Brazilian dancer and choreographer Ismael Ivo dies of COVID-19 in São Paulo at 66

Ismael Ivo, the Brazilian dancer and choreographer, died in São Paulo at age 66 due to COVID-19, which the article describes as a pandemic mismanaged by an ignorant dictatorship. Ivo was known for his imposing presence and elegant gait, often recounting being stopped at borders due to his skin color. He was a co-founder of Impulstanz in Vienna (1984, originally International Tanzwochen Festival) with Karl Regenburger, directing it for over 15 years. He served as artistic director of the Dance section of the Venice Biennale from 2005 to 2011, and directed the Choreographic Collision research project in Venice from 2007 to 2010. His performances often engaged with race and sexuality, as in Francis Bacon (1994), Othello (1995) with Johann Kresnik, The Maids by Jean Genet directed by Yoshi Oida (winning the 2005 Time Out Award for most outstanding performance), and a solo dedicated to Robert Mapplethorpe (2002). His curatorial work at the Biennale was internationally oriented, though faced difficulties and resistance, yet attracted large audiences to open doors events. The article, written by Stefano Tomassini, reflects on Ivo's legacy and the end of an era for Venice.