Apply to be a performer

Application for the free entry program opens at the end of 2025 / beginning of 2026. More information coming soon.


Performers in the main programme

Our main international programme is put together by the festival’s artistic director Kenneth Kvarnström.


Apply to be a performer

Kuopio Dance Festival events at the Kuopio Market Square are the most memorable moments of the summer for many festival-goers. These events are free to the public and attract thousands of spectators every year.

© Vicente Serra

Carnival parade

The carnival parade brings color, southern European carnival spirit and the thrill of dance to the city’s streetscape. The parade is a playful competition where the best groups are awarded.

© Ulla-Mari Lindström

Dance Schools On Stage at Kuopio Dance Festival

The Dance Schools On Stage is a showcase, for which international and Finnish dance schools are selected. The showcase is not a competition, but the purpose is to offer the dance schools and the public a glimpse into different dance genres and levels.

© JP Korpi-Vartiainen