The Civitanova Dance festival celebrates its 31st anniversary from June 23rd to September 28th, confirming itself as a showcase for the art of dance, thanks to the initiative of the City of Civitanova Marche, the Civitanova Theatres Company, and AMAT, with the contribution of the Ministry of Culture and the Marche Region. For the festival dedicated to maestro Enrico Cecchetti, there will be twelve events featuring Italian and international artists, premieres, and residencies, confirming the slogan “Civitanova dance everything,” which has accompanied the event for some years now. This slogan testifies both to the aspiration to bring together representatives from around the world and different cultures, and to the desire for a comprehensive view of the various styles and languages in which dance expresses itself.
Many Italian artists are engaged in major dance companies worldwide, achieving international acclaim. Civitanova Dance dedicates the “Dancing Italy Gala” exclusively to some of them on June 23rd at the Teatro Rossini, marking the official start of the 2024 edition. Italian talents performing on international stages such as Giada Rossi and Alessandro Riga (Compañia Nacional de Danza – Madrid), Giacomo Rovero and Charlotte Tonkinson (Royal Ballet – London), Daniele Bonelli and Futaba Ishizaki (Ballett Am Rhein – Düsseldorf), Lorenzo Lelli and Elizabeth Partington (Ballet de l’Opéra National de Paris), Danilo Lo Monaco and Romina Belen Contreras (Czech National Ballet – Prague) will be featured. The Gala, curated by Paola Vismara, is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of Vittoria Ottolenghi, writer, journalist, and director of the first edition of Civitanova Dance. A rich program encompassing both classical and contemporary repertoire makes it an exclusive event capable of satisfying the expectations of both traditionalists and lovers of contemporary expressions.
The festival kicks off on July 4th at the Teatro Rossini with the world premiere of “Room 7,” choreographed by Carolyn Carlson for Tero Saarinen, after a period of residency. This piece is an engaging exploration of the human psyche, where mysteries are unveiled without explanation. Saarinen embodies a multitude of archetypes, offering a dynamic journey through tragedy, absurdity, and the myriad of mental games that shape our perceptions. Completing the evening’s program is “Westward Ho!,” the first piece Saarinen created in 1996 for his company, considered a turning point in his international career.
On July 13th, the festival within the festival begins, a dance marathon that has distinguished Civitanova Dance for years. At the Teatro Cecchetti, “Ti ricordi il futuro?” conceived by YoY Performing Arts, choreographed by Emma Zani and Roberto Doveri, with music by Timoteo Carbone, marks the beginning. This work, a modular project involving various artistic disciplines such as dance, music, and visual arts to create a multisensory and engaging experience, is presented as an “Open Workshop” after a period of residency. The central event at the Teatro Rossini features another residency project in its national premiere, “Dear son,” choreographed by Simone Repele and Sasha Riva for Sacha Riva, Simone Repele, and Parvaneh Scharafali, with music by Gino Paoli, Claudio Villa, Fabrizio de Andrè, Ólafur Arnalds, and Arvo Pärt. “Dear son” is an artistic experience inviting the audience to reflect on the fragility of life and the power of family love, even in the darkest moments of history, exploring the immeasurable pain felt by parents facing the loss of their child in the context of war.
The festival within the festival concludes at 10:30 PM at the Teatro Annibal Caro with “Le sacre du Printemps” by Dewey Dell, choreographed by Teodora Castellucci, featuring Filippo Babini, Agata Castellucci, Alberto “Mix” Galluzzi, and Francesca Siracusa. The company, composed of Teodora Castellucci, Agata Castellucci, Vito Matera, and Demetrio Castellucci, confronts Igor Stravinsky’s masterpiece, a milestone in musical literature and an endless visual source. The mystery of spring and the violent birth of life unfolds on stage, in a conflict between sound and vision, the powerful seduction of music, and the furious energy of the bodies. This surprising work by one of the most original companies in the contemporary scene was awarded the Dance & Dance Prize in 2023 for the best Italian production of the year.
