The Jas Art Ballet Company was formed in 2013 by the husband and wife team Sabrina Brazzo and Andrea Volpintesta, both formerly with the ballet company at La Scala (she a principal dancer). In six years, its reach has grown, and it now has a junior wing of promising young dancers from ages 16 to 18 which is coached at its base in the Centre for Choreographic Study, a large … [Read more...] about Jas Art Ballet Company’s Opera Danza Festival in Milan
Massimiliano Volpini
Roberto Bolle’s Dance with Me on New Year’s Day features Alessandra Ferri
Roberto Bolle’s programme Danza con me (Dance with Me) won the Rose D'Or for the Best European Entertainment programme at the 57th edition of the awards in Berlin in September. Not surprisingly, the Italian State Television (RAI) have decided to record another episode which will go out on New Year’s Day with actors, comedians, singers and dancers, some of whom will “dance with … [Read more...] about Roberto Bolle’s Dance with Me on New Year’s Day features Alessandra Ferri
Proscaenium’s Gran Gala with the best of Italy’s dancing talent
Gramilano has already written about Cincia Puricelli’s dancing school Proscaenium, which is based in Gallarate, a town near Milan’s Malpensa airport. An ordinary town, and on the surface an ordinary dancing school, yet it is bravely run with ambitious goals. Last year Puricelli’s conceit was to invite Carla Fracci (for her first public masterclass) together with Pompea Santoro … [Read more...] about Proscaenium’s Gran Gala with the best of Italy’s dancing talent
The tale of a dyslexic ballerina
Sabrina Brazzo, former Principal Dancer at La Scala – but still dancing wonderfully – is dyslexic, and she has put her story onstage. Dyslexia isn’t just about difficulty with reading and writing, but can cause a range of problems which make day to day life a challenge. Many dyslexic students can get confused in following sequences and instructions, so put a musical and … [Read more...] about The tale of a dyslexic ballerina
Mauro Bigonzetti’s new work for La Scala: preview of Progetto Händel
La Scala’s series of chamber music ballets which started with Heinz Spoerli’s Cello Suites, followed by a new commission from Massimiliano Volpini of Il giardino degli amanti (The Lovers’ Garden) is continued with another new work, from Mauro Bigonzetti, called Progetto Händel. The cast will be led by La Scala favourites, Svetlana Zakharova and Roberto … [Read more...] about Mauro Bigonzetti’s new work for La Scala: preview of Progetto Händel
Spellbound Contemporary Ballet and Gala DanzaEccellenze at Milan’s Teatro Carcano
The Teatro Carcano in Milan is trying to forge ahead with a project to feature dance, especially contemporary dance, on its stage. Dance in Milan tends to be dominated by La Scala, while other northern Italian towns such as Venice, Genoa and Turin have got to see the Eifman Ballet, Ballet Preljocaj, Béjart Ballet Lausanne, Estonian National Ballet, Ballet Nacional de Cuba, … [Read more...] about Spellbound Contemporary Ballet and Gala DanzaEccellenze at Milan’s Teatro Carcano
My Big Fat Italian Ballet Gala
The Gala des Étoiles at La Scala made me feel as though I’d eaten all the icing on the cake: happy, but a little woozy. Don Q? Check! Corsaire? Check! Manon and Romeo and Juliet? Check! Spartacus? Check! As you can see if you scroll down to the programme, it wasn’t all hoary favourites, and when the interpreters are some of the best dancers in the world it would be churlish … [Read more...] about My Big Fat Italian Ballet Gala
Full programme of la Scala’s Gala des Étoiles – 30 and 31 October
Below is the full programme of Gala des Étoiles, at La Scala on 30 and 31 October. The Gala will be transmitted live by Italian television, Rai, on Rai5, and in cinemas internationally both live and over the next two months. It can also be followed live from the wings via La Scala's site and its YouTube channel with Gramilano and Silvia Farina presenting this rare … [Read more...] about Full programme of la Scala’s Gala des Étoiles – 30 and 31 October
Sabrina Brazzo & Co take their all-leather ballet to the Lincoln Center
Tonight, at the Lincoln Center in New York, a new Italian ballet will take to the stage which features almost only leather costumes. When the piece made its début in Milan two years ago, I wrote: A Nabucco or Norma with leather costumes wouldn't raise an eyebrow, but a ballet? Boots and belts maybe, but tutus and frocks? This was the conceit behind The Cloak of the … [Read more...] about Sabrina Brazzo & Co take their all-leather ballet to the Lincoln Center
The Kings of Dance have a Queen: Svetlana Lunkina
Kings of Dance will come to London with their newly crowned queen, Svetlana Lunkina. Roberto Bolle and Ivan Vasiliev will perform Roland Petit's Le Jeune Homme et la Mort, with ex-Bolshoi star Svetlana Lunkina joining them as a 'Special Guest Artist'. The full programme for the four London dates is as follows: ACT ONE LE JEUNE HOMME ET LA MORT Music: … [Read more...] about The Kings of Dance have a Queen: Svetlana Lunkina
