This evening, the DAP Festival proudly dedicates this event to celebrating the friendship pact between the City of Pietrasanta and the City of Mougins, France.
Jeune Ballet Rosella Hightower and its Artistic Director Paola Cantalupo
present
Echoing Stravinsky
- Choreography: Filipe Portugal
- Composer: Igor Stravinsky
- Premiered in November 2024 for the Cannes Jeune Ballet Rosella Hightower
- Cannes Jeune Ballet dancers: Donia ABDIN, Eskiejda ALLKA, Nanami AUWERKERKEN, Tom BELLEC, Evans BERTHELOT, Gilliane BLASER, Carla CARDINALE, Gianluca CARDINALI, Manon CARDIX, Elsa DE PONNAT, Héloïse FONTANG, Juliana KOLDEHOFE MARCHAIS, Afonso NUNES, Lucrezia PANZA, William PHILBERT, Liam SCOTT, Orania VARVARIS, Monica YUSTE ALVAREZ, Qige ZOU.
Stravinsky’s “Violin Concerto” has long been on my list of compositions to choreograph. I’ve always been deeply drawn to Stravinsky’s music, and my admiration for his collaboration with George Balanchine only amplifies that fascination. Their partnership produced such profound masterpieces, and I’ve wanted to embody a similar spirit in my work — to explore this iconic piece and see where it would lead me. Creating this choreography felt like immersing myself in Stravinsky’s world, letting my thoughts and feelings guide my response to the music. Though the music was the core inspiration, the 20 dancers of Cannes Jeune Ballet became a powerful part of the journey. Their unique interpretations added layers to the piece, building intricate worlds within the same musical landscape. Each dancer brought their own story, and weaving those narratives together became the heartbeat of the choreography. Ultimately, I feel this piece was created for the dancers and with the dancers, tailored to their specific energies and voices. Musically, too, “Violin Concerto” feels endlessly rich, with something new to unearth each time. I imagine that starting this work anew with another group or in another place would bring entirely different inspirations, creating something unique once again. This is the echo of Stravinsky’s magic a music that inspires boundlessly, ever-changing with each interpretation.
Filipe Portugal
Filipe Portugal was born in 1978 in Lisbon, where he studied at the National Conservatory under the mentorship of Georges Garcia. Upon completing his studies, Felipe was invited to join the National Ballet of Portugal as corps de ballet. After six years, he left the company as a soloist to join Ballett Zürich under the direction of Heinz Spoerli, where he danced for seven years.
As a principal dancer, he returned to the National Theater of Portugal in the same rank, but only for some time. A year and a half later, he rejoined Ballett Zurich, where he continued dancing as a principal dancer under the direction of Christian Spuck until the end of June 2020, when he decided to retire from the stage and dedicate himself entirely to his career as a choreographer.
Mozart Danse (Excerpts)
- Choreography: Jean-Sébastien Colau & Vincenzo Veneruso
- Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Premiered in 2022
- Cannes Jeune Ballet dancers: Donia ABDIN, Eskiejda ALLKA, Nanami AUWERKERKEN, Tom BELLEC, Evans BERTHELOT, Gilliane BLASER, Carla CARDINALE, Gianluca CARDINALI, Manon CARDIX, Elsa DE PONNAT, Héloïse FONTANG, Juliana KOLDEHOFE MARCHAIS, Afonso NUNES, Lucrezia PANZA, William PHILBERT, Liam SCOTT, Orania VARVARIS, Monica YUSTE ALVAREZ, Qige ZOU.
Jean-Sébastien Colau, an international freelance dancer and choreographer, and Vincenzo Veneruso, a dancer and choreographer, have created an abstract piece for the Pôle National Supérieur de Danse Rosella Hightower, inspired by the genius and beauty of Mozart’s music.
Driven by a passion for freedom, equality, and fraternity, and convinced of the necessity of mutual exchange and collective effort to advance humanity, the arts, sciences, and ideas, Mozart spent his life searching for himself.
His music reflects the richness and diversity of emotions it can convey: joy, beauty, overflowing life, and exuberance, as well as sensitivity, depth, and fragility. The creation Hommage à la musique de Mozart highlights the universal themes of creative genius, artistic freedom, madness, and the vulnerabilities that often characterize great creators.
Jean-Sébastien Colau
Jean-Sébastien is an internationally acclaimed principal dancer, who has left his mark on stages worldwide. Trained at the Paris Opera, he has danced with the National Ballet of Canada and the Leipzig Opera. A recipient of several prestigious awards, Jean-Sèbastian now teaches in major dance companies. As a talented choreographer, he has created several acclaimed pieces.
Vincenzo Veneruso
Born in Naples, Vincenzo is a renowned dancer who has performed in numerous productions at Teatro San Carlo, including The Nutcracker, Giselle, Zorba the Greek, and Sleeping Beauty. He has also worked with the Chicos Mambo company in Paris and was selected to represent Italian dance at the G20 in Rome. Veneruso holds a degree in Musicology and Dance from the University of Paris 8.
Eclipse
- Choreography: Martin Harriague
- Composer: Alabama Shakes
- Premiered in May 2024 for the Cannes Jeune Ballet Rosella Hightower
This piece was created for fifteen young dancers from the PNSD Rosella Hightower. They embody the quintessential adolescent community—a space where one must blend in while defining oneself as an individual.
Layered onto this contemporary theme is an ancient belief, suggested by the appearance of a mysterious figure: during lunar or solar eclipses, the Incas would play music loudly to awaken the celestial bodies and prevent them from disappearing. In other words, they sang and danced to ward off darkness, literally and symbolically.
This powerful metaphor resonates deeply with our times, driving a continuous flow of solos, duets, and group dances, set to the music of various artists, including the American rock band Alabama Shakes. A vibrant counterpoint to the dangers threatening our world.
Martin Harriague
An unconventional choreographer with a unique journey, Martin Harriague began dancing at the age of 19—an age when others are already named étoiles—after seeing a performance of The Nutcracker by Thierry Malandain in Biarritz. He is, in turn, a scenographer, dancer, performer, lighting designer, composer, musician, and singer, embracing multiple disciplines to explore various formats and media: ballet, opera, video, runway shows, intimate works, large ensemble pieces, and duets.
His choreographic style continues to evolve through his projects and collaborations with other artists. His movement language is physical and explosive, often drawing from elemental forces—grounded in the earth, with gravity always present, intertwined with a virtuosity dictated by the music. At the core of his work lies the body in motion, physicality, and “dance that dances.” Martin Harriague enjoys playing with bodies in space, bending lines to highlight them in new ways.
