September marked the debut of the Dance Production Programme, which aims to turn young people’s dreams into real opportunities. Seven emerging talents participated in the creation of two shows by Gisella Zilembo, dedicated to iconic figures of Italian culture:

“Stralusc”, inspired by Alessandro Manzoni on the 240th anniversary of his birth, with the sponsorship of the Lombardy Region.

“Humans_Pop Revolution”, inspired by Giorgio De Chirico, realized thanks to the support of donors of the Association.

Both performances were premiered on 21 December at the Auditorium Testori of the Palazzo della Regione Lombardia, during an exhibition by the sculptor Ivan Nadin. The event was attended by personalities from the political, television and entertainment world and was made possible thanks to the fundraising project “Adopt a star”, supported by important partners including Profession Luxury, NDN Luxury, BARILLA, Fondazione Tavecchio and Annarita Briganti.

The Teatro Manzoni opens the 2024/2025 theatrical season with a rich program of events. The prose section will feature great performers and directors such as Umberto Orsini, Franco Branciaroli, Vincenzo Salemme and Massimo Popolizio, bringing to the stage works ranging from Molière to Eduardo De Filippo to Neil Simon. The new musical festival promises moments of great emotion, with performances by leading artists such as Ron, Irene Grandi and Rita Pavone.

Among the most anticipated performances, for Dance, “STRALUSC” by Gisella Zilembo, for Associazione MAB. The dance show, already applauded on 16 March, during a preview sponsored by Regione Lombardia, at Galleria Condominio di Milano, is preparing to bring on stage with a cast that combines professionals and emerging talents from the MAB world: Mike All, The Zizzi, Beatrice Risiglione (former RA student), Ester Papini (MAB finalist) and Andrea Cheldi (MAB multiple runner-up).

“STRALUSC”, which literally means “flash”, promises an intense and joyful artistic experience. This tribute danced to Alessandro Manzoni, on the occasion of the 240 years since his birth, tells a humanity “on the way”, which questions itself with lightness, in dialogue with the great classics. The musical narration, inspired by the most famous pieces of artists such as Cochi and Renato, Jannacci, Vanoni, Cattaneo, Vecchioni, Gaber and Mina, answers the question that gives the start to the action, carried out in close relation with the artistic installation of Ivan Nadin (for sculpture and design) and Gianni Tolentino (for Hautw couture Fashion):

What would happen if the Promessi Sposi were catapulted into the Milan of 2025?

On Sunday, 9 June, the Teatro Manzoni in Milan will be the stage for the fifteenth edition of the MAB Prize. The international recognition of Classical Dance entitled to Maria Antonietta Berlusconi. The event, strongly wanted by his son and MAB President, Silvio Beretta, promises an evening full of emotions and surprises.

Full links:

• Primavera: Kamilla Latifi (Italia)
• Juniores: Nali Dobrin (Romania)
• Seniores: Penelope Phelan (USA)
• Entertainment: Andrea Cheldi (Italia)
• Interballet: Andrea Cheldi (Italia)
• Turku Dance Camp: Harin Yum (Corea)
• Premio alla Carriera: M° Julio Bocca
• Premio Amici di MAB: Dott.ssa Veronica (Crego decana del corpo consolare milanese)
• Premio Gioia di Danzare, Sabrina Beretta: Fondazione AIEF

On 17 September, at the Teatro Carcano in Milan, in the context of the celebrations for the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Rep. of South Korea and Italy, the show “Gyeonggi in Fiore” was staged The presence of international political and cultural representatives. Ass. MAB participates in the evening, attending a refined kermesse of traditional Korean dances and music, in the name of excellent relations with the country and mutual esteem with the operators of reference sector.

The 2024 edition of the MAB Summer Intensives has just ended, with a large participation of young dancers at the locations of Cavallino/VE (Le Terrazze del Mediterraneo Camping Village 5*) and Riace Marina/RC (Il Partenone Resort Hotel 4). The participants attended lessons, masterclasses and workshops in the various choreographic disciplines, and auditions for access to the institutional training programs.
The MAB teachers shared their knowledge in a climate of great technical, artistic and human collaboration, welcoming students from all over Italy and abroad.

