Lorenzo Guerrini: Redefining Contemporary Dance in New York

Lorenzo Guerrini, a 30-year-old dancer from Florence, Italy, has made a significant mark on New York’s professional dance community since moving to the city in 2021. With a strong foundation in contemporary dance and a growing list of achievements, Guerrini has quickly become recognized for his exceptional artistry and technical skill.

Guerrini is currently a main dancer with the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, an established company known for blending traditional Chinese folk dance with American modern dance. Now in its 37th year, the company is celebrated for its innovative choreography, and Guerrini has played a central role in its signature piece, Way of Five-Fire. In this work, which explores the elemental force of fire through a fusion of Chinese traditional and modern dance, Guerrini performs the lead male solo. His repeated casting in this role reflects his strong connection to the piece and his ability to convey its powerful themes. The work is performed with dramatic red costumes and props designed to evoke the fire element, and Guerrini’s interpretation is central to its emotional depth.

As a lead dancer with the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, Guerrini has toured extensively across the United States, performing in prestigious venues such as the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in California,  the Valentine Theatre in Ohio and the Miller Auditorium in Michigan. He has also performed in cities such as Kalamazoo, Irvine, and Selinsgrove, helping to elevate the company’s profile both nationally and internationally.

In addition to his work with Nai-Ni Chen, Guerrini starred in the show "57", a contemporary theater piece choreographed by Tina Bararian. He performed the main roles in all three sections of the work— a trio, a duet, and a solo. His starring role in these performances showcased his versatility as a dancer and his ability to interpret complex characters through movement. "57" was met with enthusiastic audience responses at the Spark Theater Festival and the International Human Rights Arts Festival, further solidifying Guerrini’s reputation as a dynamic performer.

Guerrini also gained valuable experience as a lead dancer with Graham 2, the junior company of the esteemed Martha Graham Dance Company. His role in this company culminated in a standout performance at The Joyce Theater in April 2023, where he showcased his exceptional technical ability and artistry. One of the most memorable moments of his career came when he collaborated with DIOR for the holiday window display at Saks Fifth Avenue. As the star of Carousel of Dreams, a piece inspired by Martha Graham’s technique, Guerrini’s performance was central to the work’s success. The piece, which incorporated Graham’s signature use of skirts, was made even more visually striking by the collaboration with DIOR, with Guerrini wearing elaborate costumes and receiving extensive makeup and styling for the performance.

In addition to his performance career, Guerrini is a certified teacher of the Martha Graham Technique at the Martha Graham School. He teaches a variety of classes, including Graham technique, contemporary dance, and improvisation, for professional dancers in the school’s intensive programs. Guerrini’s expertise in teaching Graham repertoire and his passion for the art form have made him a respected educator within the New York dance community.

Reflecting on his journey, Guerrini says, “It’s very common to say that you don’t know what you have until the moment you lose it. I never felt how important my culture is to me until I left my country. The way I see the world around me is very Italian—my movements, the way I speak. When I dance, people often tell me, ‘Lorenzo, you are so passionate.’ It’s because of where I’m from, my Italian roots, which I carry with me in everything I do.”

Since arriving in New York in 2021, Guerrini has firmly established himself as a leading dancer and educator in the city’s dance scene. His contributions to both the performance and teaching of contemporary dance continue to enrich New York’s cultural landscape.