The Labyrinth - The Myth of Ariadne and the Minotaur Choreography & Direction Arianna Benedetti

The Labyrinth - The Myth of Ariadne and the Minotaur

Choreography & Direction Arianna Benedetti

The Labyrinth – The Myth of Ariadne and the Minotaur by Arianna Benedetti is a space which is entirely made up of mirrors and symbolizes one’s mental and spiritual journey to find oneself. The main concept for this piece stems from Friedrich Dürrenmatt's short story in which characters set off, at frantic and smooth rhythms, on a chaotic journey – through their own reflected images – as they meet the beast, the maiden, torment, fear, love, irony, joy and melancholy. Another source of inspiration for the choreographer was Italo Lanfredini’s sculpture “Il Labirinto di Arianna” (Ariadne’s Labyrinth), located on the high cape of the Nebrodi mountains. The work is accompanied by a visual lighting design project which allows the audience and dancers alike to plunge into their own labyrinth, and is joined by Massimo Buffetti’s sweet and vibrant music.
The four protagonists – the Minotaur, Ariadne, Theseus and the Thread – represent different reflections of one individual, and therefore different aspects of that same individual – each with their own peculiarities. The Minotaur represents the wildest and most animalistic part of us humans, but at the same time, he is a frightened and lonely child. Ariadne is his feminine, more sensitive and maternal side, symbolizing love. Theseus, instead, embodies courage – a noble and strong soul, the austere man who is not afraid of confrontation and who is the first, with his head held high, to enter the labyrinth with the aim of defeating the beast. Lastly, the Thread is the one who conducts, the one who shows the way and is the fil rouge between all characters. It is he who weaves the web that will eventually lead them to overcome their inner Minotaur and to find the way out to see the light and the stars again. The narration unfolds through minimal dynamics, fostering emotions, intertwining and individual creativity, shaping each character’s personality. Music plays a central role in this performance as it enhances the performers’ sensitivity through actions and reactions and images of freedom – even improvisation. It is a shared dance, characterized by particular and multiple nuances of elegant gestural expression.
Choreography & Direction Arianna Benedetti
Production COB Compagnia Opus Ballet
Art Direction Rosanna Brocanello
Music Massimo Buffetti with quotes from Claudio Monteverdi, Giovanni Battista Pergolesi e Oake
In collaboration with Spring Art Development Label & Production e Autorivari APS
Dancers Aura Calarco, Emiliano Candiago, Matheus De Oliveira Alves, Sofia Galvan, Ginevra Gioli, Stefania Menestrina, Riccardo Papa, Frederic Zoungla
Costume Designer Santi Rinciari
Made by Opificio della moda e del costume
Dramatic Advisor Edoardo Bacchelli
Art Consultant Laura Pulin
Lighting Designer Laura De Bernardis
Assistant Choreographer Luca Lupi
Photography & Video Salvatore Abrescia
Organization Margherita Fantoni

ARIANNA BENEDETTI
Born in Baden, Switzerland, she currently works for Rosanna Brocanello’s Opus Ballet company. She has her own company for choreographic research and experimentation called Antitesi, based in Livorno, in which she works as a choreographer, dancer and teacher.
She is a teacher and jury member at the Bommer Academy in Israel. She teaches workshops on contamination of contemporary dance languages, at places such as Giada Ferrone’s Dance Hub, The Rock Center Dance Las Vegas, XXMT Accademy Escuela Santo Domingo, National Contemporary Dance Company of Santo Domingo Academy of Fine Arts, the Dance Company of the ‘Notre Dame de Paris’ musical by Riccardo Cocciante, ‘Choreographic Dance – The choreographic composition from a solo to a group piece’ at the Fonderia Nazionale della Danza Aterballetto.
She created several pieces for the following companies:
Junior BDT, artistic director Cristina Bozzolini: LORENZO IL MAGNIFICO and TERRA DEL RIMORSO, directed by Angelo Savelli
Nuovo Balletto di Toscana, artistic director Cristina Bozzolini: ‘Pulcinella, uno di noi’, winner of the ‘Bando Siae Per Chi Crea 2018’ tender Antitesi-BDT, artistic director Arianna Benedetti: MASCHERE, ME-EM, PETER PAN, LE VOJAGE
COB Compagnia Opus Ballet, artistic director Rosanna Brocanello: OTELLO
Dance Company Gauthier Stuttgart, artistic director Eric Gauthier: LABIRINTO
Maggio Danza of the Teatro Comunale in Florence: ANGUE
FLODANCE 2.0, artistic director Marga Nativo: PREGHIERA, directed by Cristina Pezzoli for the Don
Giovanni opera.
She teaches professional training courses at the Scuola del Balletto di Toscana (artistic director: Cristina Bozzolini), Opus Ballet (artistic director: Rosanna Brocanello and Daniel Tinazzi), as well as
Florence Dance Center (artistic director: Marga Nativo), Ateneo danza (artistic director: Marco Batti),
Ros (artistic director: Samule Cardini), and kaos (artistic director: Roberto Sartori).

recensione di Giuseppe Distefano
https://www.exibart.com/danza/nel-labirinto-del-minotauro-interiore-al-teatro-rifredi-di-firenze/

recensione di Dolores Pesce
http://www.dramma.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32153:il-labirinto-il-mito-di-arianna-e-il-minotauro&catid=40:articoli&Itemid=12

 

Lula Abicca e Giuseppe Distefano  per Sipario.it
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