats, working an extended business trip, or trying to find work and crashing here until they can get their own anmeldung (an address they can register with authorities). Some co-living apartments offer anmeldung as part of their services, so there are long-term residents as well. Co-living is a pretty great solution… if only they allowed for shorter stays. Most co-living businesses require a minimum of 3-months’ stay, which means this probably won’t be your best bet for b12, but it’s good to know if you decide to stay longer.

Airbnb: Most appropriate apartments and locations I searched on Airbnb cost at least 2000+ EUR to rent for the whole month. Some apartment hotels are also listed on Airbnb. If that’s the case, book directly with the hotel because you’ll likely get a better price and easier service if anything needs to be changed. Since most people in Berlin live in small apartments, you might have to share the Airbnb with the owner. I’d save this as a last resort if you’re uncomfortable with strangers.

Rental platforms: There are lots of German and European rental platforms you can check out as well, including Wunderflats, WG-Gesucht, Nestpick, and HousingAnywhere. The issue is that if you’re travelling internationally, you likely won’t be able to see any of the apartments in person before you book, and these platforms require a deposit as part of their booking process, which goes against older customs. Usually Germans pay the deposit when they get the key, in person. Now, most of the rooms listed are legitimate, but I’ve personally found Airbnb to offer higher-quality rentals and more flexibility in stay duration. Many rental services like Coming Home require a minimum 3-months’ stay.

Facebook: Truly the last resort. You just never know whether a listing is real or not on Facebook. Unless you can be in Berlin to check out the legitimacy of the offering in person, it’s very risky to put a deposit on an apartment without seeing it first or even meeting the agent. Plus, since European tradition is to pay the first and last months of the rent together, you might be asked to pay double the amount you expected. Too much danger of scamming.

No matter where you live, try to find a place with a kitchen and a dryer (very important if you’re going to be sweating it up). Even eating out gets tiresome if you have to do it for a month every day. Communal laundry facilities are fine, but be warned it might get expensive real soon.

Living further away from the studios in exchange for safety or a better place isn’t bad; Berlin has one of the most convenient public transportation systems in the world. I stayed in Neukölln, on the opposite side of the city from Pankow. It still took me around 45 minutes - 1 hour each way, but it was a blessing compared to the time I know it would’ve taken in my home city to cover the same distance. I’m not complaining.

Food & groceries

Major grocery stores in Berlin include ALDI and Lidl (discount stores), REWE (medium to premium prices), and a host of organic food chains like Denns Biomarkt.

Don’t be scared of “discount.” These grocery stores offer a nice selection of organic fruits, vegetables, and meats. In fact, they helped vitalize the organic health movement in Europe.

You’ll notice that a discount store and a premium store will often be right next to each other, so you can take care of your grocery essentials at the discount one and buy harder-to-find ingredients at the other.

Berlin is loaded with vegan and vegetarian eateries, which is a blessing for some and perhaps a challenge for others. Never fear, the meat is there… somewhere. It just takes a while to discover the local spots.

For recommendations, check out:

A Week of Food in Berlin

Booking travel

It pays (and saves) to book your travel early. This goes for both rail and plane travel.

Depending on what other events are happening at the same time, you could be looking at an inflated rate. For example, EURO 2024 was happening in Berlin at the same time as b12, and my next festival in Munich also coincided with both Taylor Swift and Adele’s concerts. If that wasn’t enough, the Paris Olympics was happening next door!

The general consensus is you should find a middle-ground booking window to purchase tickets. Not too early, not too late. Skyscanner has a great alert function that lets you know whenever prices for your selected routes drop or rise, and you can decide when to bite the bullet from there.

For rail travel, sites like Trainline and Rail Europe are good ticketing services for international passengers. If you’re comfortable with European rail systems, you can always buy direct from the carriers as well.

Travel medical insurance

If you take nothing else from this article, at least heed my advice here.

You’re going to be dancing all day, every day, hardcore, full-out. There’s no reason not to get travel medical insurance. If you’re a serious dancer (and even if you’re not!), your body is your most valuable resource. Take care of it.

