Animal Science
by Sayoko Onishi
Site-specific Butoh performance by worldwide known choreographer and performer Sayoko Onishi, music by Tony Lloyd.
Mesh
The work of Matteo Levaggi combines the double influence of Balanchine and Cunningham and adds an astute topical touch to this solid theoretical/esthetic base. Like his contemporaries Benjamin Millepied, Christopher Wheeldon, Wayne MacGregor, and before them Angelin Preljocaj, he bears the legacy of these masters in his genes. Mesh, a show specially created for the Centro Pecci of Prato, captures both movement, film projections, sound effects, and scenic elements. The choreography creates a link between the dancing body and nature, which is represented here by objects/junk, creating an atmospheric, visionary landscape. With these emotionally-charged elements, we meet again on stage the “artistic couple” Matteo Levaggi and Elisabetta Guttuso, who made their debut at the 21st Milan Triennale at the Pirelli Hangar Bicocca in the piece Yvonne, with the Ensemble Sentieri Selvaggi.
role. head of programming - theatre and dance
sector. performing arts workshop and performance
date. 2017
venue. Luigi Pecci Center for Contemporary Art, Prato (Italy)
Senior cultural manager and curator with over 18 years of experience in international cultural cooperation, cultural diplomacy, and arts programming across Europe and Asia. Since 2022, I have been working at the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), where I develop and lead international cultural projects and partnerships across Asia and Europe. My work includes leading the Asia-Europe Cultural Festival (AECFest), a multidisciplinary festival developed in collaboration with festivals and cultural institutions across the two regions, as well as developing other initiatives centred on cultural exchange, artistic collaboration and cultural diplomacy. My work at ASEF builds on a professional trajectory spanning programming, curating, production and international project development, with a particular focus on creating long-term connections between artists, cultural organisations and contexts across countries and disciplines.
I hold a Master’s degree in Arts Management from the University of Bologna and the University of Greenwich. I began my career in London in 2008 in the visual arts before moving into performing arts, interdisciplinary practices and international cultural projects. Over the following years, I worked across festivals, theatres, museums, public institutions and cultural agencies, developing projects ranging from contemporary dance, theatre and music to new media, site-specific and interdisciplinary work. My roles have encompassed artistic programming and curation, production, commissioning, international co-production and cultural project management. In 2016, I was appointed Head of Programming for Theatre and Dance at the Centro per l'Arte Contemporanea Luigi Pecci in Prato. My subsequent work included projects with UNESCO, the Uffizi Galleries, CROSS Festival, T.H.E Dance Company, the Italian Embassy in Singapore and Singapore Design Week, among others.
My work has brought me into collaboration with artists and companies including Ryoji Ikeda, Ryoichi Kurokawa, Choy Ka Fai, Trisha Brown, Jérôme Bel, Marie Chouinard, Martha Graham Dance Company and New York City Ballet, among many others.
After relocating to Singapore in 2018, my practice increasingly focused on connecting the cultural sectors of Asia and Europe. This shift has shaped my work ever since, from curating Asian programmes for European festivals and developing international co-productions to my current work at ASEF.
Timeline
September 2022– Present . ASIA-EUROPE FOUNDATION (ASEF)
Intergovernmental Organisation, Singapore
Senior Project Manager - Culture
Festival Lead - Asia-Europe Cultural Festival (AECFest)
October 2019 – September 2022 . FONDAZIONE FABBRICA EUROPA
International co-production project
Project Manager of Crisol-East Asia Path project
January 2022 – September 2022 . ITALIAN EMBASSY IN SINGAPORE
Cultural Office, Singapore
Curator and Producer of SUBSTANCE exhibition
September 2018 – September 2022 . T.H.E. DANCE COMPANY
Contemporary Dance Company, Singapore
International Projects Coordinator
June 2019 – November 2021 . CROSS FESTIVAL
Performing Arts Festival, Verbania (Italy)
Guest Programmer, Asian Focus
July 2017 – September 2021 . UNESCO
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Producer and Curator, video project L'Ultima de' Medici
July 2018 – March 2019 . ITALIAN EMBASSY IN SINGAPORE
Cultural Office, Singapore
Curator and Producer of Italian Radical Design project
July 2017 – April 2018 . RAVELLO FESTIVAL
Dance Festival, Naples (Italy)
Vice Art Director for dance
July – December 2017 . COREOGRAFO ELETTRONICO
VideoDance Prize, Naples (Italy)
Managing Director and Jury member
January 2016 – December 2017 . CENTRO PER L'ARTE CONTEMPORANEA LUIGI PECCI
Contemporary art museum, Prato (Italy)
Head of Programming, Theatre and Dance
July – October 2017, 2014, 2012 . POSITANO PREMIA LA DANZA
International Dance Event, Naples (Italy)
Managing Director
January 2013 – July 2017 . VERSILIADANZA | TEATRO CANTIERE FLORIDA
Contemporary Dance Company | Performing Arts Venue, Florence (Italy)
Managing Director and Senior Programmer
March 2013 – December 2015 . FONDAZIONE SISTEMA TOSCANA
Regional government agency for cultural projects, Florence (Italy)
Curator and Managing Director, Milan EXPO 2015 - Universal Exposition
Curator and Producer, Internet Festival 2014 and 2013 editions
Curator, opening of cultural center ZAP
Curator, Festival d’Europa 2013 edition
April – July 2014 . FESTIVAL EURO-MEDITERRANEO
Festival held at the Greek Theatre, Siracusa (Italy)
Guest Curator
February – April 2014 . NOTTE BIANCA
Free overnight arts presented by Municipality of Florence (Italy)
Senior Programmer and Producer
May 2013 – July 2015 . FLORENCE DANCE FESTIVAL
Dance Festival, Florence (Italy)
Senior Programmer and Producer
December 2011 – May 2013 . DANIELE CIPRIANI ENTERTAINMENT
Dance agency and producer, Rome (Italy)
Managing Director
May – December 2011 . TEATRO DEL MAGGIO MUSICALE FIORENTINO
Opera Theatre, Florence (Italy)
Assistant Fund Raising Manager
January – May 2011 . FFW
Communication agency, Florence (Italy)
Senior Project Manager
August 2008 – October 2009 . FONDAZIONE SISTEMA TOSCANA
Regional government agency for cultural projects, Florence (Italy)
Curator and Producer, Festival della Creatività 2009 edition
Producer, Voglio Vivere Così Tuscan Region promotional campaign event, Berlin
Junior Programmer, art center Casa della Creatività
Artistic Director assistant, Festival della Creatività 2008 edition
March – August 2008 . FABBRICA EUROPA FESTIVAL
Performing arts festival, Florence (Italy)
Artistic Director assistant, 2008 edition
January – March 2008 . INIVA Institute of International Visual Arts
Cultural Institution, London (UK)
Education and Learning Manager assistant
January – March 2008 . FA PROJECT GALLERY
Art Gallery, London (UK)
Art Gallery assistant