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Alessandro Sciarroni's Controversial Dance at Festival FOG Milano

festival-fair · 2026-05-04

Alessandro Sciarroni, the Italian choreographer awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement by the Venice Biennale, faced criticism for his non-traditional dance approach. Festival FOG Triennale Milano Performing Arts dedicated a full day to his work, showcasing two major pieces: 'Turning' and 'Aurora'. 'Turning' explores continuous rotation around one's axis, a methodical study of a single unnatural movement. 'Aurora' transforms goalball, a sport for the visually impaired, into a performance, emphasizing sound and tactile perception. Sciarroni's work challenges the definition of dance, focusing on movement as pure language. His next project, 'Augusto', will open the next Biennale Danza.

Key facts

  • Alessandro Sciarroni (born 1976) received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement from the Venice Biennale.
  • Festival FOG Triennale Milano Performing Arts dedicated a full day to Sciarroni.
  • Sciarroni's work 'Turning' has seven versions and involves continuous rotation.
  • 'Aurora' began in 2015 and concluded in 2018, based on goalball.
  • Goalball is a sport for blind or visually impaired people.
  • Sciarroni's next project is 'Augusto', opening the next Biennale Danza.
  • Critics argue Sciarroni lacks dance technique and academic training.
  • Sciarroni's method focuses on movement as language, not traditional beauty.

Entities

Artists

  • Alessandro Sciarroni
  • Susanna Beltrami

Institutions

  • Festival FOG Triennale Milano Performing Arts
  • La Biennale di Venezia
  • Biennale Danza
  • Dancehaus
  • Artribune

Locations

  • Milano
  • Italy
  • Venezia

Sources