World Dance Day
Every year on 27 March, the ITI publishes a message from a prominent figure of the dance world to mark World Dance Day.
World Dance Day was established in 1982 by the Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute. The date chosen was 29 April, the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727–1810), a great reformer of ballet.
Every 29 April, a message from a prominent figure in the world of dance is shared worldwide. The aim is to celebrate dance as an art form and to highlight the universality and global nature of dance, which can transcend all boundaries of politics, cultures and ethnic affiliations. Previous authors of the message have included Merce Cunningham, William Forsythe, Sasha Waltz and Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker. The message for World Dance Day 2026 comes from Chrystal Pite, USA.
Find the previous messages for International Dance Day here.