Company Open Classes

ŻfinMalta Company Open Classes
Dates: Every month of the season

 

Cost:
€10 (drop-in)
€35 (5-session packages)

 

Time: 10:00–11.15
(Times may vary: please check our calendar)

 

Venue: ŻfinMalta Studios

 

Led by: Guest artists including ŻfinMalta’s Artistic Director, Paolo Mangiola, and Rehearsal Director, Florinda Camilleri

Get your morning moving in a class with the ŻfinMalta company dancers and one of our expert guest teachers. Once a month for a week or more, local and international professional dance artists are invited to join the company’s morning practice. Techniques explored are ballet, contemporary, and somatic practice. Classes are suitable for 18+ years!*  ŻfinMalta provides an open and inclusive space where participants can further develop their professional practice, make connections, and experience life inside Malta’s National Dance Company.

 

*We consider participation from younger individuals on a case-to-case basis, usually accepting requests from participants pursuing vocational training. Interested participants under the age of 18 may contact martina.d.zammit@zfinmalta.mt in advance of booking their tickets.

Next up…

This week of Company Open Classes is led by Elena Ciavarella, whose classes are based on floor work and inspired by the Piso movil system and flying low.

The training bases itself on the notions of spirals, sliding, pushing and pulling to reach the vertical from the ground. During sessions with Elena three dimensions will be explored: the floor, partnering and the air.

 

Elena Ciavarella started training in contemporary dance in France, at the CNR of Boulogne Billancourt. In 2001 she attended the professional course of Aterballetto under the direction of Mauro Bigonzetti in Italy. 

22nd – 26th April

10:00 – 11:15

Elena Ciavarella for Żfinmalta open classes and intensive
Elena Ciavarella for Żfinmalta open classes and intensive

Contemporary with Elena Ciavarella

She obtained a degree in Cinema and Performing Arts at the University of Pisa in 2003, before moving to France where she obtained the DE (dance teacher national degree) in contemporary dance at the CND in Lyon in 2009 and a Master’s degree in Development of international artistic and cultural projects at the University of Lyon2.

 

She danced for several companies in France and Italy: Opus ballet, Rome Opera, cie Faizal Zeghoudi, cie Redha, cie Eva Luna, Collectif Dynamo, cie Ezio Schiavulli, Teatro all’improvviso, cie Arabesque, cie Nadège Cabisidan…In 2008 she founded Collettivo Unico, with which she carried out numerous research projects in collaboration with international companies such as Delfos (Mexico), Cortocinesis (Colombia), Adarte (Italy), Cie Ezio Schiavulli (Italy). She actually teaches for the Calabash dance school under the direction of Wayne Barbaste in Lyon.

 

This week of Company Open Classes is led by Alexis Oliveira, ZfinMalta’s Rehearsal Director for Geographers of Solitude.

 

Born in Santos, Brazil, Alexis started dancing at the age of 8 and finished his ballet studies at the age of 15 with a diploma of the Royal Academy of Dancing which allowed him to participate in the Adeline Genée competition in London, where he was offered a scholarship for the English National Ballet School in 1997. 

29th April – 3rd May

10:00 – 11:15

Alexis Oliveira ŻfinMalta National Dance Company Open Classes
Alexis Oliveira ŻfinMalta National Dance Company Open Classes

Ballet with Alexis Oliveira

He has since then been dancing for several big ballet companies in Europe such as English National Ballet (1999 – 2002), AterBalletto (2002 – 2005), Stuttgart Ballet (2005 – 2009) and Les Ballets De Monte Carlo (2009 – 2023).

 

Season 2023 -2024

This week of Company Open Classes is led by Zsolt Elek, who bases his Classical Ballet teaching practice on the Vaganova system. 

 

 

Born in 1971 in Hungary, Zsolt studied at the Hungarian Dance Academy as classical ballet dancer from1983 to 1991.  He started his career as a ballet dancer in the ballet company of the Hungarian State Opera House and from 1993 to 1996 he was a ballet dancer at the Wiener Volksoper – Austria.  In 1997 he moved to Italy, where he soon became a solo dancer with the Astra Roma Ballet company (1997-2000) and then with Balleto di Roma.  During his years in Italy he was a founding member and teacher at Centro Culturale Danza.  After 2001 he returned to Hungary, where he gained an insight into the world of television as an editor-reporter for TV2 television.  In 2005, he joined the choir of the Győr National Theatre and worked as a ballet master at the Győr School of Dance and Fine Arts, and since 2012 as the school’s head of practical training.

 

5th – 9th February

10:00 – 11:15

ŻfinMalta National Dance Company Company Open classes Zsolt Elek ballet
Photograph by Vera Éder

Ballet with Zsolt Elek

In 2008 he founded the Classical Ballet School in Komarno – Slovakia where he created choreographic work too.  There he also collaborated with the young theatre company and choreographed on them for 3 years.  Zsolt also opened another 2 Classical Ballet Schools in Slovakia. In 2013 he graduated from the Hungarian Dance Academy with a Master of Arts (MA) in Classical Ballet.
 

Since 2016 he has been Ballet Master at the Ballettakademie der Wiener Staatsoper and has represented the Academy as a jury member at several ballet competitions. Zsolt has taught ballet courses as a guest ballet master for the Miskolc Ballet and Győr Ballet.  As a guest ballet master he participated in the summer course in Piran- Slovenia, Sibiu-Romania, Pančevo-Serbia, and in ballet courses organised by Belgrade Dance Foundation in Corfu and Belgrade. 

