Fellinian ballet flash mob descends on Rome’s Spanish Steps
Tourists on Rome’s Spanish Steps were taken by surprise yesterday afternoon when a company of dancers descended on them dressed as characters from Federico Fellini‘s Amarcord.
Italian ballet dancer and all-round entertainer Rossella Brescia, with the entire company of dancers from Danzitalia in their 1930s garb, along with choreographer Luciano Cannito and designer Roberta Guidi di Bagno, arrived dancing down the mythical marble steps to the delight of children and adults alike.
Cannito’s Amarcord was created in 1995 for Teatro San Carlo in Naples, and was subsequently presented at Milan’s Teatro alla Scala and the Metropolitan in New York. In 2012 it was revised by the choreographer for an Italian tour with the company Danzitalia which he runs with dance producer Daniele Cipriani. The Rome dates mark the end of two years on the road.
Tomorrow, 17 April, Amarcord opens at the Teatro Olimpico which marks the beginning of the 4th International Festival of Dance organised by the Accademia Filarmonica Romana and the Teatro Olimpico.
Amarcord runs until 20 April, and tickets can be purchased through the site of the Teatro Olimpico.
Photographs by Ripari Young Group
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Italian ballerina Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
