600 BEATS
SHOWCASE DIF AND EURASIA
SHOWCASE 600 BEATS - FIRST EDITION 2024
600 BEATS rewards the talent of Michela Priuli
the Italian choreographer has been selected for three artistic residencies
The EurAsia Scholarships are awarded to Simone Cristofori and Elisa Cloza
Special mentions also for Matteo Vignali/Vidavé and the Spanish Julia Nicolau
The final selection process of the project was staged at the 2024 edition of Danzainfiera through the collaboration between Pitti Immagine and EurAsia Dance Project International Network with the support of UniCredit
Michela Priuli is the selected candidate for this edition of 600 BEATS , the new opportunity for young choreographers aged between 18 and 35, released by EurAsia Dance Project International Network in collaboration with Pitti Immagine, with the support of UniCredit, and directed by Stefano Fardelli.
The five finalists for the pre-selection of 600 BEATS have been presented to the audience at the showcase in Florence, on February 23rd, with the performances live at the Sala della Ronda of the Fortezza da Basso of Florence.
“Among the beautiful and interesting proposals we brought for the final selection, we chose the choreographic talent and therefore the artistic proposal of the Italian Michela Priuli,” comments Stefano Fardelli. “Among the five finalists, she brought live on stage in Florence the duet Roots, danced with Barbara Allegrezza, and also presented an interesting new artistic idea based on Indian mythology that now Priuli, selected for the three artistic residencies of this edition of 600 BEATS, will be able to work on this new solo project with one of the EurAsia Dancers part of EurAsia Dance Project International Network.
It is Jesus Rea the selected EurAsia Dancer originally from Bolivia and already part of the E.D.C. – EurAsia Dance Company, to work with the young choreographer Michela Priuli chosen for the three artistic residencies of this edition of 600 BEATS.
The EurAsia Auditions tour every year to all five continents: Jesus was selected in Mexico in 2020 and since 2021 he has been in Europe thanks to the EurAsia Scholarship that allowed him to move to Milan and study for three years with our partner DanceHaus – Accademia Susanna Beltrami in Italy.
600 BEATS is a collaboration between Pitti Immagine and EurAsia Dance Project
International Network with the support of UniCredit and directed by Stefano Fardelli.
Michela Priuli and Jesus Rea will work together on this new solo project through artistic residencies in Europe: the new piece will be choreographed by Priuli and danced by Rea.
The residencies will run in Italy and Belgium in the following order:
-in Ghent, from October 10th to 21st with show on the 20th, at the EurAsia Partner Shoonya Dance Centre;
-in Florence from November 17th to December 1st, with show on November 30th, at KAOS Balletto di Firenze and in collaboration with K2 Dance Company;
-in Siena, from December 5th to 15th, with show on the 14th, at the Balletto di Siena.
In February 2025, the official premiere of the new work for the opening of the new edition of 600 BEATS in Florence.
The selected choreographers were as follows:
The showcase of 600 BEATS in Florence has been hosted by DanzaInFiera, a successful event that in three days achieved more than 18,000 attendees of choreographic art enthusiasts. “We tried to give visibility and attention to those who want to make choreographic creation their business,” says Raffaello Napoleone, CEO of Pitti Immagine, organiser of the event: we have dedicated this event to emerging choreographers in order to encourage them in their production and offer them opportunities for professional growth. This was also made possible by the collaboration with UniCredit, main partner of the Pitti shows, which has always been committed to supporting the talent and training of the younger generations’.
UniCredit, in fact, strongly wanted and supported the realisation of 600 BEATS, a project which offers an important opportunity for professional growth to a promising Italian choreographers. This demonstrates the Group’s commitment to supporting and promoting cultural, artistic and sports activities. Initiatives that constitute a driving force for the social and economic development of communities, lifting the curtain on the talent and beauty of our country and inspiring people to be more creative, optimistic and open-minded. This is in line with the main objective of UniCredit on its journey to become the bank for Europe’s future: to unlock the potential of people, businesses and communities by providing them with the levers for progress.
The call for 600 BEATS received a strong response: we received applications from Italy, France, Spain, Great Britain, Armenia, Mexico and India to bring to Florence five finalists.
The project also highlighted the merit of the other candidates: the EurAsia Scholarships for the three years of the IODC (Canada-UK) online programme, the only three-year programme on composition and choreography regulated and accredited by the UK Government, were awarded to the two youngest but very talented candidate choreographers both as dancers and as creatives Simone Cristofori and Elisa Cloza. Two promises of Italian contemporary dance, very strong technically and who brought to the stage in Florence a stage presence and a very mature quality of movement, despite their young age, which we will certainly hear about in the near future.
planning for the new artistic idea proposed for the residencies of 600 BEATS.
After the online pre-selection, below are the names of the choreographers who were invited by Stefano Fardelli for the showcase in Florence and so for the second phase of the open call 600 BEATS.
This was a dance opportunity for choreographers organized by Stefano Fardelli in collaboration with Pitti Immagine and supported by Unicredit.
Why ‘600 Beats’? Because each pre-selected choreographer had 600 seconds, 10 minutes, to present one of their existing works, live in Florence on February 23rd.
The open call required choreographers to write a dossier for a new solo project or for a duet if the author was also a dancer. They had to write a new project inspired by the culture of one of the countries in the world where the EurAsia Dance Project International Network is based in all the five continents.
The chosen choreographer was given the chance to realize and work on the new artistic project presented by dossier, that will develop together with one of the EurAsia Dancers, through residencies and performances in Europe.
All artistic residencies will be financially supported and therefore remunerated with a cachet for the two artists (selected choreographer + EurAsia Dancer).
The showcase partners for this event were DanzaInFiera (Florence, Italy), Balletto di Siena (Italy), Kaos Balletto di Firenze (Italy), Shoonya Dance Centre of Ghent (Belgium) and Choreography Online’s IODC (Canada – UK).