As we see the strengthening of right-wing extremist discourses within parts of the political debate in Austria and Europe, we ask ourselves: how could we better live together? Antifascist ballet group decided not to wait for the revolution to exchange joyful actions. We use dancing and ballet as a tool for political activism. Dancing as collective action in response to capitalistic individualism. We dance to combat social isolation and the missing feeling of togetherness, we dance for a togetherness beyond nations and normative pair dancing.
Ballet is often produced as a middle-class, Eurocentric dance form. We choose to subvert its cultural tendency as an elitist practice by extracting some of the characteristics from its roots in mixed gender theater perfor-mance, fencing and pagan traditions. We use the carnivalesque potential of street performance to play with gender roles and hierarchies. And forming it into an emancipative and inclusive practice that can be utilized at demonstrations and other political events. Just dancing will not lead to world peace, but it can strengthen solidarity and give us motivation to act further. We work on a body-centred political activity as well as to sim-ply warm up our fellow activists in the winter months. Antifascist ballet allows us to centre ourselves within large groups, while acknowledging and experiencing the presence of strangers.