Virgilio Sieni's Cenacoli Fiorentini: Dance in Florentine Refectories

Choreographer Virgilio Sieni presents 'Cenacoli fiorentini. Grande adagio popolare,' a series of four short dance actions titled 'Paesaggio,' performed in four Florentine refectories: Ognissanti, Andrea del Sarto, Sant'Apollonia, and Biblioteca San Marco. The project is part of Secret Florence and involves a diverse community of performers—young, old, children, ethnic minorities, disabled individuals—many with no prior stage experience. The choreography engages with the frescoes in each location, creating a dialogue between the painted figures and the moving bodies. Blind dancer Giuseppe Comuniello participates, his solitary movements eventually enveloped by the group. Sieni's work emphasizes gesture, slowness, and human connection, exploring themes of fragility, inclusion, and mutual support. The performances are documented by photographer Giuseppe Distefano.