Brenda Lee’s company class is fast paced, focusing on technical precision as well as fluidity, within the framework of classical ballet structures. Her classes provide a safe and positive environment where dancers are encouraged to challenge their technical and artistic abilities, all whilst prioritising timing and musicality.

 

Maltese artist Brenda Lee Grech, has an internationally established portfolio career as a dancer and choreographer. She has worked professionally in various capacities with internationally renowned companies; Ballet d’Europe, Marseille (2006 -2007), Scottish Ballet, Glasgow (2008 – 2014), Rambert, London (2014 – 2021) and Punchdrunk – The Burnt City production, London (2022 – 2023). Her tv credits include appearing as the lead Swan in the Netflix series Peaky Blinders, as well as a choreographer for the Hallmark movie, The Dancing Detective: A deadly Tango. She has also appeared as the head judge in the Maltese television talent show Brillanti for the 2023 dance series and featured as a solo artist for award winning musician Sting, at the London Palladium concert.

15th – 19th January

10:00 – 11:15

ŻfinMalta ballet company open classes Brenda Lee Grech

Ballet with Brenda Lee Grech

 Throughout her career Brenda Lee has collaborated on a number of new creations with some of the most established names within the industry and performed repertoire ranging from the great classics to contemporary works by F. Ashton, K. MacMillian, G. Balanchine, M.Cunningham, J.Kylian, W. Forsyth, M. Bourne, W. McGregor, S. Eyal, H. Schecter, A. Foniadakis, S.L.Cherkaoui, to mention but a few. She has toured and performed in a number of theatres and international festivals in the US, Europe, Asia and Australia; amongst these are the prestigious Mariinsky theatre in Russia, Shanghai Grand Theatre and a large number of performances at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London.  

 

 

 

Brenda Lee has joined ZfinMalta as Ballet Master for ZfinDays’ double bill, rehearsing the company for Mauro Bigonzetti’s Cantata and Ambra Senatore’s Aringa Rossa.10 under the Artistic Direction of Paolo Mangiola.

For the first week of Company Open Classes for 2024 ŻfinMalta are excited to host guest artist Vincenzo Capezzuto, assistant choreographer to ‘Cantata’ premiering as part of ŻfinDays 2024. Vincenzo’s morning ballet class routine is based on the combination of different styles and all of them have a common denominator: the music.

“The music is not just there to accompany the movements but it becomes the tool we use to communicate, and draw in the space around us. Music helps to let yourself go, to be creative, to express ourselves even through a simple ballet sequence. Working on musicality, from the bar, develops your sense of dynamics and makes your movements even more interesting and thrilling.

8th – 12th January

10:00 – 11:15

Vincenzo Capezzuto ŻfinMalta Company Open classes
Photograph by Michael Nowak

Ballet with Vincenzo Capezzuto

Assistant to choreographer Mauro Bigonzetti and former soloist of Aterballetto, Teatro San Carlo and Ballet Argentino. After graduating at the San Carlo Opera House Ballet School in Naples, he joinedthe company of the same theater as a soloist. Between 1998 – 2005 he performed and toured as a soloist and principal dancer in a multitude of productions with the English National Ballet, Teatro San Carlo Opera House, The Ballet Argentino and ultimately the the Aterballetto ballet company with which he collaborated for a further 7 years interpreting ballets and creations by M. Bigonzetti, W. Forsythe, J. Kylian, E. Scigliano, O. Naharin and touring in Australia , New Zealand, China, United States, Germany, Austria, Greece, Finland, France, Italy, Switzerland, Serbia and others.

For the final set of Company Open Classes for the year 2023, Zoe will be leading classes that will build in energy, rhythm and complexity as the week goes along.

 

 

“We will play with ideas of inertia, suspension and accumulation of speed to help us focus on the qualities needed in the body to hit certain accents while softening in the inbetweens. We will then put these qualities and discoveries in practice through structured phrases and exercise, accompanied by carefully selected, mostly groovy music.”

4th – 8th December

10:00 – 11:15

Zoe Camilleri for ŻfinMalta open classes

Contemporary with Zoe Camilleri

Maltese- based freelance artist and dancer, Zoe Camilleri, started dancing at the age of 3 with the College of Dance. At the age of 18 she went into full- time training at the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance in London. After graduating she returned to her home island to join the first ensemble of dancers of ŻfinMalta, first as an apprentice and for the next three years as a full-time dancer. Throughout her career she has performed extensively both locally and internationally, working with choreographers such as Iván Pérez, Athanasia Kanellopoulou, Jose Agudo, Mavin Khoo, Francesca Tranter, Lucia Piquero, Paolo Mangiola amongst others. Her roles further include that of teacher, movement director, choreographer and rehearsal director. Zoe is also a seamstress, owning a sustainable fashion brand called Zowij.Makes, where she handmakes custom made clothing out of vintage and pre-loved fabrics. 

