Specific Genres

For several years now, dance has grown in popularity. Attracting people from all walks of life, it is considered to be an outstanding and modern tool to foster cultural education. The Bayerische Staatsoper (Bavarian State Opera), the Staatstheater am Gaertnerplatz (State Theatre at Gaertnerplatz) and the Staatstheater Nuernberg (Nuremberg State Theatre) all have internationally renowned dance companies. Furthermore, the Bavarian State Ministry of Education, Sciences and the Arts supports various dance productions as well as basic and advanced training programmes offered annually by the Bayerischer Landesverband für zeitgenoessischen Tanz, BLZT (Bavarian Association for Contemporary Dance, BLZT). With the Tanzspeicher Wuerzburg and the Tanzzentrale der Region Nuernberg-Fuerth (Tanzzentrale of the Nuremberg Region), the ministry funds two centres for contemporary dance, whose appeal radiates far beyond the region.

Today, modern puppetry is renowned worldwide for having been rediscovered as a new form of art. Quite frequently, it utilizes a versatile style by opening the stage, by distancing itself from the puppeteer, by interacting with actors and actresses, and by co-operating with other forms of art and incorporating modern media into its format. Puppetry has been enjoyed by an ever-growing audience, because it is imminent to this form of art to constantly cross borders to other genres such as contemporary dance and the performing arts.
Puppetry enjoys a unique tradition in Bavaria. One of the great authors of puppet plays is Count Franz Pocci, also nicknamed "Kasperlgraf" (Count Kasperl) in commemoration of Kasperl Larifari, the main hero of his more than 40 Kasperl plays. Famous far beyond Bavaria is the "Augsburger Puppenkiste" (Augsburg Puppet Box). It was in 1953 that this puppet theatre company successfully introduced puppeteering to the world of television.

There are numerous children's and youth theatres offering performances for a young audience with great success.