The team of Derida Company – Atanas Maev (CEO) and Jivko Jelyazkov (Artistic Director and Choreographer) – was officially invited to take part in CANAL 2026 / 8th Edition, organized by the Centre national de la danse (CND) – France’s National Centre for Dance. The event took place on 29–30 January 2026 in Vitry-sur-Seine, part of the Greater Paris metropolitan area, across the venues Théâtre Jean Vilar, La Briqueterie, and MACVAL.

CANAL is a well-established international platform of the CN D, created with the mission to support, present, and connect contemporary dance organizations and projects from around the world. The forum is held annually and combines stage and studio presentations, screenings, talks, professional meetings, and online broadcasting (Canal en ligne), offering opportunities for international exchange, dialogue, and sustainable partnerships.

Each edition of CANAL focuses on a specific region. Following Belgium (2023), Catalonia (2024), and the countries of the Southern Mediterranean (2025), the 2026 edition is dedicated to the Balkans. In this context, Bulgaria is represented by two leading contemporary dance organizations: Derida Dance Center and Brain Store Project (organizer of the Antistatic Festival).

Derida Dance Center is invited as a key regional participant and coordinator of the international platform Moving Balkans, as well as organizer of Derida Dance Fest and the activities of Derida Stage. The participation of Derida Company’s team highlights the organization’s active role in the development, dissemination, and international connectivity of the Bulgarian and Balkan contemporary dance scene.

Within CANAL 2026, 16 invited cultural institutions selected by national and international networks are presented. The programme includes studio work sessions, professional meetings, conferences, and round-table discussions, creating a platform for dialogue between the artistic, administrative, and institutional communities.

Among the key highlights of the programme are the public talks held at the MACVAL Auditorium:

• “International Diffusion and Cooperation” (29 January, 11:00–12:30) – a discussion addressing the challenges of international dissemination of contemporary art in the context of responsible cooperation and solidarity;
• “Focus on the Balkans” (30 January, 11:00–12:30) – a discussion exploring the specific characteristics of the choreographic and organizational ecosystem of the Balkans, as seen through the perspectives of the invited artists and organizations.

Throughout the event, video capsules by artists who participated in the previous CANAL 2025 edition are also broadcast, providing a broader context and continuity between editions.

The expected outcomes of Derida Company’s participation in CANAL 2026 include the expansion of international partnerships, increased visibility of Bulgarian contemporary dance, and the creation of new opportunities for co-productions, international distribution, and long-term positioning of Derida Dance Center within the European and global dance scene.

The Centre national de la danse is a national institution established by the French Ministry of Culture, playing a leading role in the preservation, research, development, and promotion of dance. Participation in CANAL 2026 represents significant international recognition and an important step toward the sustainable presence of Bulgarian contemporary dance within the global cultural exchange.

The project is implemented with the financial support of the National Culture Fund, Mobility Programme 2025.