Experience Cunningham technique classes accompanied by a percussionist, led by ŻfinMalta’s Artistic Director 

 

Through the exploration of Cunningham technique and its principles, the dancers will be studying how the body coordinates in space using its levels and various fronts. The class puts emphasis on the mobility of the spine and how movement can be generated through challenging coordinations and quick shifts of weight. It is a physical warmup, open only to advanced students, semi-professionals and professional dancers.  These sessions are accompanied by live percussionist Luke Baldacchino.

 

Artistic Director Paolo Mangiola is a choreographer, dance educator and performer working within ballet and contemporary dance practices.  

 

20th – 24th November

10:00 – 11:20

ZfinMalta - Paolo Mangiola

Cunningham with Paolo Mangiola

 

Operating in the interstices between codified dance and ordinary movement, Paolo is interested in exploring this relationship in the context of our interconnected society, drawing inspiration from various artistic sources, the web, and emerging movements. As a performer Paolo has collaborated with, and danced for, artists and choreographers including Wayne McGregor, Deborah Hay, Martin Creed, and Mauro Bigonzetti. Paolo has created works for the Royal Ballet, Tanztheater Nürnberg, Aterballetto, Szczecin Opera Ballet and Balletto di Roma. He attained a Masters in Choreography at The Place, London, and designed the programme for the Contemporary Dance Department, Scuola del Balletto di Roma. Paolo was appointed resident choreographer at Balletto di Roma in 2015, where he remained for three seasons. Since 2017 he has been Artistic Director of ŻfinMalta, Malta’s national dance company.

“A lively dance of awakening supported by mindfulness meditation and breath awareness” 

 

Nicola’s yoga classes are a blend of active and receptive Vinyasa yoga practice with a focus on alignment. This form of Hatha yoga cultivates strength and flexibility. The aim of this week’s yoga practice is to establish a profound mind-body connection, stretching and strengthening the body, in a calm and supportive manner. With the occasional use of essential oils, we may enhance our attention to our breath, stimulating a deeper sensory experience as we move. You are invited to apply clarity, relax into openness, and be inspired through a creative flow, to access a deeper connection to our mental and physical structure. 

 

 

13th – 17th November

10:00 – 11:15

Nicola Micallef for open company classes ŻfinMalta Yoga

Yoga with Nicola Micallef

Nicola Micallef began her Cecchetti Classical Ballet training with the Dance Workshop, where she developed a fascination for Contemporary Dance. She went on to pursue her career with ŻfinMalta National Dance Company, joining the company in 2017, under direction of Artistic Director, Paolo Mangiola. Following her four years of working intensively with the company, she embarked on a freelance career and relocated to Berlin, Germany. She has collaborated with a range of choreographers and performed internationally, including Dubai, and the UK. In addition to her passion for artistic movement, Nicola has cultivated a profound interest in the art of yoga. In December 2022, she completed her 200-hour teacher training program at La Casa Shambala in Thailand, where she attained certification in both Hatha and Vinyasa styles. She currently leads Vinyasa and Aromatherapy classes alongside her ongoing dance projects in Berlin. 

 

With a focus on a musicality and coordination, Markéta’s ballet classes are designed for participants to tap into their feel good factor, warming up to their day with enjoyment and confidence.

 

A native of Ostrava, Markéta graduated from the local Janáček Conservatory and subsequently worked at the Moravian-Silesian National Theatre, where she became a soloist in 2010. She danced in many leading ballets, such as The Nutcracker, Cinderella and Swan Lake and received a nomination for the Thalia Award for her role as Odette/Odilia.

30th October – 3rd November 2023

10:00 – 11:30

ŻfinMalta Company open classes ballet Markéta Pospíšilová

Ballet with Markéta Pospíšilová

 Since 2015, she has been engaged in Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, where under the direction of the director and choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot, she danced in Le Songe, La Belle, Cendrillon, Casse-Noisette Compagnie, La Mégère apprivoisée,  Altro Canto, Choré or in the works of other world-famous choreographers, e.g. Jiří Kylián and Mats Ek. As from September 2020 Markéta has been based in Prague as a freelance dancer and ballet teacher, regularly engaged in the Czech Republic, whilst also working with Ballet Am Rhein, Ballet National du Rhin and Brussels City Ballet. Amongst these activities, Markéta has taken up the role of ballet master at DJKT.

This week of classes will focus on enhancing ranges of movement dynamics. Through a mixture of structured exercises and guided composition practices, we will explore a spectrum of dynamics, from slow to virtuosic, and the spaces in between.

How can the body be soft and strong, slow and light, quick and open, sharp and delicate…?

How can our relationship with the floor, with other bodies, support this dynamic range?

How can we develop a strong sense of awareness of our dynamic range in order to keep it evolving and expanding?

And, quite crucially, how can we bring fun and play into this journey?

23rd – 27th October 2023

10:00 – 11:15

Florinda Camilleri for ŻfinMalta's Movimento photograph by Lisa Attard

Contemporary with Florinda Camilleri

Florinda is a dance artist from and based in Malta. She initiates, leads, and supports performing arts projects in Malta and internationally, taking on various roles as a contemporary dance and screendance performer, maker, collaborator, researcher, educator, rehearsal director, and producer. Her practice collaboratively investigates human and more-than-human relations within public spaces through feminist and posthumanist perspectives. She is taking on the role of rehearsal director with ŻfinMalta for various projects over the 2023-2024 season.

