I started dancing in Sicily when I was twelve, the first approach was with modern dance and hip hop which I really loved, but to grow as the kind of artist that I wanted to become, it was necessary for me, to study ballet too.
At the age of sixteen I have been admitted at 6th course of Teatro alla Scala ballet school in Milan, directed by Annamaria Prina, where I graduated three years later. I never been the perfect ballet dancer but I am such a hard worker and during my last year in Milano, I had the honor to become Carabosse in Matz Ek’s Sleeping Beauty, guided by the great Pompea Santoro, meanwhile I had the possibility to work for some production, with La Scala ballet company.
My first contract as a professional dancer, was with le Ballet du Rhin (France), directed by Bertrand D’At.
In one season I learned so much from several choreographers like Jacopo Godani, Maurice Béjart, Jo Stromgen, and the director trusted me with few soloist roles.
One year lateral the age of twenty, I joined le Ballet du Grand Theatre de Geneve, directed by Philippe Cohen.
My experience there was just incredible.
With the company I have been performing in several countries like Canada, U.S.A, Mexico ,Brazil, Argentina,Singapore, Australia, Russia and many others in Europe.
Philippe Cohen pushed me since the beginning and at the end of first season, I started my career as principal dancer.
Romeo and Juliet by Joelle Bouvier was created on me, then I was the prince in Cinderella by Michelle Kelemenis and also Albrecht in Giselle by Pontus Lidberg.
There I found the way develop my sensibility letting emotions flow true my body.
I’ve been lucky to grow not just as dancer but as an artist
Many choreographer with a more abstract touch like: Andonis Foniadakis, Francesco Ventriglia, Ken Ossola, Saburo Teshigawara, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, made my body stronger and led me to achieve a powerful and more mature quality of mouvement.
In 2008 I won the Danza&Danza award as best Italian talent.
After five years I felt that I needed a change, everything was going well but it was time for a challenge, so I decide to quit Geneva to go somewhere else.
Aterballetto, directed by Cristina Bozzolini, became my home.
At the beginning I was not so sure about it, cause dancers were amazing but the repertoire was a bit more neoclassical than what I used to dance in Switzerland.
Actually it was the kind of challenge that I was looking for.
New repertoire, new colleagues, new city, my country.
In Aterballetto I had the great honor to work with the one and only Jiry Kylian.
The simplicity in sharing his work, and the elegance of his pieces enriched me deeply.
I can’t forget the sensation performing 14’20’’ with my partner, Serena Vinzio.
A dream came true.
In Aterballetto I also worked with several choreographers and each one of them contributed to my growth: Giuseppe Spota, Mauro Bigonzetti, Johan Inger, William Forsythe, Hofesh Shechter, Ohad Naharin…
I always loved to improvise and I felt I had something to say with my body, but just during my second season with Aterballetto, I was ready to start choreographing for other artists too.
We used to have a young choreographers platform and I created few peaces: solos, duos, group pieces…
With the duet “Abiectio”, with Arianna Kob, I have been selected to Hannover Choreograpy competition.
I also started to give classes and workshops more and more, in Italy first and then in Europe too.
Technically I had no time to rest and after a while, I wanted to open a new chapter in my life.
After seven years in Aterballetto I decided to start my new carrer as freelancer.
A big jump in the dark but at same time the possibility to express myself, decide more about my own time, my own life.
In four years many things appended.
I collaborated with many professional training program like Eko Dance project directed by Pompea Santoro, Padova Danza project directed by Gabriella Furlan Malvazzi, Agora coaching project directed by Michele Merola and Enrico Morelli, Ateneo della danza and Balletto di Siena directed by Marco Batti, WOM program directed by Alessia Gatta and I created for the them as guest choreographers.
I created the choreography of the video clip “Kiss me again” composed by the Maestro Giovanni Allevi and I performed with the Ensemble Symphony Orchestra of Maestro Giacomo Loprieno.
Since 2021 I am resident choreographer of MoNo dance company, based in Sicily directed by Monica Montanti and in the last three years, with theme, I created few peaces for Luglio Musicale Trapanese festival.
I had the wonderful pleasure to create for Teatro alla Scala ballet dancers for the charity show, Italy Bares in 2024.
Since 2020 I am the Artistic Director of Castle Summer Intensive in Italy, a summer intensive camp where the students have the possibility to study and and meet wonderful teachers and professional dancers, from all over the world.
Since 2022 I am also guest teacher in John Cranko Schule in Stuttgart.
But I didn’t stop performing, since July 2023 I work again with Pontus Lidberg on a show called “On the nature of rabbits”, we performed it in Biennale danza di Venezia, Joyce Theatre and Guggenheim museum in New York, Andorra classicand festival.
What’s next?
I have two nice upcoming project.
On the 9th of August I have the world premiere of “ L’altro canto, Bach Incontra Dante” in the unbelievable Segesta teatro festival with the Mono dance company.
And in September I will move to Roma to create “ The place to be” a new piece for the Accademia Nazionale di Danza for the project DnAnd.
What I love about my life is the constant research, the chance to share my artistic universe with new bodies and human beings.
Sharing is the key to grow.
What I do when I don’t work? I rest in my house in Liguria, I spend time with my love, my friends and if I can, I fly to Sicily taking care of my family there.
Nothing special, sometimes simple things are the ones I miss more.