Participation Info

With pleasure we INVITE (folk ensembles, choral groups and majorette teams) (children, youth and adult groups) to participate in the XXI International SIDE Dance Music Festival 09 – 14 October 2026, Alanya, Antalya, TURKEY.

The intention of our invitation and the Festival light motive is to present the cultural tradition of different countries and to provide an opportunity for the members of groups to get together, to establish friendships and culture presentation through dance and music. The idea of the Festival is to bring the music closer to the people and to present the music on the streets and the squares. The festival is open for folk and choir ensembles, as well as orchestras and majorettes regardless of the members’ gender and age.

ANTALYA is a Turkish resort city with a yacht-filled Old Harbor and beaches flanked by large hotels. It’s a gateway to Turkey’s southern Mediterranean region, known as the Turquoise Coast for its blue waters. Remnants remain from Antalya’s time as a major Roman port. These include Hadrian’s Gate, built to honor the Roman emperor’s visit in 130 A.D. and 2nd-century Hidirlik Tower, with harbor views. Having entered the scene in 150 BC as Attalia, named after its founder, Attalos II, king of Pergamon, Antalya has ever attracted a wide array of travellers, including Paul the Apostle, and Ibn Battuta among others. Antalya had replaced Phaselis—beautiful ruins of which now lie to south of the city, between Kemer and Olympos—as the main harbour of the surrounding region during the reign of Seljuks, in early 1200s, but the lack of a large hinterland (or, rather, lack of good connections with its mountainous hinterland) meant for much of its history ever since that it was a provincial coastal town, albeit with a multicultural community of Muslims, Christians, and Jews. As the centre of a region with beautiful beaches, verdant mountains, and a mindblowing number of ancient ruins, the tourism investments started in 1970s, which changed the fate of the city considerably. However, as most of the visitors (make no mistake—they are in the range of millions annually) to the region are actually on “all-inclusive” vacation packages nowadays, they are immediately taken from the airport to the huge resorts lining the coastline of hundreds of kilometres, where they stay until the end of their holidays except perhaps a raid or two to the nearest and the most popular attractions, so Antalya itself, especially the old town (Kaleiçi), is more of an independent traveller destination, where you will meet the other travellers of a similar mind, and the local.

Festival Welcomes:

• Folk ensembles, choral groups, majorette teams, orchestras, brass bands, modern dance groups (children’s ensembles, youth ensembles, adult ensembles).

General Rules:

• Non-competitive sample of traditional and modern dances, orchestras, brass bands, modern dance, choir and vocal groups.

• Every folklore, choral group, modern dance, majorette team, orchestra has the right to participate.

• The number of participants is limited (only 3 groups from each country).

• Each group should consist of max 70 members including dancers, managers, musicians and family members.

• Ensemble should have prepared program 12-15 minutes each with orchestra or USB. For choral groups: free program about 12 minutes.

• Performances will be in the evening hours so you can plan the day ahead and use it for visiting the historical part of the city and excursions.

• Send short CV (5-6 sentences in English) and photos of the group.

• Bring national flag.

• Ensembles should have their own transport for arrival and departure.

• Participants can use USB or live music.

• Performances at a place in accordance with festival committee’s decision.

• Concert held in open area. Stage: 10 x 8 meters.

• Festival committee provides a guide to all groups. Festival language is English.

• Festival committee takes care of concert venue in case of bad weather conditions.

• NUMBER OF SEATS IS LIMITED on 400 participants and 10 ensembles!!