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VSCD Dance Awards - The Young Swans

The Dance Awards of the VSCD (the Association of Theatres and Concert Halls Directors) have been associated with the Nederlandse Dansdagen since 2003 and are presented during the Nederlandse Dansdagen Gala. A festive evening that officially opens the festival. These are the winners and nominees for 2026:

Winner Young Swan most impressive dance production

LiCHT (2+) by Gaia Gonnelli

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“From flashlights as you enter to aerial acrobatics that make the entire space come alive. LiCHT builds up gradually, features surprising elements, and gives the youngest children the feeling that this world belongs to them.”

Winner Young Swan most impressive dance achievement

Ciara Hiwat

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“Ciara Hiwat lives and breathes the music. She shifts seamlessly from grand expression to subtle detail, remaining completely believable throughout. The jury sees a young woman who draws on her own strength: clear, fearless, and fully present.”

Nominees Young Swan most impressive dance production

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LiCHT (2+) by Gaia Gonnelli
LiCHT (2+) by Gaia Gonnelli (Dadodans) has been nominated for the Young Swan Award for Most Impressive Youth Dance Production of 2026.
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Klop Klop Boem Boem (4+) by Josephine van Rheenen
“Klop Klop Boem Boem” (ages 4+) by Josephine van Rheenen (De Dansers) has been nominated for the Young Swan Award for Most Impressive Youth Dance Production of 2026.
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Zeg maar dag (4+) by Art Wutthinan Srisayam and Sara Giampaolo
Zeg maar dag” (4+) by Art Wutthinan Srisayam and Sara Giampaolo (Maas Theater en Dans) has been nominated for the Young Swan Award for Most Impressive Youth Dance Production of 2026.
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Nominees Young Swan most impressive dance achievement 2025

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Ensemble Oxygen
Ensemble Oxygen has been nominated for the Young Swan Award for Most Impressive Youth Dance Achievement of 2026 for their role in The Rise by Jennifer Romen (Oxygen and Senf Theater).
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Andrea Beugger
Andrea Beugger has been nominated for the Young Swan Award for Most Impressive Youth Dance Archievement of 2026 for her role in *POR* (6+) by Piet van Dycke & Jonas Vermeulen (dOFt).
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Ciara Hiwat
Ciara Hiwat has been nominated for the Young Swan Award for Most Impressive Youth Dance Achievement of 2026 for her role in *KABITENI* (14+) by Lloyd Marengo (Lloydscompany).
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More about the awards

Since the anniversary edition of the Nederlandse Dansdagen in 2022, the Young Swans have also been awarded for the most impressive youth dance productions and youth dance achievements. The Young Swans came about at the initiative of the entire youth dance field, in recognition of the quality and innovative capacity of youth dance. 

Like its older brother, this award consists of two categories distinguishing dance productions and performances. 

The Youth Dance Jury has judged dance performances for young audiences, from 2 to 18 years old, since 2021.

Youth dance jury for the Young Swans 2025-2026

  • Liesbeth Wildschut (chair), dance scholar
  • Erik Kaiel, Artistic Coordinator at Theater Rotterdam, choreographer
  • Janneke Schmeitz, Programmer and program and festival coordinator for the schrit_tmacher Festival
  • Eline van der Stoep, Programmer for children, youth, and education at Theater Zuidplein
  • Sanne Berger, Programmer & Education Coordinator at Theater de Parade
  • Jasper van Luijk, Artistic Director and Choreographer at SHIFFT
  • Marjorie Boston, Programmer at De Schuur (Haarlem), Director of Rightaboutnow Inc., Tutor DAS Theatre 

 

The Young Swans are made possible by the Vriendenloterij.