With a career spanning several years in the field of dance, Sandra’s journey into the world of yoga, began as a sporadic exploration. Over several years she tried different yoga techniques with different teachers, but it was when she stumbled upon Yin Yoga that her path truly deepened. Recently certified as a yoga teacher. Sandra’s teaching style reflects her experience in dance and movement and her newfound passion for yoga. She believes that these practices hold the key to find balance in our fast-paced lives.

25th – 29th September 2023

10:00 – 11:15

Sandra Misfud ŻfinMalta yoga Company Open Classes
Photograph by Elisa von Brockdorff

Yoga with Sandra Misfud

Sandra’s class will be a Hatha Flow yoga class starting with a body, mind-centring exercise, a warm-up flow which will build up to a strengthening and stretching flow. The class will end with breathwork, a brief relaxation exercise which might lead to some creative movement. Particular focus will be given to alignment as the body flows and, at times, holds the poses. Sandra’s classes aim to guide practitioners to discover inner harmony through the fusion of Hatha Flow Yoga and mindful breathing techniques.  

This week of open classes will focus on bodily alignment for professional contemporary dancers. Each class will begin with studies of horizontal alignment through floor work, shifting into verticality, and finally exploring axes in-between by working with gravity and suspension as tools for movement. The classes will include a mix of structured exercises and guided movement research, energetically supported by a specially-curated playlist.

11th – 15th September 2023

10:00 – 11:15

Florinda Camilleri for ŻfinMalta's Movimento photograph by Lisa Attard

Contemporary with Florinda Camilleri

Florinda is a dance artist from and based in Malta. She initiates, leads, and supports performing arts projects in Malta and internationally, taking on various roles as a contemporary dance and screendance performer, maker, collaborator, researcher, educator, rehearsal director, and producer. Her practice collaboratively investigates human and more-than-human relations within public spaces through feminist and posthumanist perspectives. She is taking on the role of rehearsal director with ŻfinMalta for various projects over the 2023-2024 season.

Experience ballet class with Alessandro Bigonzetti, alongside ŻfinMalta company dancers for their morning warm up.

 

Currently a teacher and choreographer at Teatro dell’Opera in Rome, Alessandro Bigonzetti graduated in 1987 from the same theatre school and subsequently attended a specialization course in Reggio Emilia, dancing in Aterballetto productions. 

4th – 8th September 2023

10:00 – 11:15

‎alessandro bigonzetti for ŻfinMalta company open classes

Ballet with Alessandro Bigonzetti

 His career as a dancer continued with the Tuscan Ballet Company at the Teatro Comunale in Florence, the Teatro dell’Opera in Rome and at the Teatro Alla Scala in Milan.  Bigonzetti works as a ballet master at Teatro Massimo in Palermo, Arena di Verona and at Teatro San Carlo di Napoli.   

Season 2022 -2023

Experience aligning and strengthening ballet classes accompanied by a live pianist, led by ŻfinMalta’s Artistic Director 

 

Paolo Mangiola, Artistic Director Paolo Mangiola is a choreographer, dance educator and performer working within ballet and contemporary dance practices. Operating in the interstices between codified dance and ordinary movement, Paolo is interested in exploring this relationship in the context of our interconnected society, drawing inspiration from various artistic sources, the web, and emerging movements. 

 

26th – 30th June 2023

10:00 – 11:15

ZfinMalta - Paolo Mangiola

Ballet with Paolo Mangiola

 

As a performer Paolo has collaborated with, and danced for, artists and choreographers including Wayne McGregor, Deborah Hay, Martin Creed, and Mauro Bigonzetti. Paolo has created works for the Royal Ballet, Tanztheater Nürnberg, Aterballetto, Szczecin Opera Ballet and Balletto di Roma. He attained a Masters in Choreography at The Place, London, and designed the programme for the Contemporary Dance Department, Scuola del Balletto di Roma. Paolo was appointed resident choreographer at Balletto di Roma in 2015, where he remained for three seasons. Since 2017 he has been Artistic Director of ŻfinMalta, Malta’s national dance company.

“A lively dance of awakening supported by mindfulness meditation and breath awareness” 

 

Nicola’s yoga classes are a blend of active and receptive Vinyasa yoga practice with a focus on alignment. This form of Hatha yoga cultivates strength and flexibility. The aim of this week’s yoga practice is to establish a profound mind-body connection, stretching and strengthening the body, in a calm and supportive manner. With the occasional use of essential oils, we may enhance our attention to our breath, stimulating a deeper sensory experience as we move. You are invited to apply clarity, relax into openness, and be inspired through a creative flow, to access a deeper connection to our mental and physical structure. 

 

 

5th – 9th June

10:00 – 11:15

12th June

12:00 – 13:15

Nicola Micallef for open company classes ŻfinMalta Yoga

Yoga with Nicola Micallef

Nicola Micallef began her Cecchetti Classical Ballet training with the Dance Workshop, where she developed a fascination for Contemporary Dance. She went on to pursue her career with ŻfinMalta National Dance Company, joining the company in 2017, under direction of Artistic Director, Paolo Mangiola. Following her four years of working intensively with the company, she embarked on a freelance career and relocated to Berlin, Germany. She has collaborated with a range of choreographers and performed internationally, including Dubai, and the UK. In addition to her passion for artistic movement, Nicola has cultivated a profound interest in the art of yoga. In December 2022, she completed her 200-hour teacher training program at La Casa Shambala in Thailand, where she attained certification in both Hatha and Vinyasa styles. She currently leads Vinyasa and Aromatherapy classes alongside her ongoing dance projects in Berlin. 