Use preventative measures. Wear those knee pads, stick that KT tape. Safety > fashion, anytime.

And if you do anticipate or fear for an injury, then have a backup plan in case. Make sure your insurance includes repatriation services. Have someone you can call in case you need a translator or helping hand while there. Know the locations of the biggest hospitals in the area.

You don’t want to be stuck in a situation like I was in Munich: The German Ambulance Debacle That Cost Me 820 EUR.

Trust me, people do get injured at b12 and even outside of it! It goes beyond black-and-blue bruises. During one weekend alone, 3 of my performance mates ended up with serious injuries: a nasty fall off a scooter, a head collision in a performance, an almost-broken nose. One dancer from another project had to drop out the day before tech dress.

Travel insurance, travel insurance, travel insurance.

Note: General travel insurance (coverage for missing luggage, delays and cancellations, vehicles, etc.) is different from travel medical insurance. If your credit card or employer insurance doesn’t offer it or cover the whole trip, you’ll have to purchase it separately. Goose is a cost-friendly Canadian coverage provider. I’ve also tried Amex, handy for the 24/7 customer service.

And always remember to breathe. Photo by Lonely Girl, Lonely World.

Pack like a dancer

Pack light, and pack like a dancer. Try to keep everything to one carry-on; you’d be surprised how little you need for a month. I used the BÉIS carry-on roller, so I had a (slightly) bigger packing capacity.

Consider bringing items like:

KT tape
knee pads
first aid kit, muscle cream, and any prescriptions or OTC medications you need
stretch band
small massage roller
manicure kit
bobby pins, extra hairbands, and clothing pins
makeup (if you’re performing)

Bring some wacky clothing options as well — colourful socks, alternative designs, anything that could pass for a costume if need be. Performance project costumes are all sourced from each dancer’s own wardrobe.

Of course, who can forget the Berlin nightlife? If you want to try it out, you absolutely should pack some club-ready clothing. Here are some articles on my experiences:

The Berghain Experience: How I Got In My First Time to Berlin

Dancing at Kater Blau: My First Time Clubbing in Berlin

Party at Body Language: My Second Time Clubbing in Berlin

Knee pads, KT tape, and a colourful bikini top — the full ensemble. Photo by b12 participant.

The New York connection

Probably the funniest thing for me was that I spent my first week in Berlin listening to German accents (since my first b12 course was cancelled, and I used my time to explore the city), and when I got to b12, suddenly I was surrounded by North American accents.

Apparently, b12 has become something of a rite of passage for New York dancers, especially from schools like Purchase College, Juilliard, etc. There were quite a few Toronto dancers in the mix as well (and a high school classmate I hadn’t seen since graduation!).

Like any program, b12 had to start from somewhere. As one of the front desk helpers told me, it used to be a rather obscure festival only a couple years ago. I imagine that someone must’ve shared it with friends, and considering the power of social media and the Internet these days, it rose in popularity.

That said, I still met many European dancers. You just might leave with more New York contacts than European ones, that’s all ;)

Good to know

b12 is run by a small team. Email is the best way to reach them, but it usually takes a couple days for them to respond. I personally found a lot of inconsistencies in their marketing and replies (eg. advertising their stay-and-research packages 2 weeks before the festival started when they were allegedly sold out months ago), so be aware and double check if needed.

This year, they’ve also started a new program called b12 Mavericks. It’s a 3-month professional training program in conjunction with b12 summer. Details here: welcome / b12 mavericks program

b12 also holds spring and fall satellite festivals, though b12 summer remains their primary event.

A few final words: b12 is not for the light of heart. It’s a serious training opportunity, and most of the participants are either established artists or working to be established artists. That being said, it’s also a fun and invigorating program that connects you with talented dancers from all around the world. It’s so inspiring to see what all the performance projects have come up with, and the faculty is pretty top-notch.

The teachers/choreographers change from year to year, so there’s lots of opportunity to go back for more.

This is one festival that keeps you on your toes.

All photos by Lonely Girl, Lonely World unless otherwise stated. I am not affiliated with any of the services mentioned; these are my honest recommendations and experiences as a dance artist who has attended the festival.