Looking Back at the Moving Up! Conference on Dance in Early Childhood Education

On March 21 and 22, 2025, the “Moving Up!” conference took place at Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm and the Junge Theaterwerkstatt am Zoo in Frankfurt am Main – a nationwide platform dedicated to artistic practice, reflection, and exchange on the role of dance in early childhood education.

With the guiding principle “No cultural education without artistic practice”, the two-day event brought together dancers, educators, cultural mediators, kindergarten professionals, and advocates for cultural education to share experiences and explore: What do we need to ensure dance becomes a natural part of artistic expression for young children?

The diverse program included lectures, workshops, discussion panels, and hands-on think tanks. A special highlight was the guest performance “Harvest” by Isabelle Schad, which offered a powerful exploration of the interplay between body, space, and community.

Curated by Nira Priore Nouak and Jason Jacobs, with production managed by Anja Schneidereit, Moving Up! is a project by Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm in preparation for the future Center for Young Dance, funded by the Crespo Foundation in cooperation with the Hessische Staatsballett.

Watch the official conference trailer here:

Trailer Moving Up!

We thank all participants and contributors for two inspiring days filled with movement, exchange, and new perspectives on dance in early education!