Davide Di Giovanni is no stranger to embracing the art of movement and motion, boasting a career on the stage that has always left his audiences echoing for an encore. His art has travelled across the world with him, working with the likes of Balletto dell'Esperia, Sydney Dance Company and Paris Opera Ballet, while also making notable appearances across film sets and fashion week runways. Realising that he had the power to challenge traditional boundaries of dance, Davide founded New Old Now Co, a dance company created to explore contemporary performance, question systemic dance norms and embrace the beauty of the unfamiliar and subversive. NON remains an ever emerging artistic collective led by David’s expertise, bringing new life, new art and new stories to the Australian dance scene.
While Davide takes a brief pause from the stage and enjoys the Italian summer, we sat down with him to discover the world of dance that has so heavily influenced our newest collection.
What does your pre-performance ritual look like?
I like taking care of my body and practicing my ballet training or yoga every time I prepare for a show. A ballet warm-up is the best I can do anytime I want to dance. It gives me strength and coordination. After that I usually practice improvisation and move my body with my needs. I usually play some music and I move with it as I want, with no clear direction, allowing myself to feel the moment and take what comes from it. Some days I have more energy and some days I am more tired. Being a dancer is looking for the balance inside myself and dealing with the energy that surrounds me and my muscles.
I usually do my own makeup. Since I left Europe where I used to have a makeup department in the theatre I have been learning to do my own makeup. At the moment I like always looking very natural and fresh, unless I have any specific make up direction that I need to follow.
What does dance, the stage and the theatre mean to you?
Dance means everything to me. Since I was a little kid I couldn't stop myself moving when there was music around. My mum was a musician and I was lucky to be around music all day, so I developed my own body language, and then when I was ready to learn the techniques I left my own little town to go to Florence and learn ballet and contemporary dance. Here I learnt about the theatre and stage, and they became a part of my life - a home where I could explore my thoughts, dreams and feelings. It’s like talking to the audience through my body and sharing movements with lots of people and friends. It’s the place to be.
How would you describe the adrenalin and feeling of performing a piece of choreography on the stage?
It is always a special and interesting feeling and there is always something that makes the moment of performance unique. Before I go on stage I always feel like it is the last time I will dance, but also somehow the first time as well. I never know what is going to happen on stage or how the audience will respond to my dance, so it is unknown and uncertain, which makes the moment very special.
Dealing with adrenaline is a very common point in a dancer, especially because the muscles can play a different role in the dance. Finding calmness and quiet is probably the hardest thing to do but I personally love the feeling of the adrenaline inside me. It gives me the push to go and express myself in front of thousands of people.
When performing my own choreography the adrenaline is even higher because I put all of myself on display to the audience. When dancing for another choreographer, I allow myself to be part of someone else’s thoughts and so the feeling is very different.
What does our collection, La Danse, conjure for you?
It brings back memories of myself dancing L'Après-midi d'un faune. I was only 20 when I first approached the world of Le Ballet Russe, working on a contemporary version of the Nijinsky choreography by the Italian choreographer Eugenio Scigliano. Le Ballet Russe was one of my favourite things I studied in school and nowadays is still one of the most beautiful inspirations and references to come back to. In this collection lines and curves connect to movements in harmony, a very special image to dance.
What has been your favourite ballet to witness so far and where was it performed?
My favourite ballet is called ‘La Petit Mort’ by Jiří Kylián, done for Nederlands Dans Theater in 1991. It is the most beautiful and timeless piece I have ever seen in dance.
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