Beneath the banner Miscelánea, the Abril en Danza festival—led by choreographer and dancer Asun Noales—will stage its thirteenth edition from April 19 to May 4, expanding its footprint across Alicante, Elche, and Murcia, the latter joining in 2023. The festival’s reach now spans fourteen venues across the three cities, bringing performances to a diverse mix of cultural spaces.
Alicante hosts a vibrant lineup spread through key venues: the Las Cigarreras Cultural Center, the Alicante Contemporary Art Museum (MACA), the Arniches Theatre, and the Principal Theatre of Alicante. The city also welcomes performances from the Professional and Superior Dance Conservatories of Alicante, underscoring the event’s commitment to education and training alongside professional staging.
In Elche, programming unfolds at L’Escorxador and the Gran Teatro, with a distinctive street show planned for Plaça de Baix, bringing dance directly to public spaces and everyday life. In Murcia, audiences can find performances at the Romea Theatre, the Circo Theatre, the Parraga Centre, the Beniaján Auditorium, and the University Plaza, ensuring a broad city-wide presence that reaches diverse audiences.
Tickets on sale
Even though the festival will reveal its imagery and full program in March, tickets are already available for a number of sessions. Highlights include Para cuatro jinetes by Mucha Muchacha on April 19 at the Circo de Murcia; an April 25 show at the Fundación Mediterráneo featuring local Alicante dancers in La Terreta Balla; Made of Space by Guy Nader and Maria Campos at the Principal Theatre of Alicante on April 30; Sempere by Otradanza on May 2 at the Romea in Murcia; and Hipatia by La Madrugada Compañía at the Beniaján Auditorium.
Growing each year
Abril en Danza continues to grow under the leadership of the renowned ilicitana choreographer and dancer Asun Noales, who launched the festival in 2012 with the goal of creating new audiences and promoting dance at all levels. The inaugural collaboration between the company OtraDanza and the Elche City Council supported actions around International Dance Day, a model that has expanded year after year. The festival has earned backing from multiple institutions, including the City of Alicante (which joined in 2016), the Valencian Generalitat’s Institute of Culture, the Teatro Principal de Alicante, and support from the City and Region of Murcia. These partnerships have helped Abril en Danza broaden its impact while maintaining a strong regional identity that connects Alicante, Elche, and Murcia through contemporary dance and related arts.
As the festival matures, it remains committed to showcasing a wide spectrum of choreography and performance forms. The program blends new commissions, young choreographers, and established works, creating a dialogue between stages and streets and inviting audiences to experience dance in intimate and expansive contexts alike. The ongoing collaboration across cities fosters a network that strengthens cultural life, supports local artists, and attracts visitors to the southeastern Spanish coast for a concentrated burst of movement, music, and visual storytelling.