L’Alliance New York Will Present SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME

L’Alliance New York will present upcoming performances of SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME, a work by Alessandro Sciarroni, on Saturday, February 28 at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, March 1 at 2:00 p.m. at Le Skyroom, located on the eighth floor of L’Alliance New York at 22 East 60th Street in Manhattan. A two-hour public workshop will follow the Sunday performance. Tickets will start at $15.

SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME is a 20-minute duet inspired by Polka Chinata, a nearly forgotten Italian folk dance. Performed by Gianmaria Borzillo and Giovanfrancesco Giannini, the work revisits the form through sustained physical repetition and paired movement, including rotating spins and deep knee bends. The piece reexamines a traditional dance practice through contemporary performance, focusing on endurance, memory, and transmission.

Following the Sunday performance, Borzillo and Giannini will lead a workshop introducing Polka Chinata to the public. Borzillo explained that the workshop is intended for participants of all ages and experience levels and is designed to introduce the dance rather than achieve technical mastery. He noted that the goal of the workshop is to preserve awareness of the form and ensure that it continues to exist through shared knowledge and memory.

The performances and workshop are presented as part of the Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels Festival in New York.

Alessandro Sciarroni is an Italian artist whose work spans performance, visual art, and theater research. His practice often incorporates techniques drawn from dance, circus, and sport, using repetition to explore physical endurance and the relationship between performers and audiences. His work has been presented internationally in theaters, museums, and nontraditional venues across Europe, North America, South America, and Asia. In 2019, Sciarroni received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in Dance from the Venice Biennale and is currently an associate artist of MARCHE TEATRO.

Gianmaria Borzillo, born in Sorrento in 1995, is a dancer, performer, and director who trained at the Civica Scuola di Teatro Paolo Grassi in Milan. His work includes collaborations with Alessandro Sciarroni, Dana Yahalomi and Public Movement, and Antonio Ianniello. He has performed in SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME and AUGUSTO, both by Sciarroni, and has presented original work at festivals including the Venice Biennale. Giovanfrancesco Giannini is a dancer and choreographer who also trained at the Civica Scuola Paolo Grassi and has collaborated with artists and companies including Francesca Foscarini, Dimitris Papaioannou, and Fabbrica Europa. His work has been presented at festivals and venues across Europe and internationally.

SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME is conceived by Sciarroni and performed by Borzillo and Giannini, with artistic collaboration by Giancarlo Stagni. Music is by Aurora Bauzà and Pere Jou, with styling by Ettore Lombardi and technical direction by Valeria Foti. Additional credits include tour technician Cosimo Maggini, curation and consulting by Lisa Gilardino, executive production by Chiara Fava, and communication by Pierpaolo Ferlaino. The production is by MARCHE TEATRO Teatro di Rilevante Interesse Culturale and is co-produced by Santarcangelo Festival, B.Motion, and Festival Danza Urbana.