Spitze! Backstage-Geflüster mit dem Leipziger Ballett

Duration: 1 hour

This season, we’ll once again take a look behind the scenes at the Leipzig Ballet. We’ll explore how dance has been and continues to be used as a form of protest and go backstage to see how roles are created.

Oct. 8, 2026 – “Dance as a Form of Protest”
Dance is one of the oldest forms of collective resistance. Whether in the strike dances of the labor movement, the Freedom Dances of the civil rights movement, or contemporary protest actions, the body becomes a political statement when language is insufficient or forbidden.
In this session, “Spitze! Backstage Whispers with the Leipzig Ballet,” we’ll offer a dance studies perspective on the history and present of this practice. Where does it come from, what impact does it have, and what distinguishes the protesting body from the aesthetic one?


April 23, 2027 – “Finding a Role?”
A character doesn’t just emerge by chance. Between the first rehearsal and the premiere lies a process of research, physical work, and decision-making that usually remains invisible to the audience.
Ensemble members and choreographer Andreas Heise offer insight into their process for the upcoming premiere of “O Fortuna.” How does one approach a character in dance? Where does a role begin, and how much of one’s personal self finds its way onto the stage?

Meeting point: Box office lobby, Opera House