 

Elena Ciavarella started training in contemporary dance in France, at the CNR of Boulogne Billancourt, In 2001 she attended the professional course of Aterballetto under the direction of Mauro Bigonzetti in Italy. She obtained a degree in Cinema and Performing Arts at the University of Pisa in 2003, before moving to France where she obtained the DE (dance teacher national degree) in contemporary dance at the CND in Lyon in 2009 and a Master’s degree in Development of international artistic and cultural projects at the University of Lyon2. 

17th – 22nd April 2023

10:00 – 11:15

Elena Ciavarella for Żfinmalta open classes

Contemporary with Elena Ciavarella

She danced for several companies in France and Italy: Opus ballet, Rome Opera, cie Faizal Zeghoudi, cie Redha, cie Eva Luna, Collectif Dynamo, cie Ezio Schiavulli, Teatro all’improvviso, cie Arabesque, cie Nadège Cabisidan… 

 In 2008 she founded Collettivo Unico, with which she carried out numerous research projects in collaboration with international companies such as Delfos (Mexico), Cortocinesis (Colombia), Adarte (Italy), Cie Ezio Schiavulli (Italy). She actually teaches for the Calabash dance school under the direction of Wayne Barbaste in Lyon. 

Anna Nowak is ŻfinMalta’s Artistic Coordinator, leading ballet technique as morning company class during week 10.  Anna’s ballet classes home in on a centering barre, as well as further centre work focused on shifting weight and dynamic phrasing.  

Anna is a dance artist, educator, re-stager and rehearsal director with over 20 years of professional experience, leading educational and choreographic projects, delivering masterclasses and workshops internationally, as well as creating her own work.

10th – 14th April 2023

Anna Nowak - ZfinMalta National Dance Company

Ballet with Anna Nowak

ŻfinMalta’s Artistic co-ordinator

She is a former dancer with Wayne McGregor Company, where she performed in Europe, the USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia and Asia, and participated in art installations and films. During her six seasons with the Polish National Ballet, Anna danced solo roles in classical repertory, including Swan Lake, La Bayadere, and Sleeping Beauty, as well as Balanchine, Kylian and others. Anna joined ŻfinMalta in 2020.  

 

 

 

 

Maltese- based freelance artist and dancer, Zoe Camilleri, started her dance training with the College of Dance. She later went into full- time training at the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance in London. After graduating she returned to her home island to join the first ensemble of dancers of ŻfinMalta, first as an apprentice and for the next three years as a full-time dancer. She has worked with choreographers such as Iván Pérez, Jose Agudo, Mavin Khoo, Athanasia Kanellopoulou, Francesca Tranter, Lucia Piquero, Paolo Mangiola, amongst many others.

 

 

13th – 15th & 17th March 2023

10:00 – 11:15

16th March 2023

11:30 – 12:45

Zoe Camilleri for ŻfinMalta open classes
Zoe Camilleri for ŻfinMalta open classes

Contemporary with Zoe Camilleri

& live percussionist Luke Baldacchino

 As a freelancer, she has been involved in various projects both locally and internationally. Her roles include those of performer, teacher, choreographer, movement director and movement coach. She is a regular teacher at ŻfinMalta, teaching company class and leading the contemporary open sessions of Iżfen. Alongside her dancing career, Zoe is also part of the sewing and garment making world. She owns a slow fashion, small business brand called Zowij.Makes. In the past year she has coordinated and made costumes for ŻfinMalta’s production Żfin Made, and The New Victorians’ ‘Il- Fidwa tal- Bdiewa’.

 

 

Nicola Monaco trained in Italy where he attended the professional course of Aterballetto under the direction of Mauro Bigonzetti. In 2003 he worked for the award-winning Dutch dance company Emio Greco/PC, where he stayed until 2008. In 2009, he worked with choreographers such as Akram Khan, Gregory Maquoma, Tom Dale, The Featherstonehaughs and Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company. In 2012 he was appointed as rehearsal director for ŻfinMalta Dance Ensemble.  In 2013, Nicola joined Akram Khan Dance company as dancer and rehearsal director for productions Itmoi, Kaash and Xenos.

20th – 24th March 2023

10:00 – 11:15

Nicola Monaco - ZfinMalta Open Classes
Nicola Monaco - ZfinMalta Open Classes

Contemporary with Nicola Monaco

 In 2017, Nicola received the official qualification to teach the Double Skin/Double Mind methodology of ICK/Amsterdam (Emio Greco/PC). In 2019 he was appointed as assistant choreographer for the production Chotto Xenos directed by Sue Buckmaster. He also restaged AKC repertory at Stuttgart Ballet, Stanislavsky Theatre, Introdans, IT DANSA. 

 

In his workshops, Nicola draws from his experience with renowned choreographers the tools that allow the dancers to increase the knowledge of their bodies and their movement by combining technical exercises and guided somatic improvisation.

