Pasolini 100: A tribute to Pier Paolo Pasolini

Mario Gaglione, a professional dancer with Joburg Ballet, has over the last few years emerged as a notable choreographic voice in the South African dance landscape.

On Tuesday 17 October 2023 Gaglione and his small company of four dancers will present his own production Pasolini 100 – his tribute to poet, filmmaker, writer and intellectual Pier Paolo Pasolini at the Lesedi at Joburg Theatre for two performances at 17h00 and 19h00. The production was commissioned by the Italian Institute of Culture in 2022 and is now making a comeback.

“Pasolini was assassinated in 1975 and this performance is a tribute to his ever-lasting legacy,” explains Gaglione.

“The ballet represents some of the pivotal points of his life and focuses on the way he viewed the world and its many perspective through the use of movement, dance-theatre, video documentaries and an overall intimate experience that brings the audience in close contact with the man.“

Since joining Joburg Ballet in 2020 as a soloist dancer, the Italian dancer and choreographer Gaglione has had opportunities in and out of the company to expand his choreographic voice. He has been responsible for the choreography of several works and productions and His major works for the company include The Silent Wanderer (Ballet and Beyond, Joburg Ballet 2021), One Last Note (Solo Flight, Joburg Ballet 2021), The Game (Evolve Joburg Ballet  2022), Inferno (commissioned by the Italian Institute of Culture in Pretoria, performed at Market Theatre 2021), The Sunflower’s Tale (Jozi Youth Dance 2022) and Resilio (part of the International Draft Works hosted by the Royal Ballet in 2023).

Four accomplished professional dancers, fellow Joburg Ballet dancers – Chloé Blair, Ivan Domiciano, Monike Cristina and Revil Yon, bring Gaglione’s intense creation vividly to life.