LOST IN TRANSITION?

We’re here to help

ABOUT US

The effects of the Covid 19 pandemic are still being felt and continue to pose challenges for many performing artists, especially freelance dancers. The need for counselling, coaching, financial support for retraining and one-to-one meetings to develop a future perspective is growing and artists often see no other way than to leave the stage and retrain.

We are convinced that performing artists, especially dancers, are highly specialised experts in their field and it is important to use their excellent skills also for the time after their stage career, so that they can flow back into society. In order to avoid long-term unemployment or even social cases, it is important to actively support the artists in this vulnerable phase of professional transition.

SSUDK encouraged the performing artists* to use the time for self-reflection and for new inspiration for professional development. To this end, “The Dancers’ Survival Guide to Transition” was published by SSUDK.

The Transition Centre SSUDK supports all performing artists with individual counselling and coaching, live or via ZOOM. Make an appointment: info@ssudk.ch

SSUDK encouraged the performing artists* to use the time for self-reflection and for new inspiration for professional development. To this end, “The Dancers’ Survival Guide to Transition” was published by SSUDK. “The Dancers’ Survival Guide to Transition”

Many performing artists are not able to pursue their profession until their regular retirement. Be it for health reasons or because they can no longer cope with the physical demands of the profession. For dancers in particular, a career change is an inherent part of their career: due to the physical demands of their profession, they have to reorient themselves at an average age of 35. Some are able to find another position in their traditional field, but many have no choice but to retrain.

Due to the rather low wages during an artist’s career, it is often not possible to build up savings for retraining purposes. The entry into further professional life is made even more difficult by the often unrecognised professional qualifications of performing artists.

This is where the SSUDK helps people to help themselves. With information on changing careers, counselling and contributions to retraining, performing artists are offered the opportunity to channel their creativity and working power in new directions.

The Foundation SSUDK

The Foundation for the Retraining of Stage Artists was established in 1993 by the Swiss Association of Stage Artists “Schweizerischer Bühnenkünstlerverband (SBKV)”. In 1997, the foundation opened up to non-members and since 2013 it has operated under the name Swiss Foundation for the Retraining of Performing Artists “Schweizerische Stiftung für die Umschulung von darstellenden Künstlerinnen und Künstlern SSDUK”.
In 2016, the “Transition-Center SSUDK” was established to support and advise performing artists before, during and after their career in German-speaking Switzerland, Ticino and Liechtenstein. This applies in particular to dancers during their professional transition.

SERVICES

Counseling

Initial assessment and information about retraining opportunities

Grants

Grants may include both contributions for education as well as cost of living contributions

Workshops

The main objective is to give artists practical knowledge and to make them aware as soon as possible of the issue of changing careers

Networking

Networking with partner organizations and former performance artists who have successfully started a new career

NEWS

INTERVIEW LAURA KAEHR

Laura, congratulations on your film Becoming Giulia. How are you feeling at the moment? Very good, I’m happy that the film is won the audience award at the Zurich Film Festival. I think that’s the biggest reward. It’s heartwarming to see how the film moves the audience. I didn’t just want to make a film…
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Sara Buncic portrait of the new management of Danse Transition

Sara Buncic is the new director of our partner organisation “Danse Transition” in French-speaking Switzerland. Transition-Center SSUDK and Danse Transition will jointly offer a “SPEED-DATING Workshop” at Forum Tanz on 4 November 2022. Sara, you are a dancer, choreographer, massage therapist and the new General Secretary of Danse Transition. Which of your career paths has…
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5 years Transition Center SSUDK scholarships / financial support 2016 – 2021

5 years Transition-Center SSUDK scholarships / financial support 2016 – 2021 Around 500 performing artists could benefit from the offers of the Transition Center SSUDK project. 49 performing artists (44 of them dancers) could benefit from financial support for their retraining through the foundation. A total of CHF 200,657 was awarded in scholarships. They chose…
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thumbnail of IOTPD Meeting Berlin 220922 © Oliver Daehler

Philippe Braunschweig Grant and IOTPD- and Coaching Meeting Berlin 2022

Philippe Braunschweig Grant and IOTPD- and Coaching Meeting Berlin 2022 Dancer careers and retraining are international in nature, as they are not bound by language barriers. Therefore, SSUDK is also involved in the international context and was again represented live in Berlin for the first time by Oliver Dähler at the annual IOTPD meeting (International…
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NEWSLETTER

CONTACT

Schweizerische Stiftung für die Umschulung von darstellenden Künstlerinnen und Künstlern
c/o SzeneSchweiz
Kasernenstrasse 15
CH-8004 Zürich

Tel. +41 78 718 15 01

info@ssudk.ch

DONATION

Schweizerische Stiftung für die Umschulung von darstellenden Künstlerinnen und Künstler

8804 Zürich

IBAN CH17 0900 0000 8913 6523 8

Many thanks for the generous support of the following foundations: Schweizerischen Interpretenstiftung SIS/ Swissperform, Stiftung Corymbo, Ernst Göhner-Stiftung, SzeneSchweiz , Sophie und Karl Binding Stiftung and Danse Suisse.  

The SSUDK cooperates with the following committed partners for workshops, awareness-raising measures and networking activities:

Cooperation partners: Schweizerische Interpretenstiftung SIS/ SWISSPERFORM, SzeneSchweiz, Danse Suisse, Danse Transition

Partner: Tanzbüro Basel IG Tanz Basel, Ballett Zürich, Ballett Basel, BA Contemporary Dance ZHdK
BETA Verein Berner Tanzschaffende, Biz Oerlikon «Netzwerk Spitzensport, DanzaSIA (Danza Svizzera Italiana Associazione), Dampfzentrale Bern, Konzert Theater Bern, MAS Dance Science Institut für Sportwissenschaft, Universität Bern, Reso Danse Suisse, Tanz Akademie Zürich ZHdK, Tanz Luzerner Theater, Teatri Associati della Scena Indipendente TASI, PilateSWISS

In addition, the SSUDK has been a member of ProFonds, the Swiss umbrella organisation of charitable foundations and associations, since 2019.

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