Another world premiere and residency project, within the framework of the RAM Marche Artistic Residences financed by the Marche Region and the Ministry of Culture, will take place on July 20th at the Teatro Annibal Caro with “Venere vs Adone” by the Enzo Cosimi Company. After the realization of the project “Orestea | Trilogia della vendetta,” Enzo Cosimi, along with Maria Paola Zedda, dives into this new creation, focusing on the famous Shakespearean poem. Through a journey traversed by different languages and media, Cosimi reinterprets the poetry of the English playwright, creating a textual and visual mosaic where elements of contemporaneity and philological aspects are woven together.
On July 23rd, Civitanova Danza, in collaboration with the Municipality of Fermo, brings “Una noche con Sergio Bernal” to Villa Vitali, featuring Sergio Bernal, considered the “King of Flamenco.” The show offers a visionary narrative blending Spanish tradition, the elegance of classical dance, and the fire and passion of flamenco, expressing the spirit of the gypsy. Among vertiginous solos and refined pas de deux and pas de trois, dancers Sergio Bernal, Cristina Cazorla, and José Manuel Benítez, under the artistic direction of Ricardo Cue, present original choreographies, including “El ultimo encuentro” and “El Cisne,” along with a new version of Maurice Ravel’s “Boléro.”
On July 31st, there will be another national premiere at the Teatro Rossini with “Prélude” by the French company Accrorap, directed by choreographer Kader Attou, one of the leading figures in hip-hop dance. The piece, first presented at the Festival de Marseille, tells the story of the encounter between the music of Romain Dubois and the physicality of the dancers. The music, with its rhythmic and melodic crescendo, holds in an intensity that becomes tension. The dancers’ virtuosity synchronizes with the music, captivating the audience’s attention.
At the Arena Sferisterio in Macerata, as part of the “Dance at the Opera” project by the Macerata Opera Festival and Civitanova Dance Festival, the fruitful dialogue with the territory is renewed on August 1st. A new creation titled “Notte Morricone,” in collaboration with the Fondazione Nazionale della Danza / Aterballetto, conceived and signed by the award-winning Spanish choreographer Marcos Morau, with music by the renowned Italian composer of film scores, Ennio Morricone, will be staged.
Civitanova Dance concludes on September 28th with “Focus Alessandro Sciarroni,” presenting three works by the artist active in the performing arts, who was awarded the Golden Lion for Dance in 2019. Starting at 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM at the Spazio Multimediale San Francesco, the evening begins with “Op. 22 No. 2,” a solo by Alessandro Sciarroni created for Marta Ciappina, a dancer with whom the choreographer has collaborated for several years. Commissioned by the Bolzano Dance Festival, the piece is inspired by the symphonic poem “The Swan of Tuonela” by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, based on the Finnish mythological epic “Kalevala.” At 8:00 PM at the Teatro Annibal Caro, “U. [a chant],” a musical performance, a concert, curated by Alessandro Sciarroni with Aurora Bauzà and Pere Jou, featuring choral songs from the Italian repertoire composed between the mid-20th century and the present day. For this occasion, the artist brings together a new group of performers, creating a choir of seven singers with diverse vocal backgrounds and experiences. The evening concludes at 9:30 PM and 11:00 PM at the Spazio Multimediale San Francesco with “Save the last dance for me,” a creation in which Alessandro Sciarroni collaborates with dancers Gianmaria Borzillo and Giovanfrancesco Giannini on the steps of the Bolognese dance called “Polka Chinata.” This courtship dance, originally performed by men only and dating back to the early 1900s, is physically demanding, almost acrobatic, requiring the dancers, embraced, to whirl while bending almost to the ground on their knees.
For information and ticket sales, contact Teatro Rossini at 0733 812936, AMAT at 071 2072439, or visit the online platforms www.teatridicivitanova.com, www.civitanovadanza.com, and www.amatmarche.net. Subscriptions, ticket booklets, and individual tickets will be available starting from Saturday, May 11th
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