{"id":8148,"date":"2025-12-12T14:05:40","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T13:05:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bremer-buendnis.de\/2025\/12\/12\/liberation-dance\/"},"modified":"2025-12-19T10:59:01","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T09:59:01","slug":"liberation-dance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bremer-buendnis.de\/en\/2025\/12\/12\/liberation-dance\/","title":{"rendered":"Liberation Dance"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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What do we remember?<\/strong><\/p>\n2025 marked the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe with the unconditional surrender of the German Wehrmacht. Every year on May 8, the liberation from National Socialism and the devastating war with over 60 million dead is commemorated.\n

<\/p>\nAmong the victims of National Socialism were swing dancers and jazz musicians who were persecuted by the Nazi regime because of their passion for jazz and swing. Jazz music was banned as “degenerated music” as a result of the regime’s racist and anti-Semitic attitude. Young people who attracted attention because of their non-conformist appearance were subject to persecution and punishment.\n

<\/p>\nTo this end, the ‘Liberation Dance’ was developed as part of this project, which commemorates the injustice of National Socialism and remembers its victims.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Why do we dance?<\/strong><\/p>\nCommemoration can have different facets. The ‘Liberation Dance’ was chosen as a way of commemoration, as dance stands for togetherness, support and a sense of freedom. The choreography encourages participation. Holding hands and building bridges, which can be seen in the dance, should unite and set an example against the strengthening of right-wing tendencies.\n

<\/p>\nFor jazz musicians and swing dancers during the National Socialist era, music and dance were the only rays of hope in a time of uncertainty and persecution. Swing youths sang and played jazz songs during forced labor in the concentration camp. One of these songs was “Jeepers Creepers” by Louis Armstrong, on whose sound the ‘Liberation Dance’ was conceived.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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How did the dance come about?<\/strong><\/p>\nThe ‘Liberation Dance’ was conceived in Bremen in August 2024 together with dancers from Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland and Austria. The choreography was then taken to the local swing communities and taught there. The aim was to create a transnational memorial space and have the dance take place simultaneously as a flash mob at various locations in Europe.\n

<\/p>\nThe ‘Liberation Dance’ was performed at a total of eleven locations in three countries on May 8, 2025. They included Aachen, Berlin, Braunschweig, Bremen, Gdansk, Hamburg, Cologne, L\u00fcchow, Oldenburg, Pinneberg and Prague. As part of these flash mobs, city tours, lectures and workshops were also held at the individual locations.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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What happens next?<\/strong><\/p>

The 80th anniversary of the commemoration of the end of the Second World War in Europe and the liberation from National Socialism has now passed. However, remembering the victims of the Nazi regime remains a central task for our society. The ‘Liberation Dance’ sees itself as an artistic form of expression that will continue to accompany this commemoration in the future.<\/p>

The ‘Liberation Dance’ consists of a choreography that can still be learned and taught. Write us a message if you would like to spread the word about ‘Liberation Dance’ in your dance communities.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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