Dewey Dell (Italy)

Drawing inspiration from art history and animal behaviour, the performance explores the eternal cycle of life and death. The threshold between the origin of existence and death is often indistinguishable, especially in the world of insects and plants, with the mystery of spring unfolding in a fierce conflict between sound and vision.

This fascinating new work solidifies Dewey Dell's position as one of the most original dance and performing arts companies on the contemporary European scene.

The piece also features an additional prologue and epilogue of a soundscape created by Demetrio Castellucci exclusively for this production.

^{"Dewey Dell’s rewriting of the Rite of Spring is both modern and at the same time, full of archaic resonances. It celebrates the principle of metamorphosis as the driving force of the cosmos. Citing Loïe Fuller’s serpentine dances, with a clever use of masks and disguises, Vito Matera, Teodora, Agata and Demetrio Castellucci have created a powerful, hypnotic show that is just as enchanting as the phantasmagorical féeries of George Méliès films (…). The show updates the original Rite, by skilfully pairing the archaeology of images with contemporary imagery.” - Danza&Danza award as the best Italian dance production in 2023}

^{“Stravinsky ignites a fantastical visual feast (...). The stage a dimly lit cave, as if we’re witnessing the beginnings of life (…). It’s all hazy and mysterious and wonderfully imaginative.}

^{The people behind Dewey Dell are choreographers Teodora and Agata Castellucci, dramaturg and lighting designer Vito Matera, and the composer Demetrio Castellucci, who has written a haunting opening prelude before the Stravinsky kicks in (three of the group are the children of theatre director Romeo Castellucci). But an enthusiastic nod must be given to Guoda Jaruševičiūtė’s inspired costume design (…). At some points what they’re providing is a flickering, glimmering, mutating visual companion to the music, drawn in rhythm, light and texture (…). - Lyndsey Winship, The Guardian ★★★★}

^{“Extraordinary. Italian company Dewey Dell’s take on Stravinsky’s work is insectile, fascinatingly odd and demandingly physical.”  - Siobhan Murphy, The Stage ★★★★}

BIO

Dewey Dell is an Italian dance and performing arts group active since 2006 and now composed by Agata Castellucci, Teodora Castellucci, Vito Matera, and the musician Demetrio Castellucci.

The choreographic research - continuously inspired and nourished by the images of art history and the behaviours of the animal kingdom - brings forward its own path of bold confrontation with archetypes and narrative frames drawn from the ancient world, with the intention of turning the model into a cast for pouring out a current and new essence.

Dewey Dell has created dance works that intersect different art forms, pursuing other lines of experimentation in music performance, video and visual art.

Over the years, Dewey Dell has collaborated with different artists, such as visual artist Yuichi Yokoyama, theatre director Kuro Tanino, graphic designer Clio Casadei, musician Massimo Pupillo (Zu), vocalist Attila Chsihar (Mayhem), sculptor Matteo Lucca and audiovisual installation collective Transforma, among others.

Since 2006 Dewey Dell has created many works: in particular the show Sleep Technique - A Response to the Chauvet Pont d'Arc Cave (2017), nominated for the prestigious German Der Faust Theaterpreis award for choreography, and Le Sacre du Printemps (2023), which won the Danza&Danza award as the best Italian dance production in 2023.

Their work has been presented all over the world in different contexts: Arts House and Melbourne Festival in Australia, Rencontres chorégraphiques internationales de Seine-Saint-Denis and Palais de Tokyo in Paris, La Biennale Danza in Venice, Wesleyan University and Macalester College in the USA, Mime Festival at the Barbican and Purcell Room in London, Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich, l'Arme Festival in Berlin, Steirischer Herbst in Graz, BIT Teatergarasjen in Bergen, Save Party/Arma 17 in Moscow and Khidi Club in Tbilisi, among others.

_CREDITS

_{Original Music: Igor Sravinsky Concept, direction: Dewey Dell - Agata Castellucci, Teodora Castellucci, Vito Matera With: Agata Castellucci, Teodora Castellucci, Alberto “Mix” Galluzzi, NastyDen, Francesca Siracusa Choreography: Teodora Castellucci Dramaturgy, lighting design and stage design: Vito Matera Coreography assistance, production: Agata Castellucci Musical performance: MusicAeterna, directed by Teodor Currentzis Sound design: Demetrio Castellucci Costumes design: Dewey Dell, Guoda Jaruševičiūtė Costumes and props realization: Carmen Castellucci, Vito Matera, Plastikart Studio Set realization: Laboratorio scenografia Pesaro - Lidia Trecento Video documentation: Eva Castellucci, John Nguyen Photography: Andrea Macchia, John Nguyen, Lorenza Daverio Coproduction: Progetto RING (Festival Aperto - Fondazione I Teatri Reggio Emilia, Bolzano Danza - Fondazione Haydn, FOG Triennale Milano Performing Arts, Torinodanza Festival, Teatro Stabile di Torino - Teatro Nazionale), Macalester College/Theatre and Dance Department, BIT Teatergarasjen Associate Partner: Lavanderia a Vapore - Fondazione Piemonte dal Vivo Support: Emilia-Romagna Region and Societas, Teatro Comandini Acknowledgements: Paolo Barbero e Andrea Scardovi}

_{www.deweydell.com}