During the lab, positive examples were also given of choreographers who, for example, take into account daycare and school times in their rehearsal schedules, adapt roles, rehearsal processes and choreographies to the physical needs of a pregnant dancer, as well as adjust their fees to increased living costs and workload (keyword: babysitter, retirement provisions). In the exchange, detailed information came together on the possibilities of paid childcare in marginal times, outside the “usual” kindergarten opening hours. The dilemma of working when others are off and only being able to pay the babysitter with your own work, but then having nothing left, was known to all as a frustrating experience. In the experience of one Lab participant, it had taken half a year of bureaucratic red tape to hire regular childcare, e.g. for performance evenings in her own household, and to bill it as an entitled service. In addition, the requirements for the professional qualification of a caregiver vary from state to state, which is a further hurdle given the prevailing shortage of personnel in the field.

The more format-open work through less result- and performance-oriented and more process-oriented funding was evaluated as positive, also with regard to less dependence on venues/ venue certificates, more self-responsibility in the selection of schedules, spaces, work processes. Working outside with dance was seen as both positive (“new spaces and conditions”) and restrictive (“movement material is often limited to walking, sitting, lying down, due to existing floor conditions, for example).
An important concern that came up again and again is the participation of children in all (dance) places, including training, theater, rehearsal, residency places, the desire that children can participate in these places and also inspire them. We are far from taking for granted that children of different ages have a place, space and (play) opportunities there. Many have reported experiences in which children were not welcome, were not taken into account, neither spatially nor in terms of processes.

The possibility to work solo during the pandemic was highlighted as good, but after a first phase, it became clear that dance absolutely needs a shared experience of movement in space and body contact. The experience of not being able to share dance together, as a way of connecting to one’s own body, to others, and to the environment, was felt to be a great loss.

How has our role as dance creators influenced our role as caregivers and vice versa? Points that were named in the Lab were, for example: The role as caregiver has partly interwoven with our own artistic practice, e.g. by including the children’s perspective in the choreographic practice, or also “caring” for colleagues in the rehearsal process; last but not least, the strong structuredness that arises with children and professional independence also came up. It was mentioned how much the perceiving, listening, connecting and networking, which we bring from our own dance practice, has supported us to manage the often even more complex family situations and professional conditions during the pandemic.