Florinda is an independent dance artist and community pharmacist from and based in Malta. She initiates, leads, and supports performing arts projects in Malta and internationally, taking on various roles as a contemporary dance and screendance performer, maker, collaborator, researcher, educator, coach, producer, and facilitator. Florinda recently graduated from the Master Performing Public Space program in Fontys University, (NL). Her research project applied a lens of feminist posthumanism with-in public spaces in Malta, exploring embodied perspectives of (land)scapes through site-specific screendance performance with the aim of discovering new, more responsive and response-able ways of engaging with environments. She is currently investigating points of encounter between human and more-than-human agents within urban public spaces as sites of creative potential from which movement and matter are formed.

 

from 9th – 13th January 2023

10:00 – 11:15

Contemporary with Florinda Camilleri

Photograph by Daniel Carabott

This set of contemporary dance classes aim to support dancers as they begin a fresh period of practice after the festive break. They will consist of three parts: a warm-up, structured exercises moving across the room, and a guided improvisation. The warm-up will focus on awakening awareness within and across body and space, with attention starting inwards and opening up outwards. The structured exercises will continue along this thread, exploring various movement qualities across dynamic spatial and rhythmic patterns. Guided improvisations will then serve as a platform for dancers to explore embodied and spatial relations in their own unique ways, responding to their current needs as individuals and occasionally in groups.

 

Julienne Schembri has extensive experience of performing in London, working with artists like Rosemary Lee, Amit Lahav, Anthony Van Laast, Sacha Miles Davis and featuring as an ensemble dancer in Wicked, in the West End. Now in Malta, Julienne is seeking alternate ways in which to share her passion for movement and dance while actively participating in the social domain. She believes that embodied knowledge can provide a rich and powerful source for self, social transformation, empathy, and connection. To satisfy this ongoing enquiry into the interconnection of dance and activism she is currently working towards gaining a diploma in Laban Bartenieff Movement System, through EMOVE institute in Rotterdam.

from 13th – 17th December 2022

10:00 – 11:15

Contemporary with Julienne Schembri

Julienne Schembri for ŻfinMalta open classes December 2022

Julienne’s classes will be rooted in the Laban Bartenieff Movement System taking inspiration from concepts of the developmental movement patterns, experiential anatomy and space harmony.  The class will explore sequences as well as improvisational tasks taking dancers on a journey through simple and complex ideas to truly warm up the bodymind. This will invite dancers to discover new things or enrich what they already know.

Robert Parker trained at the Royal Ballet School and joined the Birmingham Royal Ballet in 1994 then under the directorship of Sir Peter Wright. He became a Principal dancer in 1999 where he collaborated with Artistic Director and acclaimed choreographer David Bintley to create many leading roles for the company. He made guest appearances with the Royal Ballet and performed in many Galas around the world. His accolades include a Critics Circle Dance Award nomination and an Olivier Award nomination in 2001 and a Critics‘ Circle Award for Outstanding Male Artist in 2003.

24th & 25th November 2022

10:00 – 11:30

Ballet with Robert Parker

Robert Parker for ŻfinMalta Ballet Intensive

After retiring from Birmingham Royal Ballet he passed his RAD Professional Dancers’ Teaching Diploma with distinction and completed a Master’s degree in Philosophy in Education. Robert became Artistic Director of Elmhurst Ballet School in 2012. That same year he was appointed President of the London Ballet Association. He has guest taught for Ballet companies around the world and regularly invited to deliver Master classes and as a Juror member for International Ballet Competitions including a long standing relationship with the Youth American Grand Prix.

“We define classical dance by its technical and aesthetic principles, which are: “l’en-dehors” and balance, a spirit of rigor and transparency, as well as concern for elegance and purity of the movement.”

 

During the class, we will focus on applying its principles, but at the same time, moving away from French academicism to come within reach of more neoclassical styles; beginning ‘à la barre’ and then moving to centre practice, we will take care of technique, considering anatomical concepts, rhythm and dynamism.

8th – 12th November 2022

10:00 – 11:30

Ballet with Stéphane Aubry

Stéphane Aubry for ŻfinMalta's open classes 2022

Stéphane, born in Vichy, France in the 80s, is a freelance guest teacher and assistant choreographer who has worked with Opera Nova, Polish Dance Theatre, Grand Theatre of Poznan and Ostrava. As a soloist in Ostrava he has performed repertoire from Jiří Kylián, Itzik Galili, Jacek Przybyłowicz, Paul Chalmer and Mauro Bigonzetti amongst others. Starting a late career, Aubry trained at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris after which he joined the Poznan National Theatre and was promoted to demi-soloist.  In 2014 he created his first choreography for the Evening Young Choreographers in the National Theater in Poznan entitled “Corps”, presenting “C.O.R.PS2” in Ostrava few years later.

Hervé’s unique approach is to develop exercises which connect the physical preparation and study of the ballet technique with its more organic side.  Musicality, upper body awareness and coordination, placement of body weight in space, relationship to the ground, and quality of movement, are the elements that make Hervé’s classes accessible to both classical and contemporary dancers. 

