Over Dance

Presentation

Two renowned choreographers, Angelin Preljocaj and Rachid Ouramdane, address in a creation for the Fondazione Nazionale della Danza the theme of the body transforming with age, at the centre of two new dance creations. The choreographers were asked to react to this fascinating subject, which profoundly questions the criteria of beauty and virtuosity. The artistic core of a wide-ranging project that tackles a theme from the point of view of dance are performers (dancers and non-dancers) over 60.

When asked to create beyond certain boundaries, they both responded with their own generosity, curiosity and intellectual energy. Unlike other important experiences, which have aimed to prolong the careers of groups of dancers, in this project the objective is poetic and crystallises truly universal questions. The central one is suggested by Preljocaj himself: what is the age of a body?

"This question has been accompanying us like a mantra for quite some time now.
Does the same body have different ages: the biological one or the one linked to the practice of its work? The age that others give it or the age that one perceives?
This enigmatic question bounces back with each new wrong answer." (Angelin Preljocaj)

Preljocaj's question, addressed to a work for six performers lasting about 35 minutes, is counterbalanced by Ouramdane's research, aimed at creating a duo - lasting 15 minutes - for two dancers, which completes the evening.

"There is no dance without a body and there are no bodies that do not age. By questioning the transformation of the dancer's body over the course of his or her life, I wanted to look at the notion of ageing through three lenses: the ageing of the body, the world of music hall and more specifically tip-tap, and the relationship between couples." (Rachid Ouramdane)

The evening, produced by FND/Aterballetto in co-production with the Theatre Nationale du Chaillot, ERT-Emilia Romagna Teatri and Fondazione I Teatri will debut on 15 February 2023.

Artistic Team

Over Dance will feature an international artistic team, including the two renowned choreographers Angelin Preljocaj e Rachid Ourandame. They will both complete their artistic team with trusted people and well-known names in the industry. The entire project was also conceived under the guidance of the director of the Fondazione Nazionale della Danza/Aterballetto Gigi Cristoforetti . He has a degree in contemporary history and a master's degree in cultural management. He worked on dance and contemporary circus in Venice, Brescia, Rome, Capri, and Emilia Romagna. He directed the Torinodanza festival from 2002, leaving it in 2017 to take over as director of the Fondazione Nazionale della Danza. He has been a dance consultant for the French Embassy in Italy and the Institut Français. He has won the Danza & Danza Prize, the Hystrio Prize and the Premio dell'Associazione Critici di Teatro, also in the category of artistic planning. He was appointed Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the Minister of Culture of the French Republic. During his career, he has collaborated with opera houses, stable theatres, the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, and private foundations. In addition, the production will be entirely supervised by Sveva Berti and Macha Daudel Maître de Ballet. Sveva Berti is a reference figure, an indispensable element of continuity in the unceasing evolution of Aterballetto. She has worked with the most important choreographers of international dance, including William Forsythe, Alvin Ailey, George Balanchine, Angelin Preljocaj, and Jiri Kylián. In 2004 she became assistant choreographer to Mauro Bigonzetti, since 2012 Maître de Ballet, and since 2019 she has been Company Director. From the 21/22 season Macha Daudel former Aterballetto dancer became Maître de Ballet of the company after being assistant choreographer to Mauro Bigonzetti, Gauthier Dance, and Alvin Ailey.

Co-producing Partners