156 artists from all over the world applied, seven choreographers were nominated to take part in the festival, then the viewers made their decision: the audience awards of the 5th international onlöine-dancefestival SideBySide-net go to Birgit Bodingbauer (Berlin) and her company "Nightmare before Valentine" (1st prize), Adriana Cubides from Austria (2nd prize) and Marcel Leemann from Switzerland (3rd prize). All participating artists have in common that their art has reached a big and widely spread international audience: SideBySide-net 2009 accounted for 24.000 visitors in 60 days.
The festival's first highlight was the opening at Stadtmuseum Düsseldorf, where all nominees introduced themselves via live-performances and videos - the local audience was delighted!
The visitors of Düsseldorf painter and galerist Walter Padao was likewise amazed by the diversity of choreographies before they gave their vote at Gloria Halle. This SideBySide-screening was one of its last big events before the historical venue had to be closed forever.
The networkers of SideBySide-net do their best to promote all recent and upcoming nominees and their work/s: At the Scandinavian dance congress Kedja, we were invited to give a presentation on SideBySide-net - the world first and leading online-dancefestival.