10th – 14th October 2022

10:00 – 11:30

Ballet with Hervé Palito

Herve Palito will be teaching ŻfinMalta's second ballet intensive of the season

Hervé, who has worked at companies including LaLaLa Human Steps, Ballet de l’Opera de Paris, the Stuttgart Ballet, Tokyo Ballet, Baseler Ballett, Companhia Nacional de Bailado de Lisboa, Cullbert Ballet, Bejart Ballet Lausanne, Ballet Montecarlo, Staatstheater Nürnberg, Aalto Ballet Theater, LaLaLa Human Step, Staatstheater Augsburg, Lyon Opera Ballet, Finnish National Ballet, Ballet de Loraine, Hong Kong ballet, National Ballet of China, Ballet Nacional de Santo Domingo, Royal Swedish Ballet, Scapino Ballet, Architanz, Grupo Corpo, Ultima Vez, and many more…

Lucia started her career as a dancer in L’Ensemble, a company directed by Micha Van Hoecke, whose major choreographies are inspired by her strong personality and together they created many roles that showcased and nurtured her stunning technique.  Performing and touring as a soloist with L’Ensemble, both in Italy and internationally, she also began teaching the company between 1994 1998 working closely with Micha Van Hoecke’s repertoire. 

From 1998 to 2004 she worked as Maître de Ballet and choreographers’ assistant  to Aterballetto, directed by Mauro Bigonzetti.  

23rd, 26th – 29th September 2022

10:00 – 11:30

Ballet with Lucia Geppi

During that time she collaborated with many successful choreographers such as Mauro Bigonzetti (all of his works), Michele Abbondanza & Antonella Bertoni (Figli d’Adamo), Christian Spuck (Morphin Games), Jiri Kilian (Heart’s Labyrinth), Itzik Galili (Chamelon) and William Forsythe (Steptext).  

Lucia works as Maître de Ballet for the Teatro Comunale in Florence, Teatro, S. Carlo in Naples, Les Ballets de Monte Carlo, the Dominic Dance Theatre in Houston, the Grand Théâtre de Genève, the Scala in Milan, the Leipzig Opern, the Royal Swedish Ballet, the Stuttgart Ballet, the Béjart Ballet Lausanne and the Zurich Ballet, West Australian Ballet.

Anna’s class is based on physical and technical training, including influences from classical, Cunningham and Graham techniques. Anna takes a stamina and strengthening approach to class, while building a grounded and technical foundation.

Choreographer, director and movement director Anna Watkins has toured her company work, ‘Watkins Dance Company’, for 11 years in the UK & internationally, supported by Arts Council England, East London Dance, Swindon Dance, The Garage, DanceEast, South East Dance, awarded Associate Artist (2017-2018) Swindon Dance.

from 5th – 9th September 2022

10:00 – 11:15

Contemporary with Anna Watkins

Anna Watkins for ŻfinMalta's open classes season 2022 - 2023
Anna Watkins for ŻfinMalta's open classes season 2022 - 2023

During her 17 year career she has worked with dance companies and choreographers including Shobana Jeyasingh, Phoenix Dance Theatre (CC Lab), Tavaziva Dance, Motionhouse, Oceanallover, Thea Barnes, Neville Campbell and more. She was selected for ‘Cohan Collective’ working under the mentorship of Sir Robert Cohan, Eleanor Alberta, Yolande Yorke-Edgell, Kim Brandstrup and Kenneth Hesketh, and nominated for the ‘The Jane Attenborough Award’, One Dance UK Awards 2021 and ‘WOMEN IN DANCE AWARD’ 2020, AWA Dance. Anna’s digital work has been awarded, nominated, screened and selected for numerous film festivals including Demetera International Film Festival (Paris), Film Oxford, Modern Art Oxford | Dancin’ Oxford, FLUX Online Festival 2020, Leeds Festival 2019, and Reading Festival 2019.

Season 2021 -2022

Julienne Schembri has extensive experience of performing in London, working with artists like Rosemary Lee, Amit Lahav, Anthony Van Laast, Sacha Miles Davis and featuring as an ensemble dancer in Wicked, in the West End. Now in Malta, Julienne is seeking alternate ways in which to share her passion for movement and dance while actively participating in the social domain. She believes that embodied knowledge can provide a rich and powerful source for self, social transformation, empathy, and connection. To satisfy this ongoing enquiry into the interconnection of dance and activism she is currently working towards gaining a diploma in Laban Bartenieff Movement System, through EMOVE institute in Rotterdam.

from 7th – 10th June 2022

10:00 – 11:15

Contemporary with Julienne Schembri

Professional open class with Julienne Schembri, photo by Matthew Attard
Photo by Matthew Attard

Julienne’s classes will be rooted in the Laban Bartenieff Movement System taking inspiration from concepts of the developmental movement patterns, experiential anatomy and space harmony.  The class will explore sequences as well as improvisational tasks taking dancers on a journey through simple and complex ideas to truly warm up the bodymind. This will invite dancers to discover new things or enrich what they already know.

ŻfinMalta’s Artistic Director, Paolo Mangiola, will be teaching Ballet for our company open classes.

Paolo Mangiola is a choreographer, dance educator and performer working within ballet and contemporary dance practices. Operating in the interstices between codified dance and ordinary movement, Paolo is interested in exploring this relationship in the context of our interconnected society, drawing inspiration from various artistic sources, the web, and emerging movements.

from 16th – 20th May 2022

10:00 – 11:15

Ballet with Paolo Mangiola

ZfinMalta - Paolo Mangiola
photo credit: Matteo Carratoni

As a performer Paolo has collaborated with, and danced for, artists and choreographers including Wayne McGregor, Deborah Hay, Martin Creed, and Mauro Bigonzetti. Paolo has created works for the Royal Ballet, Tanztheater Nürnberg, Aterballetto, Szczecin Opera Ballet and Balletto di Roma. He attained a Masters in Choreography at The Place, London, and designed the programme for the Contemporary Dance Department, Scuola del Balletto di Roma. Paolo was appointed resident choreographer at Balletto di Roma in 2015, where he remained for three seasons. Since 2017 he has been Artistic Director of ŻfinMalta, Malta’s national dance company.

