Cali International Dance Biennial and The Festival Academy invited 8 TFA Alumni to be part of a group of international curators to come together 11-15 November 2025 in Cali (Colombia) for a Festival Visit to experience in-depth the Cali International Dance Biennial. 7 selected participants explored innovative organisational strategies and new ways of community engagement, and experienced a unique festival!

The Cali International Dance Biennial (Bienal Internacional de Danza de Cali) is a major platform for contemporary dance and movement arts in Colombia, taking place in the vibrant and culturally rich city of Cali. Born from a vision to promote dialogue between genres, generations, and global perspectives, the Biennial brings together dancers, choreographers, and companies from across Colombia and around the world. It creates a space for exchange, experimentation, and the reimagining of national and international dance languages.

This Festival Visit was part of PALCO, the Colombian Performing Arts Platform, organized by the Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Knowledge of Colombia, and the Cali Biennial. This program, parallel to the festival's activities, allowed international programmers to immerse themselves in Colombian dance, respecting its diversity and uniqueness, and providing spaces for other voices and dances that allow the body to expand its dimension in the contemporary context. It offered an immersive programme for a group of festival leaders to engage deeply with the artists, organizers, and communities that shape and sustain the Biennial. 

Participants had the opportunity to explore the festival in-depth, to experience the impact of the Biennial and reflect on how insights and practices observed can be adapted and applied to other contexts and communities around the world. This unique Festival Visit aimed to investigate how festivals can serve as powerful platforms for the expression of cultural diversity and transformation. It was furthermore a unique opportunity to expand networks and strengthen collaboration among international festival leaders.

We offered 8 spots for TFA Alumni to join this unique opportunity. The selection was based on the motivational letter.  

This was an exclusive call for the TFA Alumni community! You could only apply if you are a TFA Alumni, meaning you have participated in at least one of our training programmes in the past!

Click here to access the application form.

Download all details of the open call here.

The open call is closed!

Photo: Cali International Dance Biennial Archive - Edward Lora