Where
ZfinMalta National Dance Company, Valletta, Malta View map
Every month ŻfinMalta opens its doors to local and international professional dance artists and students following vocational training to join the ŻfinMalta dancers during their morning practice.
Ticket sales finished!
Ticket sales for ŻfinMalta's January Company Open Classes unfortunately have now finished! The last day of this event was on Friday 19-Jan-2024. Ticket sales ended at Friday 19-Jan-2024 12:00.
Description
4 - 8 December 2023, 10:00 – 11:15
Ballet with Vincenzo Capezzuto
For the first week of Company Open Classes for 2024 ŻfinMalta are excited to host guest artist Vincenzo Capezzuto, assistant choreographer to ‘Cantata’ premiering as part of ŻfinDays 2024.
Vincenzo’s morning ballet class routine is based on the combination of different styles and all of them have a common denominator: the music.
“The music is not just there to accompany the movements but it becomes the tool we use to communicate, and draw in the space around us. Music helps to let yourself go, to be creative, to express ourselves even through a simple ballet sequence. Working on musicality, from the bar, develops your sense of dynamics and makes your movements even more interesting and thrilling.”
About Vincenzo Capezzuto
Assistant to choreographer Mauro Bigonzetti and former soloist of Aterballetto, Teatro San Carlo and Ballet Argentino. After graduating at the San Carlo Opera House Ballet School in Naples, he joined the company of the same theater as a soloist. Between 1998 – 2005 he performed and toured as a soloist and principal dancer in a multitude of productions with the English National Ballet, Teatro San Carlo Opera House, The Ballet Argentino and ultimately the the Aterballetto ballet company with which he collaborated for a further 7 years interpreting ballets and creations by M. Bigonzetti, W. Forsythe, J. Kylian, E. Scigliano, O. Naharin and touring in Australia , New Zealand, China, United States, Germany, Austria, Greece, Finland, France, Italy, Switzerland, Serbia and others.
During the Aterballetto years, Vincenzo was invited, as a guest dancer, by
the MMCompany directed by Michele Merola with whom he performed in the ballets
created for him among others: “I want to be free” dedicated to Rudolf Nureyev,
“Kasina35”, “If he ever came back”, “Half of the Shadow”, ” Maps of lost lovers
”. Throughout his career as a dancer he
was invited to participate in the International Dance Galas by Vittoria
Ottolenghi in the Spoleto Marathon and the Todi Festival, by Alessandra Ferri
in the Gala “Ballet stars in the world” by Maximiliano Guerra in the “Gala
Nureyev” at the Gala Red Cross of Udine.
He has received many international awards like “Leonide Massine-Positano” the “Roscigno Danza” as best dancer of the year 2005, “Giuliana Penzi” prize for his career, “TOYP” award for the spreading of art in the world.
As assistant to Mauro Bigonzetti he has staged his ballets and worked with Lithuanian National Ballet Company, Staatstheater Nürenberg, Theater Hagen, YAGP (Youth America Grand Prix) Valencia Dancing Forward Company e ‘La Cita de la danza’ in Benicassìm Spain.
He was invited as a judge at the YAGP Youth America Grand Prix together with Joaquin de Luz, Nacho Duato and Elisabeth Platel.
15 – 19 January 2024, 10:00 – 11:15
Ballet with Brenda Lee Grech
Brenda Lee’s company class is fast paced, focusing on technical precision as well as fluidity, within the framework of classical ballet structures. Her classes provide a safe and positive environment where dancers are encouraged to challenge their technical and artistic abilities, all whilst prioritizing timing and musicality.
About Brenda Lee Grech
Maltese artist Brenda Lee Grech, has an internationally established portfolio career as a dancer and choreographer. She has worked professionally in various capacities with internationally renowned companies; Ballet d’Europe, Marseille (2006 -2007), Scottish Ballet, Glasgow (2008 – 2014), Rambert, London (2014 – 2021) and Punchdrunk - The Burnt City production, London (2022 – 2023). Her tv credits include appearing as the lead Swan in the Netflix series Peaky Blinders, as well as a choreographer for the Hallmark movie, The Dancing Detective: A deadly Tango. She has also appeared as the head judge in the Maltese television talent show Brillanti for the 2023 dance series and featured as a solo artist for award winning musician Sting, at the London Palladium concert.
Throughout her career Brenda Lee has collaborated on a number of new creations with some of the most established names within the industry and performed repertoire ranging from the great classics to contemporary works by F. Ashton, K. MacMillian, G. Balanchine, M.Cunningham, J.Kylian, W. Forsyth, M. Bourne, W. McGregor, S. Eyal, H. Schecter, A. Foniadakis, S.L.Cherkaoui, to mention but a few. She has toured and performed in a number of theatres and international festivals in the US, Europe, Asia and Australia; amongst these are the prestigious Mariinsky theatre in Russia, Shanghai Grand Theatre and a large number of performances at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London.
Brenda has pioneered the development of the Rambert Home studio classes. Subsequently, she became an integral part of the education teaching faculty and contributed as a regular guest teacher for both Rambert 2 and Rambert’s professional classes. She has taught workshops for Scottish Ballet, Ballet Central, Rambert and the University of Malta. She has also mentored youth dance companies SBYC3 and Quicksilver.
Brenda Lee has joined ZfinMalta as Ballet Master for ZfinDays’ double bill, rehearsing the company for Mauro Bigonzetti’s Cantata and Ambra Senatore’s Aringa Rossa.10 under the Artistic Direction of Paolo Mangiola.
Age: 18+*
We consider participation from younger individuals on a case-to-case basis, usually accepting requests from participants pursuing vocational training. Interested participants under the age of 18 may contact martina.d.zammit@zfinmalta.mt in advance of booking their tickets.
Cost: €10 per session / 5 sessions for €35 (booking fees apply)
On purchasing the 5-session package for these weeks, we kindly ask you to contact martina.d.zammit@zfinmalta.mt to confirm the dates you'll be attending.
Participants attending classes must fill out ŻfinMalta Participation form in advance of attendance: https://forms.gle/YqxM9DJTahcZ1uGH9
Please check out our Class Policy prior to attending classes and for further details.