From a bank to a ship and from your early years to your 80s – this year’s Amsterdam Dance Event is casting its net as wide as possible.

Amsterdam is expected to host 600,000 visitors, 10,000 business guests and 3,300 artists for the 29th year of the conference for dance industry professionals plus public nightlife festival.

“We are a small country but we always look over the horizon: that all comes together in this industry,” director Jan-Willem van de Ven told Dutch News. “And I feel like this industry has grown up.”

This year the festival, which runs from Wednesday October 22 to Sunday 26, includes a new space for the talent “lab”, with masterclasses and studio sessions for young artists, producers and music professionals in the Westergas former factory.

A “kids rave” will run on Sunday afternoon for a second year running, giving young DJs and guests a chance to get out for a spin. And older groovers are welcome too at the Danspaleis event, aimed at reducing loneliness among senior citizens who may enjoy an English waltz or even a merengue.

“We like to look at ADE as a campus on which a lot of connections can be made, some of them at venues which are not being used too often to do cool stuff,” said Van de Ven. “I’m really happy institutions want to collaborate with ADE because it means nightlife as a cultural phenomenon gets its own space within the cultural field…It’s about making sure there is a dance floor for everyone.”

While there are events everywhere from the Stedelijk museum to churches, the industry conference this year is truly global. Talks include a session on raves, riots and revolutions, with an Ethiopian perspective, the Japanese music industry and the journey of Brazilian funk.

Although the main festival sponsor is a beer company, for the first time there’s an explicit invitation to people who prefer to dance substance-free, with several events centred on sober clubbing.

“It’s about expressing yourself – and that is not related to drinking alcohol or using other substances,” said Van de Ven. “It’s about getting connected, releasing yourself and a natural high. It’s not a focus to promote only sober clubbing but I feel it’s a result of this industry and culture growing up more…

“It’s about bringing connection: I don’t want to limit ourselves to certain numbers, or the oldest or the youngest. If you feel like you want to dance, then please dance!”

Amsterdam Dance Event runs from October 22 to October 26, with paid-for, pro pass and 110 free events