Biennale Danza Winter Edition Features Ice Dance by Le Patin Libre in Mestre

The Venice Biennale Danza has launched a winter edition running until February 11, signaling continuity with its summer festival (July 18–August 3). Director Wayne McGregor enriched the Venetian Carnival program with an ice dance performance by the Canadian company Le Patin Libre, staged at the Parco Albanese ice rink in Mestre. The company, founded in Montreal in 2005 by Pascale Jodoin and Samory Ba, rejects blockbuster shows like Holidays on Ice, instead fusing choreography and theater using skating techniques. Directed by Alexandre Hamel, the troupe includes 15 performers from seven countries, all professional skaters with backgrounds in figure skating, hockey, or circus arts. Their piece "Murmuration" draws inspiration from starling flock dynamics, translating group flight into geometric and arabesque movements on ice. The performance features a sober light design and a mesmerizing soundtrack by Jasmin Boivin and Philippe Le Bon. The winter edition also includes workshops and dancing parties on ice, targeting local audiences.