Umbria Dance Festival
Edition 2026 Street theater Street arts Dance

Umbria Dance Festival

Perugia, capital of contemporary dance

Perugia — Perugia (054) Since 2022
Dates 11 Jun — 21 Jun 2026
Location Perugia (054)
Prices —
Status Confirmed

About Umbria Dance Festival

The Umbria Dance Festival transforms Perugia into a large open-air stage dedicated to contemporary dance and urban performance. For ten days in June, Italian and international companies bring shows, site-specific performances, and national premieres to dozens of locations in the city, from squares to markets, from theaters to the Minimetrò. A young and rapidly growing festival, it brings bodies and movement back to the center of urban and collective dialogue.

Contemporary dance invades Perugia

The Umbria Dance Festival is an event dedicated to contemporary dance and urban performance that enlivens Perugia, the capital of Umbria, every June. Founded in 2022, in just a few years it has become a reference event for the national and international choreographic scene, capable of bringing dozens of shows and companies from all over the world to the city.

A widespread and site-specific festival

The distinctive feature of the festival is its urban dimension: the shows are not limited to theaters but invade squares, markets, neighborhoods, and even the Minimetrò, creating an unprecedented dialogue between contemporary art and everyday spaces. The hub is the Arena Borgo Bello, around which performances, masterclasses, and installations rotate in numerous venues in the historic center.

A civic vision of dance

Under the artistic direction of Valentina Romito, the festival proposes dance as a civic gesture, capable of "bringing bodies back to the center of collective dialogue". Alongside the evening shows, a section dedicated to children (UDF Kids) and a packed program of masterclasses open to professionals, students, and enthusiasts enrich the offering. For Perugia and for Umbria, it is a moment of international openness and cultural experimentation.

Umbria Dance Festival — edition 2026

The 5th edition of the Umbria Dance Festival takes place in Perugia from June 11 to 21, 2026, with the theme TIME. Take your time back. The program includes 32 shows, 20 companies (4 international), 16 national premieres and debuts distributed across 10 venues and new locations in the city. Directed by Valentina Romito, it features contemporary dance and urban performances, masterclasses, and a section dedicated to children.

The 5th edition of the Umbria Dance Festival enlivens Perugia from June 11 to 21, 2026 with the theme "TIME. Take your time back", an invitation to reflect on time, relationships, and shared urban spaces. The program features 32 shows, 20 companies (including 4 international), 16 national premieres and debuts, in 10 venues with Arena Borgo Bello as the hub.

Under the direction of Valentina Romito, the festival extends dance beyond theaters, into squares, markets, neighborhoods, and the Minimetrò, transforming movement into a civic gesture. Masterclasses and the UDF Kids section for children complete the lineup.

Programme Umbria Dance Festival 2026

Some shows in the program

  • June 11 — Roberto Zappalà, Corpi Liturgici
  • June 12 — Simon Le Borgne (France), Ad Libitum
  • June 13 — James Batchelor & Collaborators (Australia/Germany), Notes of Self (national premiere)
  • Fabla Collective (Slovenia), Do Birds Dream of Flying?
  • Mufutau Yusuf (Ireland), Bench#5
  • Luca Truffarelli (Italy/Ireland), The Weight

In addition to evening shows, there are site-specific performances in squares, markets, and the Minimetrò, morning masterclasses open to professionals and students, and the UDF Kids section for children. Full program and tickets at umbriadanzafestival.it.

Highlights Umbria Dance Festival 2026

Theme TIME. Take your time back; 32 shows and 20 companies; national premieres by James Batchelor and Simon Le Borgne; widespread dance including the Minimetrò.

Prices Umbria Dance Festival 2026

Tickets on Liveticket.it; numerous performances in public spaces with free admission.

Practical information — Umbria Dance Festival

How to get there

Perugia is reachable by train (Fontivegge station) and by the Minimetrò, which connects parking lots to the historic center, where much of the festival takes place.

Tickets

Tickets available on Liveticket.it; many performances in public spaces are free admission.

Tips

Consult the program for the times of traveling and site-specific performances, distributed in multiple locations in the city.

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Where does it take place — Umbria Dance Festival

Sedi diffuse nel centro storico di Perugia

Arena Borgo Bello, 06121 Perugia

Contact Umbria Dance Festival

Umbria Dance Festival in brief

Street theater Street arts Dance Contemporary dance Contemporary art Young audience Outdoor Multidisciplinary International Perugia

History of Umbria Dance Festival