Guiding principles
For over 40 years, the Maison de la danse has pursued the same artistic policy: to embrace dance in all its forms and techniques, to invite both major choreographers and young creators, to blend creation and repertoire, to foster the interest of young people, and to defend aesthetic diversity.
The Maison de la danse is also behind numeridanse.tv, an international online video library for dance. Its aim is to offer the first digital audio-visual database for the dance world. It indexes extracts and complete works of performances, documentaries and educational resources. These are made available to the general public, dance professionals, and the education sector through tools that respect both artistic integrity and broadcasting rights.
History
In June 1980, France’s first Maison de la danse was inaugurated in Lyon. It was born from the vision of five choreographers (Claude Decaillot, Michel Hallet Eghayan, Lucien Mars, Hugo Verrechia and Marie Zighera), united by the will to create a dedicated space for dance. The City of Lyon granted access to an old theatre in the Croix-Rousse district, and the artistic direction was entrusted to Guy Darmet. The public’s enthusiastic response quickly demonstrated the need for such a space, garnering support from the City, the General Council of Rhône, the Ministry of Culture, and the Rhône-Alpes Region. The project soon gained national and international recognition.
A significant step came in 1992, when the Maison de la danse moved into a larger venue in Lyon’s 8th district, confirming the long-term institutional support behind the project. In 1984, Guy Darmet also founded the Lyon Dance Biennale, which became one of the most influential dance festivals worldwide.
In July 2011, Dominique Hervieu took over as Director of Maison de la Danse. Since 2021, the institution has been led by Tiago Guedes, who brings a new vision by notably strengthening support for creation and the diversity of aesthetics in the programming, in complementarity with the Biennale de la danse de Lyon, of which he is also the artistic director.
A significant development is underway with the creation of a second venue, Les Ateliers de la Danse, located in a brand-new building dedicated to dance, right next to the current theatre in the 8th district of Lyon. Set to open in 2027, this new facility will be dedicated to creation, residencies, education, and artistic practice.
Building and facilities
Maison de la danse features a 1,100-seat auditorium and a fully equipped stage. A rehearsal studio is available for company residencies, along with a smaller studio space suitable for workshops, open rehearsals or more intimate presentations.
