FLORENCE Cristina Bozzolinithe lady of Italian dance and formidable talent scout of new authors, recently awarded the Golden Florin, the honor of the Municipality of Florence, takes over the artistic direction of the New Ballet of Tuscanythe company she founded in 2018, to the choreographer Philippe Kratzand of the dance school, created in 1970, to the classical dance teacher Hektor Budlla. Two figures of international excellence, artistically and humanly linked to the great artist, with whom they shared a long working process.
Philippe Kratzwho will direct the companyhas awards to his credit such as the first prize at the 32nd International Choreographic Competition Hannover 2018 and the 2019 Danza&Danza Award as “best choreographer” and boasts collaborations with prestigious bodies such as the Teatro alla Scala and the Vienna Opera.
Hector Budllawho will lead theBozzolini Academy, received the Award for Valor at the Capri Dance Festival in 2017 in recognition of his career as a dancer and has held various roles as lead dancer in many shows. The NBDT company, with a staff of 10 dancers, defined as a flagship of Italian dance, and the Bozzolini Academy, among the most important national dance schools where stellar dancers and talented choreographers active in Italy and abroad have trained. abroad, will continue to operate in the name of high quality thanks to the undisputed talents of the two directors.
It is the fusion between dance and music that makes the three-year artistic and educational project imagined by Philippe Kratz and Hektor Budlla, in agreement with the new president, innovative. Mario Settimusician and also president of Nem_Nuovi Eventi Musicali.
“I’m very happy – Cristina Bozzolini declared – that Mario Setti, a musician, can continue the history of the Nuovo Balletto di Toscana and the Accademia Bozzolini and I think it is important to have been able to choose two artistic directors who I know very well and with whom I have shared many years of work. Philippe Kratz, important contemporary choreographer for the direction of the Company and Hektor Budlla as director of the school, excellent classical dance teacher. I suggested two artists who I met when I was very young and who were able to carry on my teachings. EBoth exceptional dancers at the time of my guidance at Aterballetto. I also like the enrichment that Music, through Mario Setti’s new choices, will bring to the school and the company, making this artistic and educational project something rare and original in Italy”.
Mario Setti: “At the invitation of Cristina Bozzolini I accepted the presidency of the Academy and the Nuovo Balletto di Toscana with enthusiasm and responsibility. This is also in relation to our convergences on two aspects: quality and the new project based on dance and music. As regards quality, Cristina indicated to me two artistic directors of international level and absolute professionalism. As regards the relationship with music, Cristina and I strongly believe that there are great artistic and educational spaces, dictated by the twenty-year experience of Nem_Nuovi Eventi Musicali and the very long experience of the great protagonist of the world of dance. In fact, Nem will introduce listening guides within the training project for Academy students and at all course levels. Both the artistic activities and those of the school that we are structuring with Philippe Kratz and Hektor Budlla will develop over a three-year period and in the third year there is also a direct approach to musical performance for students who are interested. My dream is to produce a show in which the dancers will also be able to perform live music. From now on the company will begin working on a show in which the music played live will be on par with the dance work in a continuous and profitable exchange, also tackling so-called pop music.”
Philippe Kratz: “Since the biography “If dancing isn’t enough for me” by Cristina Bozzolini was published in February this year, I have reflected even more on the theme of resilience. Cristina, who I have long considered a friend, a mentor, a beautiful example of a complete (and therefore never accomplished) artist, in the book reveals her struggles for contemporary dance in Italy undertaken since 1975 with the Collettivo Danza Contemporanea and since 1985 (my year of birth) with Il Balletto di Toscana. It is an impressive story: a life made up of encounters, important artistic collaborations, painful defeats, immense satisfactions, but above all it is a visionary life. And, as the title suggests, her story is not just about dance, but intertwines the artistic side with a philosophical vision of the world that finds its outlet in political commitment. There is a clear opposition between the value of tradition (that of the theatre) and the need for social progress which, together, generate a beautiful tension and fertile ground for artistic creation. In the past I had the pleasure of collaborating twice with the Nuovo Balletto di Toscana as a choreographer: in 2022 for the short quintet Midnight Youth and last year for The Red Shoes who is currently on tour in Italy and abroad. In both moments I found a company of enormous sensitivity with an awareness of what it means to believe in one’s work, as well as a cohesive group of powerful dancers. I really hoped in the future to return to work with them and realizing now that I can do it daily makes me very happy. Returning to the theme of resilience: The New Ballet of Tuscany will continue to invite artists to create choreographic works which reflect on the society(s) in which we live, while the new approach of direct comparison with music performed live will be our challenge and strong element of tension. Furthermore, I would very much like to invite the public to open rehearsals during the different creative paths and find other ways to establish lasting and direct comparisons.
And new name and a new headquarters for the famous BdT School, founded in 1970 by Cristina Bozzolini, which now becomes Bozzolini Academy. The prestigious reality, in a journey lasting more than 50 years, has formed approximately 300 professionals including dancers, choreographers and teachers, many of whom are prominent figures on the national and international scene, establishing themselves among the most notable Italian schools. The Academy, under the artistic direction of Hektor Budllawill continue its mission to train dancers who can join the main international companies and will also prepare younger students to audition at various academies for the improvement of their final years of study. The study program includes classical and contemporary technique courses, with the addition of choreographic workshops and classical and contemporary repertoire. There is also space for workshops with renowned teachers. Element of an absolute novelty within the training activities will be the listening guides, in a singular project of connection between dance and music.
The academic year will begin on September 2nd in new Florentine headquarters in via Pellas, 47 (Rifredi district), which has three rooms and a small gym. The largest room has equipment capable of transforming it into a small theater. The historical space in via San Romano 13 a Settignano will instead be used by the company for special projects. The courses are aimed at students aged between 4 ed i 23 years.
The staff is made up of 10 teachers including teachers who have worked alongside Cristina Bozzolini for the last 30 years, new entries and two young professional dancers from the Nuovo Balletto di Toscana, in keeping with the attention that the founder has always paid to new talents.
Il July 21st will take place a Open Day which includes free classical dance lessons held directly by the master Hektor Budlla and contemporary lessons, in which it will be possible to audition for access to the school.
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