Former Žižkov Spa to become Dance House in five years

Former Žižkov Spa to become Dance House in five years

The Dance House project received immediate support of the professional dance community. More than 20 Czech organisations and artists, representing hundreds of performing artists and their teams in the Czech Republic, as well as 10 prestigious foreign partners (including European Dancehouse Network) joined in support of the Dance House in Žižkov.

The four-storey building of the former spa will provide a great space for four rehearsal studios, workshops, a sound studio, a wellness centre (open to the public), a co-working space and a café. The newly reconstructed building will also connect the Husitská street and the Žižkov bike lane. The Lower Žižkov is thus one step closer to the revitalisation thanks to several key cultural objects. The Dance House, PONEC- dance venue, and Krenovka near the Army Museum and the planned Railway Museum form a creative cluster with a massive potential, located right on the border between The Old Town, Karlín and Žižkov.

The above-mentioned Krenovka will become a new artistic centre for dance, music, architecture, and visual arts. Due to open in 2021, the centre will house the Unijazz organisation and the first rehearsal room of Tanec Praha/PONEC – dance venue, and will provide space for visual arts, architecture, and other non-profit organisations. Its enlightened owners decided to invest in culture and take care of the dike leading to the bike lane, the so-called Žižkov Highline.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the offer of the Krenovka’s owners. As the rents in Prague 3 are rapidly increasing, they have agreed to invest in the reconstruction of the building and to guarantee non-commercial rent for 10 years. The Dance House is a long-term project, we will be happy to see it open in five years,” says Yvona Kreuzmannová, the director and founder of Tanec Praha z.ú., and she continues: “The architectural study was prepared by Studio Reaktor who had a unique understanding of the specific needs of our field. The project was also supported by the Prague Institute of Planning and Development, and the positive attitude of the Culture Minister Lubomír Zaorálek, as well as the Councillor for Culture Hana Třeštíková, was also vital. I believe the government will understand the importance of such an investment, and the project will meet with positive responses across the departments. We already discussed the idea of a Dance House in media under the Prime Minister Ilja Šmíd, but now we have a suitable building.

Source: Tanec Praha z.ú.

Translated by Tereza Cigánková.