“Two cultures touch and share the beauty
of art.” This was the tag line for the
Italian International Dance Festival.
The very first ever held in the US, the Festival hoped to be a touchstone
for professional dance in Italy and America.
I can tell you that it succeeded beyond anyone’s expectations. The Festival was held on March 22 at the
Julia Richman Theater in NYC.
The Festival was the idea of a small group
of dance-centric visionaries who call themselves TAG: T for Tabata Caldironi, a
professional dancer and Italian TV hostess; A for Antonio Pio Fini, a
professional dancer, choreographer and Artistic Director of the Festival; and G
for Gianluca Blandi, a professional dancer, choreographer and producer.
This same group spearheads the Festival’s
companion event, the Alto Jonio Dance Festival (AJD) held annually in Calabria,
Italy. This means that the winner of the Festival’s Emerging Choreographer
Competition, Diasuke Omiya, will perform his work at AJD in Italy in July 2013.
One of the emotional highpoints of the
Festival was the performance of Noa Guy and Antonio Pio Fini. Noa Guy is a composer, musician and vocalist
who 17 years ago came to New York from Israel for one week and has never been
able to return. During that fateful
week, she was in a near fatal car crash that left her in a coma. When she awoke, her injuries required years
of rehabilitation. Brain trauma left her with epilepsy and deafness in one
ear. With serious equilibrium problems
and without feeling from the knee down in one leg, she walks only with the help
of forearm crutches.
What in the world is she doing on stage at
a dance festival? Noa met Antonio at
Movement Salon on 3rd Avenue, where they worked together on her
healing. They created a series of
movements that allow Noa to things she cannot otherwise do: jump, climb, be
suspended upside down, twist and turn.
Eventually they turned these movements into a performance.
Noa walks onto the stage with her crutches,
lets them fall to the floor and takes Antonio’s hands. From there, she soars and spins to the music
while Antonio, on whom she depends for stability and strength, adjusts to every
nuance of her movement. As much as they
practice, each time they dance is an improvisation. As described so eloquently by the Host,
Tabata Caldironi, “Noa can’t walk. But
with Antonio, she can dance.”
The Awards
“A Heart For Art Lifetime Achievement
Award” was given to Luigi Facciuto, known by everyone as “Luigi”. A first-generation Italian American, Luigi
danced from a very early age until a car accident left him paralyzed and
comatose in his 20’s. He eventually
emerged from his injuries by developing his own movement technique which became
what the world knows as Jazz Dance.
Luigi performed in over 40 Hollywood films including Singin’ In the
Rain. Gene Kelly was his mentor. He worked with the likes of Fred Astaire,
Judy Garland and Danny Kaye. Over time,
he moved to NYC and opened Luigi’s Jazz Centre, where he still teaches and
inspires every day. Among other
accomplishments, Luigi was known for having the most students performing on
Broadway than any other teacher in the city.
Part of Luigi’s mission is to rehabilitate
dancers with serious injuries, such as Ben Vereen. Ben worked with Luigi after a car wreck left
him unable to perform. “Luigi got me
dancing again,” says Vereen. “Italy has given
America many wonderful things. But the
best thing Italy ever gave America was Luigi.”
Ben accompanied Luigi to the Festival’s Artists’ Reception and helped us
celebrate Luigi’s 80th birthday.
“A Heart For Art Extraordinary Dancer
Award” was given to Alessandra Ferri.
Born in Milan and a student of Teatro alla Scala, she joined London’s
Royal Ballet Theater. After performing at the Met in 1982, Mikhail Baryshnikov invited her to join him
at the American Ballet Theater. She
became Principal Dancer and remained with the company for 28 years. She was named Permanent Guest Artist at La
Scala in Milan and retired in 2007.
Since then, she has collaborated on many creative projects, including a
short film with Sting called Prelude.
“A Heart For Art Bridge Award” was given
to Elena Albano, a native of Milan and a renowned teacher of the Martha Graham
technique. Albano studied at the Martha
Graham School and the Alvin Ailey School in NYC and the National Center for
Contemporary Dance National Ballet in Mexico.
She has taught the Martha Graham Technique at Teatro Carcano in Milan
since 1990. Along the way, she also
managed to graduate in Medicine and Surgery and is a Physical Medicine and
Rehabilitation specialist. Albano bridges not only medicine and dance through
understanding and challenging the human body, but she also bridges the US and
Italy by bringing dance to each culture.
“A Heart For Art Ambassador Award” was
given to Sasa’ Di Donna. Di Donna
trained in American Jazz Dance and has had a long career in dance and
choreography on Italian television. He
brings his love of Jazz to his many choreography projects in his native Milan
as well as Morocco, London, Dubai and South Africa.
Each award winner received a custom made
piece of jewelry from Franco Pianegonda.
His creations are worn by celebrities like Alicia Keys, Jennifer Lopez,
Marc Anthony and Ivana Trump.
The Performances
The Festival performances included:
U Mundu Balla, choreography by Nicola
Iervasi, performed by Talent Unlimited High School students, music by
QuartAumenta.
Kyrie –
part of a larger piece, Requiem, created in celebration of the 200th
anniversary of Verdi’s birthday.
Choreography by Michael Mao, performed by Antonio Pio Fini & Kristin
Draucker.
Bright – choreography and performance by
Diasuke Omiya, Emerging Choreographer Competition Winner.
Solitude –choreography by Luigi, performed
by his student Jessica Black, music by Duke Ellington.
La Pelle Sotto L’Abito – choreography by
Alex Atzewi, performed by Alex Atzewi Dance Company.
Quando Io Non Sono – choreography by Elena
Albano, performed by Sefania Coloru and Vera Paganin music by Stefano Ianne.
Tripudium – choreography by Antonella
Perazzo, performed by Caliince Dance of Pauline Legras music by Gianluca
Perazzo.
Abbalamu Cu Ventu – choreography by Mare
Nostrum Elements, Kevin Albert and Nicola Iervasi, performed by Suzanne Beahrs,
Ada Cacciatore, Eduardo Hermanson, Laurence Martin, Samantha McLoughlin, Collin
Ranf, Sabrina Shapiro, Joshua Yarbrough, music by QuartAumenta.
Le Lavandaie – choreography by Mare
Nostrum Elements, Anabella Lenzu, performed by Eva Hansson, Cheryl Orsini,
traditional Tarantella music arranged by Joseph Church.
Dancing with Noa – choreography and
performance by Noa Guy and Antonio Pio Fini, music Claudio Monteverdi.
Moment to Moment – choreography by Ellen
Tharp, performed by Staten Island Ballet, music by Anna Moffo singing
Rachmaninoff.
New York, New York – choreography by
Luigi, performed by his student Ericka Black, sung by Liza Minnelli, who is
another Luigi student.
Sponsors
The generous sponsors who made this event
so special include:
Gourmet Cooking & Living
La Cucina Italiana Magazine
Movement Salon
Pizzeria 28
Wine WorldWide
