Interview – Britta Aliena Horwath
© Oliver Look
Balancing Structure and Sensitivity: Britta Aliena Horwath on Empathy, Ensemble Work, and Leading Through Change
What happens when you're promoted to lead a dance company in the middle of a crisis? How do you balance artistic vision with institutional expectations, or care for dancers’ physical and emotional needs while keeping a theater season on track?
In this episode of The Art She Manages, I talk to Britta Horwath, Director of the Dance Company at Theater Osnabrück in Germany. Britta shares her path from cultural education to leading a state theater company, despite never having been a professional dancer herself, and reflects on what it means to lead with empathy, presence, and long-term care for artists.
Why this conversation matters
Britta opens a window into the backstage realities of German municipal theaters: their complex power structures, the pressure to perform within systems, and the human stories behind every production schedule. She speaks with clarity and honesty about managing an ensemble, navigating audience expectations, and the soft skills that matter most in arts leadership.
Whether you're a dance artist, arts manager, or someone navigating leadership early in your career, Britta’s reflections are a grounded reminder that artistic leadership isn’t about charisma or ego, it’s about responsibility, relationships, and resilience.
You’ll learn
What it’s like to take over a company during an unplanned leadership change
How to manage conflict and diverse personalities in small ensembles
Why empathy, trust, and soft skills matter more than ever
The quiet gender dynamics behind how artists approach institutions
How Britta supports dancers through short careers and beyond them
What it really means to “curate” a season instead of following a single choreographic vision
“Real communication means offering the team the possibility to speak to each other and to us. I’m never not available.”
“It’s not just listening. It’s taking people seriously — and deciding the way forward based on that.”
Resources & ways to connect
Learn more about Theater Osnabrück here
Learn about the book mentioned in this episode here
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