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Founded in 2011 in Calabria Italy by Calabria native Antonio Fini, this annual dance festival celebrates Dancers’ Achievements in Service of Arts and Culture, For Joy and Movement! This Notable Event includes a gala performance and presentation of awards to the talented artists in the dance community From Italy and New York, hosted by Milan’s Celebrity Figure, Actress/TV personality Tabata Caldironi.
The 12th Edition of the Annual Fini Dance Festival & Awards – Italian International Dance Award, Calabria – New York took place on August 31st, 2022 at the Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater, New York, in collaboration with Mare Nostrum Elements.
Meet Antonio Fini
“Host and Artistic Director”
Artistic Director of Fini Dance New York. Principal Dancer for the Michael Mao Dance of New York and was special guest for the National Ballet of Kosovo, Martha Graham Dance Company, Erick Hawkins Dance, Long Island Ballet, Staten Island Ballet, Boca Ballet theater and Roi Escudero. Antonio is Special guest judge for Dancing with the Stars Italy. Since 2018 Ambassador of dance as a means of diplomacy for the ACD Agency for Cultural Diplomacy in Vienna. Since 2015 he is recognised by the United States of America in America as a permanent citizen for artistic merits. Antonio Fini’s productions and artistic directors include the Italian International Dance Award in New York, the Tirana Dance Festival, Bulgarian International Dance Festival and the documentary film on Amazon Prime and Rai 5 DANCE the Audition. Keep up to date by connecting on Instagram @antoniofininyc
Meet TABATA CALDIRONI
“Host and Creative Director”
Instagram @tabatacaldironi
Backstage
2022 Awards Recipients
#1 Louise Filippelli Cantrell, founder of Dancing Angels Foundation – Lifetime Achievement Award
Born and raised in New York. With over 10 years business experience, she became an Assistant Vice President at Guy Carpenter & Company. In 2004 she settled in North Carolina and married Edward Cantrell who joined 3rd Special Forces Group. During her husband’s Special Forces career, Louise gave up her career and became a stay at home mother caring for their two daughters Isabella and Natalia. On March 6, 2012 tragedy struck when their home in Hope Mills burned down. Louise survived but her husband Edward and their two daughters perished. Louise wanted to honor and perpetuate the memory of Isabella and Natalia so she created the Dancing Angels Foundation. Louise wants to ensure the memory of Isabella & Natalia continues through dance scholarships awarded to passionate, dedicated dancers. As a Gold Star wife, Louise also works to mentor families of fallen soldiers as well as being involved in other military organizations. www.dancingangelsfoundation.org
#2 Lloyd Knight, principal with Martha Graham Dance Co. – Extraordinary Dancer Award
LUCIFER
Choreography: © Martha Graham (1975)
Originally performed by Rudolf Nureyev
Music: Halim El Dabh
Lighting:Jon Doncker
Principal Dancer: Lloyd Knight
LLOYD KNIGHT was born in England and reared in Miami. Mr. Knight joined the Martha Graham Dance Company in 2005 and was promoted to Principal in 2014. Dance Magazine named Mr. Knight as one of the “Top 25 Dancers to Watch” in 2010. He was picked Best Performer of 2015 by Dance Magazine.
#3 Bianca Delli Priscoll, senior artist with Soloist Ajkun Ballet / Rising Star Award
BLACK FLAME
Choreography: © Antonio Fini
Costume Design: Vito Dionisio Antonio
Lighting: Jon Doncker
Principal Dancer: Bianca Delli Priscoli
BIANCA DELLI PRISCOLI is from Salerno, Italy. Bianca moved to New York 8 years ago. Two years later she was recognized as an artist of extraordinary ability by the United States of America. She has danced for Artestudio Dance company, Forza Malizia dance Company, Bianca Falco/Labilab Company, Saya Spring Dance Theatre and Incanto Production. She also performed works by Adriana Borriello, Robert Garland, Dionne Figgins, Darryl Quinton and Judinne Somerville, performing at multiple venues across New York City and Europe. Her repertoire includes Giselle, Apollon Musagète, Don Quixote, Nutcracker, Les Sylphides, Swan Lake, AnnaKarenina. Bianca is a senior artist at the Ajkun ballet theater, a special guest, teacher and Artistic director for Long Island Ballet theater and guest dancer and teacher for Fini Dance New York.
