concept, choreography Sofia Nappi
choreography assistant Adriano Popolo Rubbio
performers Evan Bescon, Glenda Gheller, India Guanzini, Sem Houmes, Paolo Piancastelli, Senne Reus
music Chopin, Dead Combo, Engler
lighting Alessandro Caso
sound design Ed Mars & Sofia Nappi
costumes Judith Adam
production Komoco, Sosta Palmizi
co-production Burghof Lörrach (DE), Danse Danse Montreal (CA), ecotopia dance productions (DE), Escher Theater (LU), MART Foundation (USA), ROXY Ulm (DE), Tanz Köln (DE), Theater Winterthur (CH), Tollhaus Karlsruhe(DE)
tour management ecotopia dance productions
with the residency support of ResiDance – azione del Network Anticorpi XL / Centro di Residenza della Toscana (Armunia – Capotrave/Kilowatt); Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Colonia e del MiC-Direzione Generale Spettacolo
within the frame of the international residency programme of the NID Platform
Duration 55 min.
Pupo is inspired by the character of Pinocchio, Collodi’s famous work on the metamorphosis of the puppet who dreams of becoming a child. Far from a didactic narration, Pupo investigates the theme of growth and awareness, of how an innocent and curious child begins to interact with the world, always putting himself at stake in his relationship with others and with his own limits. In his growth path, the protagonist faces his first temptations and external manipulations, learning to accept and forgive even his own mistakes and weaknesses through kindness, the power of forgiveness and the guidance of master figures. The story of the puppet becomes a symbol of a perennial attempt to become the best version of oneself. Pupo is an invitation not to forget the child within us, the impulsive and playful wooden puppet that we once were, the exuberant and uncontainable desire to dance.
Directed by Raffaella Giordano and Giorgio Rossi, Sosta Palmizi was founded in the 1990s, following the disbanding of the original historic group based in Turin. For more than twenty years it has been based in Cortona, where it has become a solid artistic reference point for dancers and choreographers in the field of contemporary choreographic creativity. It involves numerous choreographers and performers and creates, in an authentic and organic manner, a stable nucleus of Associated Artists with different backgrounds and origins but similar in poetic and research. Its production activity is rooted in the valorisation of creative processes and in the sustainability of new works, supported through virtuous collaborations and co-productions with cultural institutions in contemporary dance and other fields of the performing arts, both in Italy and internationally. At the same time, it fosters openness to new touring contexts, encounters with diverse audiences, and parallel training activities aimed at audience engagement.
Sofia Nappi, Italian choreographer with international collaborations. Since 2020, she is the founder and artistic director of Komoco. From the very beginning her work has been recognised with major awards, at the 2021 RIDCC in Rotterdam and at the Choreography Competition in Hannover. Her creations are presented in Italy, across Europe, and overseas, hosted by prestigious institutions and international festivals such as the Venice Biennale, MasDanza, Colors International Dance Festival, Teatros del Canal, Madrid en Danza, and Belgrade Dance Festival. Nappi also develops new works for renowned companies including the National Theatre Mannheim, Staatsoper Hannover, Scottish Dance Theatre, Göteborg Opera, and NDT 2. Her artistic journey has been strongly shaped by her close contact with Hofesh Shechter Company and the Gaga technique.
