GHOSTLAND

Mauro Astolfi has a choreographic vision that comes to life in the creation of works that embody the purest gestural expressiveness, through classical techniques and hard training: poetry and precision are the basis of the success of his works. After a long period in America, Mauro Astolfi founded Spellbound Contemporary Ballet in 1994, which he still directs together with Valentina Marini. Today, the company continues to inspire many young and emerging choreographers and is a leader on the international scene thanks to the combination of Mauro Astolfi's personal portfolio, the technical excellence of the dancers, and a vision strongly linked to an international dynamic that aims to create a high-profile model focused on the quality of the final production. Astolfi has created over thirty works for Spellbound, which have been successfully performed on four continents. In addition to his numerous productions for the company, Astolfi has also been active for years as a freelance choreographer: he has been invited to create for Israel Ballet in Israel and Incolballet in Colombia for the Cali Contemporary Dance Biennial, Kitonb Extreme Theatre Company, Thatreschool in Amsterdam, Balletto di Roma, Szegedi Kortárs Balett in Hungary, Liepziger Ballet, Ballet Madgdeburg, Ballet Trier, Ballet Augsburg and Giessen Stadtheater and Gärtnerplatztheater in Germany, Ballet Bern St Gallen Ballet in Switzerland, River North Chicago Dance Company, Backhausdance Company in the United States, Arts Umbrella Dance Company and Proartedanza in Canada, Copenhagen Contemporary Dance School, as well as choreography for Michele Guardì's musical Promessi Sposi nd the special project co-funded by MIUR ‘Danza e/è Cultura’ together with Adi Salant, former Associate Director of the Batsheva Dance Company. Alongside his work as a choreographer, Mauro Astolfi is constantly engaged as a guest teacher in major dance centres and, since October 2009, he has also been Artistic Director of the D.A.F. Dance Arts Faculty in Rome. From 2016 to 2018, he was also a guest teacher at the Rome Opera House Ballet School.