PRAGUE ON POINT is the first specialized ballet platform of its kind in Prague. While there are festivals focused on contemporary dance in the Czech Republic, a ballet showcase of international caliber has been missing. “I want to show that Prague can stand alongside London, Paris, or Vienna. It is a city where the world's ballet stars will gladly return,” says Jiří Bubeníček. After two completely sold-out editions, the festival is moving from smaller venues to the Karlín Music Theatre, which will allow for a more ambitious program and broader participation of international guests.
The highlight events will be gala evenings on June 17 and 18, 2026, at the Karlín Music Theatre, featuring soloists from leading world stages. For example, Polina Semionova, the prima ballerina of the State Opera in Berlin and a guest star of the American Ballet Theatre in New York, considered one of the most prominent ballerinas of her generation, will come to Prague. The audience can also look forward to dancers from the Opéra National de Paris, Dutch National Ballet, Staatsballett Berlin, Wiener Staatsballett, and other prestigious companies. The evenings will also feature new choreographies by Jiří Bubeníček, which will be presented in the Czech Republic for the very first time. The program will be complemented by live music and a ceremonial presentation of festival awards to young talents and personalities for their lifetime contributions to the fields of dance and theatre.
On June 19, the Prague premiere of the award-winning production Kafka: The Trial will take place, performed by the Ballet of the National Theatre Košice. Bubeníček has a personal connection to Franz Kafka's work. “I grew up in the same neighborhood, and Prague fundamentally shaped my sensitivity to themes of guilt, helplessness, and internal conflicts. The Trial is my dialogue with these feelings, translated into the language of dance,” says the choreographer. The production had worldwide success at its premiere in 2019 with the Swedish Royal Ballet and has remained in the repertoire for a long time. In Košice, it has become one of the most prominent titles of the local company.
The summer part of the program consists of the fourth edition of the Bubeníček Ballet Masterclasses, which will take place from July 27 to August 9, 2026, at the State Opera. The courses regularly attract students from around the world, and this year they will also open to adult participants for the first time. The festival will culminate in October with the premiere of a new choreography Dance with the Devil to the music of Igor Stravinsky at the Jatka78 theatre. The work will be presented by the Les Ballets Bubeníček company along with a significant actor, whose name will be revealed in the coming months.
The festival also offers limited VIP Meet & Greet tickets, including the best seats in the auditorium, a glass of champagne, a meeting with Jiří Bubeníček, and an exclusive behind-the-scenes look. After each gala evening, there will also be open meetings with the dancers, during which the audience can obtain autographs and take photos with the guest artists.
Jiří Bubeníček is among the most recognized figures in contemporary ballet. A former principal soloist of the Hamburg Ballet and Semperoper Ballet in Dresden, he is a recipient of the prestigious Benois de la Danse award and the creator of more than seventy choreographies presented on world stages. In 2017, he received the Silver Medal of the City of Prague.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION AND PROGRAM OF THE PRAGUE ON POINT FESTIVAL
Ticket sales: from December 2025
June 16, 2026 – Opening + book launch (Goethe-Institut)
June 17-18, 2026 – Bubeníček International Ballet Gala (Karlín Music Theatre)
June 19, 2026 – Kafka: The Trial, National Theatre Košice (Karlín Music Theatre)
July 27 - August 9, 2026 – Bubeníček Ballet Masterclasses (State Opera)
October 2026 – Premiere of Dance with the Devil (Jatka78)
Further information and tickets:
https://www.hdk.cz/cs/repertoar/bubenicek-international-ballet-gala-2026
https://www.hdk.cz/cs/repertoar/kafka-proces
https://jiribubenicek.com/
