FuoriFormato Festival in Genoa Draws 3,000 Attendees, Proving Audience for Dance Exists

The 11th edition of FuoriFormato, a dance and videodance festival organized by the Comune di Genova and curated by Teatro Akropolis, RETE Danzacontempoligure, and Augenblick, concluded with 3,000 attendees, 10 performances, 33 films, and four free days. The festival took place in various locations across Genoa, including Piazza De Ferrari, Villa Durazzo Bombrini, and Palazzo Ducale, from June to July 2026. Notable performances included Gaetano Palermo's 'Swan' featuring Rita Di Leo on roller skates in Piazza De Ferrari, Elia Pangaro and Alexander De Vries's 'Quasi Niente N.1' with Noemi Piva at Villa Durazzo Bombrini, Aristide Rontini's 'Alexis 2.0' with Cristian Cucco, Gianni Notarnicola's 'Kama', Anna Pesetti/CollettivoDieci's 'Konpira Fune Fune', Louise Bédard's 'Morceaux Choisis' under the portico of Palazzo Ducale, and Panos Malactos's 'Hire me, please' in the loggia of Palazzo Ducale. The festival aimed to make contemporary dance accessible by bringing performances to public spaces, attracting a diverse audience including young people, occasional spectators, and passersby. The event highlighted the ongoing debate about the audience for contemporary dance in Italy, especially in Genoa, a city known for its theatrical tradition but lacking the Festival of Nervi in 2026. FuoriFormato demonstrated that an audience exists when the barrier to entry is lowered through free, proximate, and inclusive programming.