Save the last dance for me
A partner dance for two men, Save the last dance for me revives the traditional polka chinata in a touching, compelling performance.
A Dance on the Road to Extinction
Moving to the rhythm of a techno heartbeat, dancers Gianmaria Borzillo and Giovanfrancesco Giannini whirl around, eyes locked on each other. Sometimes crouched in a wrestling stance, they perform a traditional Italian ballroom dance until they’re exhausted. Their enactment of this ritual becomes athletic, magnetic, visceral. Joined together, the two men hold each other gracefully, defying stereotypes of gender identity. Tenderness and technical mastery combine in a moving act of collaboration.
The Italian artist Alessandro Sciarroni incorporates diverse physical activities, including sports, juggling, and folk dance, into contemporary performance, blurring the boundaries between disciplines. Through dance workshops held in conjunction with the show wherever it plays, Save the last dance for me is reviving the polka chinata, a folk dance on the verge of disappearing. Sciarroni is ensuring that this living heritage is passed on, putting a contemporary spin on it in a rigorous, hypnotic show that’s truly magical.
Produced by Corpoceleste_C.C.00# + MARCHE TEATRO ̶ Teatro di Rilevante Interesse Culturale
Created by Alessandro Sciarroni
Performed by Gianmaria Borzillo + Giovanfrancesco Giannini
Artistic Collaboration Giancarlo Stagni
Music Aurora Bauzà + Pere Jou (Telemann Rec.)
Styling Ettore Lombardi
Technical Direction Valeria Foti
Curator, Promotion and Consulting Lisa Gilardino
Administration and Executive Production Chiara Fava
Communication Pierpaolo Ferlaino
Co-produced by Santarcangelo Festival (Santarcangelo di Romagna) + B.Motion (Bassano del Grappa) + Festival Danza Urbana (Bologne)
Presented by Hôtel Monville with the support of Istituto Italiano di Cultura + Ministero della cultura Direzione generale Spettacolo (Rome) in association with Centre communautaire de la Petite-Italie – Casa d’Italia + Cité-des-Hospitalières en transition + CCSE Maisonneuve
Alessandro Sciarroni is Associate Artist of CENTQUATRE-PARIS + Triennale Milano Teatro 2022-2024
Premiered at Festival di Santarcangelo, on July 5, 2019
North American première
Written by Elsa Pépin
Translated by David Dalgleish
Alessandro Sciarroni (San Benedetto del Tronto)
Trained in theatre, Italy’s Alessandro Sciarroni approaches dance from the viewpoint of a visual artist. His atypical process involves professionals specializing in various physical disciplines and practices. He uses the theatrical context to engage in dialogue with other forms, notably dance, circus arts, and sport, creating pieces that transcend traditional genre definitions.
Edition 2022
Performances
- Sat28May4 p.m.
- Sun29May4 p.m.
- Tue31May6 p.m.
- Wed01June6 p.m.
- Thu02June7 p.m.
- Fri03June5:30 p.m.
