Daniela Malusardi

Daniela Malusardi

Daniela Malusardi (born January 17, 1956 in Nettuno) is an Italian dancer, teacher and choreographer.

...a sensuously nubile Eve...[1]
—Clive Barnes, New York Post
...another fine dancer... whose sleek balletic line was visible...[2]
—Anna Kisselgoff, The New York Times

Education

She started dancing at the age of 4. Later she took ballet classes with Olga Amati at the school of Teatro dell'Opera in Rome but following her studies, she wasn't accepted in the Corps de ballet. Shortly after, she was granted an apprenticeship at "Wimbledon School" in London, where she specialized in Royal Academy of Dance technique.

Returning to Italy, she gradually became part of the company “Teatrodanza Contemporanea di Roma” with choreographies by Elsa Piperno.

She also studied Afro-Cuban dance with her mother Ann Moon.

Dance

In 1974 at Nervi's international dance competition she was noticed by some members of the New York-based Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Obtaining another scholarship, she studied Horton, Graham, and Cunningham techniques with several teachers, including Pearl Lang, Sylvia Waters, and the present Ailey artistic director Judith Jamison. She was then included in the "junior" company by Alvin Ailey himself, earning main roles in Revelations, Wade in the water, and Fix me Jesus. In 1975 she won the Capezio award. In 1976, not being included in the Ailey's "senior" company, she moved back to Rome, where she attended the "Centro Internazionale di Danza".

In 1977 she went to Stockholm joining Birgit Cullberg's eponymous ballet company, where she played Eurydice in Orpheus and Eurydice, "the Woman" in Urskogen, "Juliet" in Romeo & Juliet, all signed by Mrs. Cullberg; she also interpreted "the Ballerina" in the piece dedicated to Anders Ek, Cullberg's late husband. One of her most noticeable roles was "Eve" in Adam och Eve, partnered by Niklas Ek [3][4] in a Cuban dance festival, and Rudolf Nureyev with whom she also danced in a filmed version for an American broadcast company.[5]

With Mats Ek taking over the as artistic director, she subsequently played "the Princess" in Saint George and the Dragon, "the Hunchback" in The House of Bernarda Alba, "the Girl" in Ungdoms Minnen, along with Nacho Duato. She also danced in Miss Julie,[6] Soweto, Antigone and Giselle. She worked with choreographer Jiří Kylián in Transfigured Night (along with dancer Ana Laguna) and Christopher Bruce, associate choreographer of Ballet Rambert, in the piece Ghost Dances. In 1982 she was awarded the Porselli prize.

In 1983, again in Italy, she was appointed "Prima Ballerina" in Arena di Verona's Corps de ballet, directed by Giuseppe Carbone, interpreting with Carlos Iturrioz choreographies by Carbone himself,[7][8] Mario Pistoni [9] , Mats Ek, Jiří Kylián and Susanna Egri (playing "the Slave" in the opera Aida). In 1985 she received the “Città di Verona” award.

In 1986 together again with her dance partner Carlos Iturrioz, she joined Frankfurt Ballet directed by William Forsythe, who had twisted the previous classical tradition by introducing new revolutionary choreographies. Among other pieces she danced in Artifact, Steptext, Impressing the Czar, Love Songs and Big White Baby Dog. [10]

In 1989, retiring from professional dance, she moved to Spoleto with her husband, Norwegian movie director and producer Robert Reiss-Andersen.

Choreography

In 1991 she worked again in Sweden as artistic assistant to choreographer Cristina Caprioli.

In 1992 she collaborated with Fiorenza D'Alessandro, director of Balletto di Spoleto, choreographing the pieces Enemy or friend, The Waves ,[11] Three Women, and Penelope, this last danced by Maria Grazia Galante and Sasha Ramos.

For "Teatro Lirico Sperimentale A.Belli" in Spoleto she both choreographed and danced "Maria" in Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, also scoring actress Piera Degli Esposti.[12] Within the same institution she became assistant for scene movements [13] to directors Alvaro Piccardi, Franco Ripa di Meana and Gabriele Dolcini. Renown Festival dei Due Mondi commissioned to her choreographies for the opera War and Peace, directed by Gian Carlo Menotti.

In 1995 she started teaching ballet and contemporary dance in the school "La Fenice" in Spoleto, alongside dedicating herself to the choreographic training of rhythmic gymnastics' professional athletes.

In 2000 she created in Spoleto "La Fenicedanza" dance company, mainly formed by young local talents. Among the several shows the company produced, 'Giulietta… and Romeo?' was a critical success and saw the contribution of notable Italian artists like actor Pietro Biondi and choreographer Mauro Bigonzetti.

In 2004, she created choreographies for Ellen Stewart, founder of the famous La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in New York's East Village.

in 2005 she played "Naomi", mother of beat poet Allen Ginsberg, in a show for the Nuit Blanche in Perugia, also starring the Italian clarinetist Gabriele Mirabassi.

In 2010, as actress and choreographer, she joined the production of a not-yet-distributed full-length movie directed by Francesco Mazza, featuring actor Massimo Ciavarro and dancer Francesco Mariottini in the leading roles. The project also saw the collaboration of Los Angeles-based choreographer Keith Young, who worked in movies like It's Complicated or Rent, and created tour choreographies for Madonna and other artists.

She's currently invited as guest ballet teacher to international companies like "Ballet National de Marseille" and "Ballet Preljocaj".

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Daniela Malusardi.
  1. ↑ Clive Barnes, New York Post, 1982-11-12
  2. ↑ Anna Kisselgoff, The New York Times, 1982-11-11
  3. ↑ Kisselgoff, Anna (1982-11-11). "Swedish Royalty sees Cullberg Company". New York Times. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
  4. ↑ Kisselgoff, Anna (1999-09-13). "Birgit Cullberg, 91, Swedish Choreographer". New York Times. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
  5. ↑ http://www.nureyev.org/rudolf-nureyev-ballet-chronology-80s/
  6. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0540842/
  7. ↑ "Baci sulla spiaggia tra il Fauno e la sua Innamorata" (in Italian). La Repubblica. 1984-04-20.
  8. ↑ "Così l'Europa della Danza" (in Italian). La Repubblica. 1985-05-18.
  9. ↑ "Gran Parata con Fracci e Nureyev" (in Italian). La Repubblica. 1986-03-11.
  10. ↑ Kisselgoff, Anna (1987-07-18). "Three Premiers by the Frankfurt Ballet". New York Times. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
  11. ↑ "Si balla la storia di Virginia Woolf" (in Italian). La Stampa. 1995-06-19.
  12. ↑ "Piera Degli Esposti per la Lauda di Jacopone da Todi" (in Italian). Corriere della Sera. 1998-09-10.
  13. ↑ "Cinema e Musica, la "lezione" di Piovani" (in Italian). La Repubblica. 2001-08-23.

External links