Fairy-tale of Childhood

Michele Abbondanza studied dance art in New York with Alwin Nikolais and Merce Cunningham in the beginning of the 1980s. After returning to Italy he joined Carolyn Carlson’s dance troupe of the 'Teatro e Danza Le Fenice' in Venice. In 1984 he founded, together with other dancers, the company ‘Sosta Palmizi'. In 1987 he started teaching in the Academy of Dramatic Art in Bologna, and after a year collaborates with Carolyn Carlson in Paris. There he met the dancer Antonella Bertoni. who studied with Dominique Dupon, Jean Sebron and Lindsey Kemp. Their acquaintance started a creative collaboration, which lasts to the present day. In their activity M. Abbondanza and A. Bertoni combine work in choreography and cinema (they participated in some films by Bernardo Bertolucci). In December 1995 they founded the company Abbondanza/Bertoni. Productions: ‘Mozart Hotel', 'The Fairy Tale of Childhood’ (the performance has received the prestigious Italian theatre award 'Stragatgato') etc. In 1997 they headed the dance theatre workshop for invalids at the theatre Arena del Sol in Bologna. In parallel M. Abbondanza and A. Bertoni have participated in many musical improvisations with such musicians as John Surman, Steve Luisi, Michel Portal and others. At present A. Bertoni is engaged in children's dance theatre studios and M. Abbondanza teaches the art of dance at the Theatre School of Giorgio Strehler at the Piccolo Teatro di Milano.