BALLADES

New production 2021

Show Info

Choreography by Claudio Ronda
Choreography Assistant: Federica Iacuzzi
Original Music by Paolo Zambelli
Lighting and Sound by Gianluca Quaglio
Fabula Saltica Dance Company: Lara Ballarin, Laura De Nicolao, Federica Iacuzzi, Manolo Perazzi, Claudio Pisa, Antonio Taurino, Chiara Tosti

Produced by the Ballet Association “Città di Rovigo” with the support of the Ministry of Culture – ArcoDanza Regione del Veneto.

Thanks to the magic of dance, the unparalleled atmosphere of Le Bal (Ballando Ballando), the 1983 film directed by Ettore Scola, the great master of Italian cinema who recently passed away, is revived in *Ballades*, a choreography by Claudio Ronda, performed by the Fabula Saltica Company.

The true protagonist of the production is the balera (dance hall), represented here by minimalistic décor. The space is left to the audience frequenting it, with musical atmospheres that invite the pairing, showcasing, and merging of couples. It is an ideal setting to depict the behaviors, expectations, and desire for self-display of ordinary people. They gather in dance halls on Saturday evenings or on holidays, to escape the dullness of daily life, to dream and love, to wear a mask, and become the absolute protagonists of their own lives. Each person performs a role, one after the other, while time flows and blurs everything.

Through poetic, playful, sensual, and ironic storytelling, Ballades explores every corner of this timeless universe. It’s a small world where, carried by dance, hopes and dreams, illusions and disappointments, encounters and stories, passions and indifference, one-night romances and small and grand intrigues all come to life. Everything is highlighted by the melodies of a small orchestra, which, as is typical in the best Italian tradition, discreetly accompanies the staging, adapting to the moods of the guests, following emotional tensions, and giving voice to the expectations of those who, through it, want to express their desire to know and be known.

Paolo Zambelli’s music draws from the popular traditions of the waltz, tango, and mazurka, enriched with modern sounds tied to jazz and rock. The resulting rhythm, fast-paced and engaging, amplifies the energy of the dances and becomes an accomplice to the theatrical game.

The show has been praised by critics as intelligent, refined, and full of charm.

Technical sheet