DFM2027- Dance On! - In Good Company
DANCE FESTIVAL MALTA 2027
OPEN CALL FOR MATURE DANCERS
DANCE ON! - IN GOOD COMPANY
22–25 July 2027 | Valletta, Malta
Application Deadline: 29 January 2027
Celebrating experience, individuality and the creative power of the mature body.
ABOUT DANCE ON!
Dance Festival Malta is proud to continue championing the visibility, artistic contribution and creative power of the mature body in dance performance. DANCE ON! returns as part of Dance Festival Malta 2027, continuing its commitment to celebrating the beauty, strength, resilience and relevance of the mature body in performance.
DANCE ON! is an intergenerational platform that challenges conventional perceptions of age and dance, recognising that creativity, expression and the desire to move do not diminish with time.
It celebrates experience, individuality and the stories carried by our bodies, creating opportunities for mature dancers to remain visible, active and artistically engaged.
For the 2027 edition, Dance Festival Malta invites mature dancers to become part of IN GOOD COMPANY, a collaborative performance project led by Maltese dance artist and choreographer Sarah Vella.
TITLE OF THE PROJECT: IN GOOD COMPANY
We all have our own way of moving through the world. Our gestures, our rhythms, our quirks, our habits, our energy – the things that make us unmistakably us.
In Good Company is a playful celebration of the personalities that make up a group, bringing individual characters, movement styles and energies together in performance. Sometimes in harmony, sometimes in chaos, and often somewhere in between.
There is no one way to dance, no one way to move, and certainly no one way to be.
The work is joyful, playful and unapologetically alive. It celebrates the richness that comes from experience, individuality and simply being present.
Through movement, improvisation and collective exploration, participants will have the opportunity to discover how their individual stories, personalities and movement languages can come together to create a shared performance.
ABOUT PARTICIPATION
Participants will engage in a seven-day creative process, exploring movement, expression, individuality and connection through dance.
The process will culminate in a live theatre performance as part of Dance Festival Malta 2027.
This is an opportunity to participate in a professional festival environment, work creatively with others and share the stage as part of the DANCE ON! platform.
As part of the experience:
Each participant will receive a professional recording of the performance.
Participants will receive access to photographs documenting the project.
Each participant will receive a complimentary seat in the auditorium on the evening of the performance, allowing them to enjoy the wider festival programme.
Photography and short video clips from the creative process may be shared through Dance Festival Malta's communication and social media platforms, celebrating the participants and their creative journey.
Through DANCE ON!, Dance Festival Malta continues to advocate for greater visibility, recognition and representation of mature dancers, affirming that artistic expression and performance have no age limit.
WHO CAN APPLY?
We welcome individuals aged 40 and over who have an interest in dance and movement, whether they are professional dancers, performers returning to dance, or individuals wishing to explore their creativity in a supportive artistic environment.
We welcome different levels of experience, movement backgrounds and personal stories.
Above all, we are looking for people who are curious, open to experimentation and willing to engage in a collaborative creative process.
The project embraces diversity and intergenerational exchange, valuing the individuality and artistic contribution of every participant.
PARTICIPATION DETAILS
Participation: Voluntary and non-remunerated.
Participation fee: Free of charge.
Creative process: Seven days of rehearsals and artistic exploration.
Performance: Live presentation during Dance Festival Malta, 22–25 July 2027.
Performance recording: A professional recording will be made available to participants.
Documentation: Access to photographs from the project.
Festival experience: One complimentary ticket to the evening's performance.
The project is community-based and non-remunerated. Participants are expected to commit to the full creative process and performance.
HOW TO APPLY
If you would like to be part of DANCE ON! – IN GOOD COMPANY, please apply through the dedicated application form by clicking the link provided at the end of this form.
As part of the application, please provide the following information:
Full name
Age
Email address
Contact number
Brief introduction explaining your interest in the project
Dance background and previous performance experience (if applicable)
For enquiries or technical assistance, please send an email on dfm@festivals.mt
IMPORTANT DATES & INFORMATION
Application deadline: 29 January 2027, noon
Dance Festival Malta: 22–25 July 2027
Dates of Residency : 17th to the 25th of July 2027
Performance date: To be confirmed; dates: 23rd & 24th July 2027
Venue for creative process: University of Malta Dance Studies Studios https://share.google/gKT6quRKC4OjM9TuC
PROJECT LEADER
SARAH VELLA
Dance Artist | Choreographer | Community Artist
Sarah Vella is a Maltese performer, dance artist and choreographer, community artist, dance/movement therapist and speech and language pathologist.
Her artistic practice encompasses the initiation, development and leadership of performing arts projects, taking on diverse roles as a performer, choreographer, collaborator, producer and educator.
She has been involved in numerous projects for stage, film, opera, fashion and site-specific performance, appearing at festivals locally and internationally, including Dance Festival Malta, Malta International Arts Festival, ŻiguŻajg, KampuSajf, 100Grad Berlin Festival, Nah Dran Berlin and Havering Dance Festival in London.
Sarah has developed multidisciplinary works in collaboration with dancers, visual artists and musicians, producing and choreographing performances that have toured Malta, England, Italy, Norway and Germany. Locally, she has also collaborated with ŻfinMalta, the National Dance Company.
Her theatre experience includes performances with Theatre Anon, Busli Collective and Teatru Malta. In November 2025, she performed a leading role in Sofie, a Maltese comedy produced by the Manoel Theatre.
Alongside her artistic practice, Sarah works as a community artist and dance/movement therapist, facilitating group and individual sessions in schools, healthcare and rehabilitation settings, as well as with various organisations.
She is co-founder of Hale – body+mind, a space dedicated to wellbeing, therapy and creative arts, and currently serves as President of the Creative Arts Therapies Society.
After twelve years working in Berlin and internationally, Sarah relocated to Malta in 2022, where she continues her work as a freelance dance artist, therapist and educator in Malta and beyond.
DANCE ON!
Experience has no expiry date. Creativity has no age limit. The body always has a story to tell.
Join us in celebrating the power, resilience and artistry of the mature dancer.
Let's move together. Let's DANCE ON!
Dance Festival Malta 2027 | 22–25 July | Valletta, Malta
