And meanwhile, dance schools are showing off.
It ended with the show “Hooked” of the prestigious Greek choreographer and dancer Elias Lazaridis and produced by Eleina D. Company, the XIII edition of the “World Dance Movement” (WDM), international dance festival that has illuminated 13 from July to 22 the evenings of Summer Squares 2023 in Castellana Grotte. A perfect show to convey the true essence of WDM: the energies, emotions, exploration of space, and the voice of bodies.
The one just concluded will be remembered as the edition of great restart after the pandemic, with a large participation of artists and audiences, with over 250 dancers (150 foreigners and 100 Italians), plus choreographers and performers, from 15 countries around the world: Australia, China, United States, Canada, Russia, Estonia, Romania, Czech Republic, Poland, Switzerland, France, Germany, South Africa, Ghana, and of course Italy.
Having become a traditional event in the Castellana summer, the World Dance Movement brought the art of dance to the city of Caves, recalling during The 7-night Festival, nearly 8 people in Largo Porta Grande, the exceptional stage of Piazze d'Estate 2023, where the main events of the summer programme are taking place, organised and promoted by Municipality of Castellana Grotte and Grotte di Castellana srl. from June to September.
Il World Dance Movement transformed the city into a global village with a cosmopolitan feel and peacefully occupied many City spaces: Artinscena School, Angiulli Gymnasium, the Grotte graveyard for filming and photo shoots.
The outcome is decidedly positive. Both for the Festival and for the workshops, because the 13th edition of the WDM involved two weeks of study and passionate exchange between dancers of different styles and origins thanks to theWDM Academy, at the 2023 International Dance Competition, at the 2023 WDM Italy Aerial Dance Competition and at the auditions of the dance troupe of Royal Caribbean, one of the largest international cruise companies in the world.
Study and job prospects because about 70 people, among the most deserving participants, the WDM has awarded scholarships totaling over $1 million offered by the numerous associations, dance schools, institutions and private individuals (such as Royal Caribbean, Broadway Dance Center, Sacred Heart University, Joffrey Ballet School, etc.) who supported the festival.
Il World Dance Movement Italy, founded by Annalisa Bellini, Mimmo Daoli and by the American choreographer Michael Assaf, in Castellana Grotte in the heart of Puglia, is currently one of the most prestigious International Dance Festivals in Italy.
«There has finally been a clear recovery after the pandemic – said the president of the WDM Annalisa Bellini We noticed a lot of excitement and a great desire to get things done from everyone. It was a true restart, tiring but satisfying. The large number of foreigners who arrived brought creative energy. I want to highlight four large groups in particular: the 35 Mormon dancers from an American university, the 35 young women from the United States, the 30 male and female dancers from Australia, and the group of 15 Israelis who came for the aerial dance competition.
"The most important legacy that World Dance Movement leaves us is that of uniting different cultures in the name of a common dream and offering dancers a unique opportunity to learn and be inspired both artistically and culturally," he explains. Vito Cassano, choreographer and co-artistic director of WDM together with Michele Assaf – A special thanks goes to the two co-founders of this event, Annalisa Bellini and Michele Assaf, and to the municipal administration of Castellana Grotte which has helped us believe in this dream for 13 years».
Dance continued to be in the foreground also thanks to a collateral event: the Dance Festival. Three evenings. dedicated to local dance schools: on July 19th with Art in scene by Annalisa Bellini, on July 20th with Liana Sonnante and on July 23rd with Stardance.
The program with the great events of Piazze d'Estate continues on July 26th with the concert of Mario Biondi in “Crooning soon” in Largo Porta Grande.
