The President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies (the Speaker of the Lower House of the Italian Parliament), Laura Boldrini, met with Carla Fracci yesterday to discuss the sharp decline of ballet companies in Italy, reported ASCA.

Fracci said,

There are no more than five at this time, which means a total of approximately 230 professional dancers. Classical dance has given great prestige to our country, and it’s sad that today it is considered superfluous. It is a noble art, and must not be treated as a poor relation. The Italian situation is unique in its severity.

Boldrini responded by saying,

Investing in culture is essential if we want our country to grow. Even in times of crisis we need to preserve and promote artistic expression in theatre, music, dance – it’s part of our identity. We can not remain indifferent to requests for help.