From September 22 to October 3, 2025, Jolda Dance Theatre in the city of Almaty will host an intercultural dance residency for dancers and choreographers from Turkmenistan.
The residency is part of the multi-component project “Dance Turkmenistan!”, aimed at developing contemporary dance and implemented by the French Institute in Turkmenistan in partnership with the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan, the Delegation of the European Union, the Embassies of France and Italy in Turkmenistan, as well as the Goethe-Institut in Kazakhstan.
The project is funded by EUNIC — the network of national cultural institutes of European Union (EU) countries — as part of the “European Spaces of Culture” program, which experiments with and implements innovative models of cultural cooperation between European actors — EUNIC members and EU delegations — and local partners in countries outside the EU, realizing the EU’s strategic approach to international cultural relations.
The goal of the residency is to create a space for experience exchange, networking, and collaborative creativity. Over the two weeks, residency participants will work with a curator, attend masterclasses by local dance specialists, and meet representatives of the theater and dance communities. Under the curator’s mentorship, participants will refine their own ideas and develop performance sketches, which will be presented at the final open showing on October 3.
The residency program includes daily practice sessions with the curator, workshops and masterclasses, independent sessions and rehearsals, excursions, and creative meetings. Participants will learn about the activities of JOLDA DANCE THEATRE, the Samruk Contemporary Dance Theatre, TEATRO89, ALMATY CREATIVE, the TRANSFORMA cultural space, the ArtKoshe Theatre, the Almaty Museum of Arts, the Tselinny Center for Contemporary Culture, as well as costume designer Tamara Said, composer and sound artist Ella Bayysbayeva, and director and multidisciplinary artist Mark Kuklin.
The residency producers are Zhanna Tulendy, founder of Jolda Dance Theater, and Nafisat Yermagambetova, who collaborates with the theater team as an independent producer and expert in international cooperation.
The curatorial and training team consists of experienced dancers, choreographers, and directors: Artur Galimullin, Gulsei Taurkhanova, Maria Gubanova, and Tomyris Mettybayeva.
Reference Information
The French Institute in Turkmenistan is an institution of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France and serves as the coordinator for the Embassy of France on issues of cooperation in culture and education. It offers French language courses and related certifications, media library services, and a wide range of cultural events.
JOLDA DANCE THEATRE is a contemporary dance company from Kazakhstan, known for its bold experiments and international projects. The theater’s portfolio includes collaborations with Goethe-Institut Kazakhstan, the French Embassy, Indrive, participation in TEDxAstana and TEDxAlmaty, performances at the Steppe Awards, Alternativa, and Ballet Globe awards.
The performance “Surfactant” was recognized among the finalists of the UMAI 2024 award, and the video-art performance “Merger” made the shortlist for The Alpine Fellowship 2024. In the summer of 2025, the theater presented the performance “Tamyr” at the Off Avignon festival.
The activities of the Goethe-Institut in Kazakhstan are aimed at developing and expanding international cultural cooperation in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan, as well as promoting the German language and culture in these countries.
The German cultural institute organizes educational programs, creative projects, festivals, exhibitions, and collaborates with local partners to strengthen dialogue. Its core principles are openness, sustainability, and diversity. ///nCa, 22 September 2025 (in collaboration with the EU Delegation in Turkmenistan)