#4 Angela Valentino, International Makeup Artist – MakeUp Award
Angela Valentino is an Italian Make Up Artist with a strong inclination towards makeup art. Her passion started with the performing arts at high school – Liceo Artistico Caravaggio in Milan, Italy. She collaborated with several theaters and art studios. Angela has been working in high fashion shows in Italy and US (New York) as well as a few international fashion magazines. Her capabilities range from creating sets and costumes for theater, television, projects, advertising and cinema, to the realization of the most beautiful makeup. Angela is living and working in NYC now. www.angie-valentino.com
Breath-taking Performances
#1 Ballet Belvedere (from Calabria) presented a duet choreographed by Maria Marino, danced by Karol and Gabriel Chiapetta, the finalists on Dancing With the Stars in Italy
MARIA MARINO is a director, teacher and choreographer of the Ma.Ma dance company. She is director of the professional training Ballet Studio school in Belvedere, southern Italy. In recent years, with the collaboration of the orthopedist Dr. Belmonte and Dr. Marino, she has created an intelligent work technique for the re-education of dancers that develops a better movement and use of the muscle bands with a greater awareness of the center and of the use of the pelvic muscles: Marino Technique™.
#2 Ballet Eloelle-Grandiva (New York based) presented the all-male comedy ballet company in Odalisque Pas de Trois from Le Corsaire, choreographed by director Victor Trevino to music by Adolphe Adam. Danced by Palomina Carrera, Marianela Moreorless, and Teresa Carino.
Its mission is to create, to present, to preserve, and to extend comedic repertoire of classical and contemporary dancing, through performances of the highest quality, presented to the widest possible audience. Under the artistic direction of Victor Trevino, Ballet Eloelle-Grandiva is committed to the core art form of ballet and promoting it through the comedic tradition of male comedy ballet.
#3 Dzul Dance (New York based) Javier Dzul and Miriam Barbosa appeared in a duet.
Javier Dzul – Dzul Dance Artistic Director, he grew up in the jungles of southern Mexico performing Mayan ritual dance until the age of 16. In 1989 Javier was awarded another scholarship by Martha Graham to study at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance. He established Dzul Dance in 2003. Javier and his company have been featured by National Public Radio, Univision’s Despierta America, American Latino, Bloomberg TV, NY1 & CUNY TV.
Miriam Barbosa – Contemporary Dancer, Teacher & Choreographer. She has founded Miriam Barbosa Dance formerly known as South Carolina Contemporary Dance Company since 2007 choreographing and performing worldwide. Transcending & Bliss is an extended version of her original choreographic collaboration with Javier Dzul to live music and visual arts, as an inclusive uplifting experience to the viewers and it was inspired by her healing journey.
#4 Fini Dance Company (Calabria & NY) presenting Memories of Tirana, danced by Antonio Fini and Nina Chong-Jimenez.
#5 Turin Tap Dance (Turin Italy) appeared in a trio danced by Davide Accossato, Martina Barone, and Allegra Schwerdtfeger.
DAVIDE ACCOSSATO is a tap dancer teacher and choreographer director of Turin Tap Festival, an event that
brings opportunities to Italian artists. Davide teaches in different cities in Italy, at Steps on Broadway in New York and escuela de dansa LUTHIER” in Barcelona.
#6 Fini Dance Company
#7 Fini Dance Junior Company in a work by Danielle Marie Fusco.
#8 MC URBAN PROJECT NEW YORK
CARLO ANTONIO MATRONE aka Carlos, is a teacher, choreographer and professional hip hop dancer. Born in Sarno, lives in Naples with his partner Deborah Romano, singer and dancer with whom he shares his artistic life. In 2017 he began his collaboration with Antonio Fini where he became a judge and teacher for “The Auditions”. A program that became a documentary “Dance The Audition” for cultural TV(Rai5) and Amazon Prime.
MARIO NOCERA is a choreographer who lives in Salerno with his wife and children, already a freelance dancer and choreographer Artistic Director of the dance project of the crew of the U.l. and several national events. Mario is delighted to be engaged with Carlos Marrone for the M.C urban project New York and his collaboration with Fini Dance New York.
#9 Lloid Knight
GALA
DANIELLE MARIE FUSCO “Fini Dance Italian international Dance Award Guest Choreographer” Originally from NY. Her participation within the industry is extensive and diverse with over 20 years of professional experience. www.daniellemariefusco.com
Connect with Antonio Pio Fini
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