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The last stage of the Intensives took place in Finland with the first edition of the Turku Dance Camp, an international dance event that involved Finnish and Italian professionals. The camp and the gala were organized by Ruusuilla tanssijat ry, in collaboration with the MAB Association, Raija Lehmussaari Ballet School, the City of Turku, Turku University of Applied Sciences and EventiDanza.
Ruusuilla tanssijat ry, founded in early 2024, aims to promote ballet and other dance disciplines, creating new connections between local, national and international realities, and organizing dance shows, courses and events.
The closing Gala of the Turku Dance Camp represented the end of an international training course, with the performances of the participants, accompanied by the dancer Marko Juusela. The show, which was sold out, was prepared in the space of a few days of the Camp.
The performances began with an ensemble choreographed by Raija Lehmussaari, in which students from the various work groups performed, creating a friendly atmosphere despite the differences in age and level.
MAB talents shone on stage: Andrea Cheldi interpreted Pierre Beauchamp’s choreography Les Bourgeois with expressive ease, giving life to a young rebel. Giuseppe Fava instead enchanted with a variation of Giselle, obtaining great appreciation. Alisa Strygonkova and Maria Strizhak gracefully performed the variation of the Pearls from the ballet The Hunchback Horse.
Gisella Zilembo’s Renaissance choreography shifted the focus to artistic expressiveness, reaching very high peaks. Francesca Carobbio stood out in Jennifer Ravasio’s choreography, which fused fluid movements and tango accents, accompanied by the song “Guarda che Luna” by Nuda.
The Gala concluded with a spectacular pas de deux from Don Quixote, performed by Andrea Cheldi and Ester Papin.

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The next appointment with the Intensives will be the MAB Winter Camp, which will be held as usual during the Immaculate Conception long weekend (December 6-8). For more information, contact info@premiomab.it.

Stralusc at the FourMazione Project
The show funded by Regione Lombardia ‘STRALUSC’ created by Gisella Zilembo, which stars Andrea Cheldi, Beatrice Risiglione, Mike All and Ester Papini went on stage at the FourMazione Project in Vicenza, thanks to the invitation of Free Harmony Dance Time SRL – dir. Lidia Stragapede.

Among the students of the Artistic Residences MAB 2024, the M Posa. Francesco (teacher of reference for modern technology) selects Alessia Boccagni and Denise Boccagni (Teatro Oscar Milano – dir. M. Cagnani), Andrea De Giosa (Pas De Deux- dir. P. Tedone) , Giuseppe Fava (Liceo Coreutico G. Verga Modica.- dir. A. Moltisanti ) and Alessia Bertoldi (Asd ARABESQUE – dir. A. Sormani) , for the realization of a choreographic project, at Carducci Association of Como. The creation, entitled “Awakenings”, brings young dancers closer to the world of professionalism, also through a video production path, dedicated to the national and international circuitry of the performance.

The preselection for the third edition of MAB Usa continues, which will take place in New York on 28 (semi-finals) and 29 (finals) March, at the KNJ Theater, in Manhattan. The jury, composed of leading names on the international scene (Igal Perry, David Parsons, Nikki Holck, Melanie Person, Dandara Amorin Veiga, Giuseppe Bausilio) will evaluate the young talents who will reach the Big Apple, to pursue the MAB dream. Among them, also the Italians Andrea Cheldi (already winner of MAB Italia 2023), Noemi Cobelli (already finalist MAB Usa 2023) and Simone Bellia (promising Sicilian dancer, identified by Gisella Zilembo during the first edition of Eduardo Dance Competition – dir. art. Francesco Annarumma – held at the Teatro Eduardo De Filippo in Arzano – Naples, 24 and 25 February).

For information and registration: click here