Fellini films translated into fascinating dances

Film maker Federico Fellini is regarded as “a national treasure of Italy and a respected master the world over.” An analyst summarizes some traits of Fellini as revealed by his films. Among them are his eccentricities which his characters demonstrate, his penchant for absurd, clownish humor, his poetic vein.

His films are in the neo-realist tradition, and sometimes are surrealistic, creating various characters of Italian society, and a wealth of unforgettable images. One film moves with the logic of a dream-fragmentary; at times the films are incomprehensible and ending, literally, in the middle of a sentence.

“Satyricon” (1970) is unusually sensuous. In 8 1/2, surreal dream imagery clearly dominates with no clear demarcation between fantasy and reality.

His most surreal picture (“Intervista”) is full of last-minute thoughts alternately strange and sad — an appropriate post-script to a film career filled with laughter and wonder at the bizarre circus of life.

How did choreographer, conceptualizer, director Monica Casadei translate and convey, through dance, the traits and characteristics of Fellini’s films? The Italian Compagnia Artemis Danza’s three ballerinas and three danseurs keep changing their personalities through Casadei's fusion of modern dance, ballet, acrobatics with her own inventive, innovative, distinctive style.

Fellini’s eccentricities were apparent in quirky head turns, jerky arm and leg movements, angular poses, with the ballerinas pointing their feet upward in acrobatic lifts. One ballerina did the pas de bouree on her knees which was most difficult to do.

The film maker’s poetic vein was revealed in the opening and closing pas de deux interpreted in modern dance that was heavily balletic, and more significantly, in a ballerina’s solo to Saint-Saens’ “The Swan”. Here, her fluid grace and infinitely slow movements were pure poetry, calling to mind the great Russian ballerinas of the past who floated dreamily in “The Dying Swan”.

Other dances were likewise to classic music other than the melodies of Nino Rota. One score was to the beat of the rhumba. The predominant style was a consistent fusion of modern dance and classic ballet. With regard to the latter, the ballerinas in bare feet often simulated dancing en pointes. As to Fellini’s incomprehensible films, some dances seemed inconclusive.

Fellini’s flight of fancy and flair for the flamboyant were consistently demonstrated through imaginative and eccentric choreography which was alternately earthy or air-bound, with dancers rolling on the floor or being lifted heaven-ward.

Clownish humor and life-long love of the circus were strongly suggested by the funny hats and head-dresses worn by the dancers in some of the acrobatic mimed sequences.

Fellini’s caricatures were shown on film and the orchestra rehearsal was a metaphor for Italian politics whose members are not in harmony with each other (very much like our own!).

Fellini’s caricatures of women with exaggeratedly huge bosoms and buttocks did not tickle my risibilities. Translating these caricatured figures, both the ballerinas and the danseurs onstage pranced about in costumes that gave them the illusion of having huge bosoms. The metaphor or satire was heightened when the superimposed bosoms were exposed as balloons! That could have been Casadei’s attempt to convey Fellini’s “bizarre circus of life”.

In sum, what was highly impressive was the tour de force of the six dancers who exhibited unflagging, extraordinary vigor, vibrance, vitality and energy in graceful, awkward, angular, sensuous movements or poses. They executed widely-ranging sequences that shifted from traditional to free-wheeling modern dance interpreted to similarly diverse music.

From where he was, Federico Fellini must have lustily applauded dancers Vittorio Colella, Melissa Cosseta, Gloria Dorliguzzo, Nicola Marrapodi, Sara Muccioli and Emanuele Serrechia, and most of all, Monica Casadei whose fascinating choreography left a strong emotional impact on the viewers.

Italian Ambassador Luca and Silvana Fornari and Rustan’s Nedy Tantoco headed the audience.