An award-winning choreographer, Riccardo Buscarini is an artist focused on constantly changing his creative approach to choreography and exploring its possible interactions with other art forms.

 

 

Riccardo trained at Accademia Domenichino da Piacenza/IT and London Contemporary Dance School where he graduated in 2009. Highlights of his career so far include winning The Place Prize 2013 with the piece Athletes, the participation in the international research projects danceWEB (Impulstanz, Vienna), Creatives in Residence at The Hospital Club (London), ArtsCross London 2013 (UK, Taiwan and China), Performing Gender (Italy, Croatia, Spain, the Netherlands), MAM-Maroc Artist Meeting in Marrakech. 

from 5th April – 9th April 2022

10:00 – 11:15

Contemporary with Riccardo Buscarini

Riccardo Buscarini for ŻfinMalta professional open class

His work in the visual arts field include collaborations with Summerhall (Edinburgh), London Festival of Architecture (2016 and 2019), and with London gallery Nahmad Projects during the exhibition i’m NOT tino sehgal curated by Francesco Bonami and miart – fiera di arte moderna e contemporanea di Milano 2017. Silk, his Golden Mask 2018 double-nominated creation on Chelyabinsk Contemporary Dance Theater (Russia) has been restaged at ZfinMalta, the National Dance Company of Malta in autumn 2019. In 2020 is one of the choreographers of EDGE (The Place, London). Riccardo has approached opera direction working on traditional and new compositions. He has assisted Giuseppina Campolonghi, Italo Nunziata and Leonardo Lidi at Teatro Municipale (Piacenza), Teatro Pavarotti (Modena) and Teatro Valli (Reggio Emilia), Italy.

“Come dance to the electro-pop: for a very energising wake up. Driven by a passion for sculpture and architecture, and starting from the assumption that our movement can carve the space and leave a trace behind, Riccardo leads a very high-paced, dynamic and spacious improvisation class that aims to unlock the body and stretch its movement potential into a million different directions. The focus of Riccardo’s work is on movement projection. Throughout the class, dancers are invited to look for the limits of their kinesphere and challenge their own habits in order to approach movement with a tridimensional perspective and to embrace the surrounding space fully.”

 

Riccardo Buscarini, Guest Teacher, ŻfinMalta Company Open Classes

Florinda is a dance artist from and based in Malta. She was a member of  ŻfinMalta National Dance Company, from 2014 to 2018. From 2018, she has been initiating, leading, and supporting performing arts projects in Malta and internationally, with a keen interest in notions of home and belonging, and the spaces in which they are created, felt, lived, and performed. Her first solo creation was a short film, ‘Solastagia‘, which explores grief caused by environmental change. She is currently following the Master Performing Public Space program at Fontys University (NL). Her current artistic research investigates non-anthropocentric ways of being-with Maltese landscapes through feminist new materialist principles. 

 

from 28th Feb – 4th March 2022

10:00 – 11:15

Contemporary with Florinda Camilleri

ŻfinMalta's Company Open Classes Week 4 led by Florinda Camilleri
Still from Solastalgia (2021), by Florinda in collaboration with Francesca Mercieca and Niels Plotard

“As the dancers return to intensive daily practice after a short break, this week’s classes will be built through and around the notion of a “fresh start”. 

A fresh start to practice,  

a fresh start to the week, to the day,  

a fresh start to each movement, each moment;  

a fresh start to our bodies,  a fresh start to our space,  

a fresh start to relations,  with-in-between.    

These fresh starts  will be explored with-in the same class framework each day: starting with a guided warm-up, moving on to short exercise sequences, and longer movement phrases which build throughout the week. They will also be facilitated by a specially-curated sound journey.” 

Florinda Camilleri, Guest Teacher, ŻfinMalta Company Open Classes

 

Open Class Policy

 

 

Check out our Class Policy for few notes and tips in preparation for class etiquette and protocol

 

Latecomers policy:

 

 

 

  • Plan ahead to arrive at the venue at least 10 – 15 mins before class and note that upon entrance you may be asked to fill out a contact form with MCC security and have your temperature taken.

 

  • We do not encourage latecomers as class is timed to warm up and cool down the body at a suitable pace.

 

  • If you see that you will arrive to class more than 10 mins late, please refrain from joining class and send an email to: martina.d.zammit@zfinmalta.mt to be compensated with another class free of charge on the next of ZfinMalta’s Open Class of your choice.

Liability clause:

 

 

  • Before attending any movement sessions under the umbrella of ZfinMalta’s Education and Participation programme, we require you hand in a signed copy of the below participation form. It can be handed over to the Education Artist in hard copy or sent in soft copy to martina.d.zammit@zfinmalta.mt

FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information on ZfinMalta’s Education and Participation programmes and to discuss the ŻfinMalta’s Artist Development programme, please contact our Education & Outreach Officer, Martina Zammit on martina.d.zammit@zfinmalta.mt