In Save the last dance for me, Italian choreographer Alessandro Sciarroni works with dancers Gianmaria Borzillo and Giovanfrancesco Giannini on the steps of a Bolognese dance called Polka Chinata, a courtship dance originally performed by men only and dating back to the early 1900s. Physically demanding, almost acrobatic, it requires that the dancers embrace each other and whirl, as they bend their knees almost to the ground.

The work was created in collaboration with Giancarlo Stagni, a Filuzziani dance master who revived this ancient tradition thanks to the rediscovery of some documentation videos dating back to the 1960s. Sciarroni discovered this dance in 2018 when it was practiced by only 5 people in total. The project consists of a performance by the two dancers, and a series of workshops aimed at spreading and reviving this popular tradition in danger of extinction.

Free Workshops