STEFFI SCHERZER

After her training at the State Ballet School Berlin, Steffi Scherzer went to the German State Opera Berlin. Due to her exceptional dancing and artistic abilities, the government awarded her in 1984 the official title of “Prima Ballerina”.

She has danced the leading parts and title roles of the entire classical and neoclassical repertoire. Steffi has won numerous major prizes and awards at both national and international ballet competitions, such as the bronze medal in the International Ballet Competition in Varna and the
Individual Excellent Performance Price in Osaka and first prizes in National Competitions.

She received many acclaimed performing arts and critics awards for her outstanding performances and interpretations among others in “Swan Lake” and “Giselle”.
She was also awarded the Arts Medal of her country.

She has made guest appearances around the world and has worked with many of the most renowned
choreographers such as Rudolf Nurejev, Patrice Bart, Maurice Béjart, William Forsythe, Pierre Lacotte, Roland Petit, Uwe Scholz, Laszlo Seregi, Youri Vamos and Tom Schilling.

1998 she featured as Odette/Odile in the German State Opera Ballet’s Swan Lake choreographed by Patrice Bart and conducted by Daniel Barenboim, the production was broadcast live on television and in cinemas and were available on DVD. In 1999, she appeared together with her partner Oliver Matz in the French television production of the Grand Pas de Deux Don Quixote.

Roland Petit invited her to dance the leading part of his ballet Sleeping Beauty on the tour of his Company through Japan. She was invited to the dance with the Bavarian State Ballet, the Stuttgart and the World Ballet Festival in Japan.

In 2003 she was appointed an “Honorary Member of the German State Opera” for her lifetime achievement.
After ending her artistic career Steffi Scherzer together with her partner Oliver Matz accepted an invitation by Zurich’s University of Music and Drama to establish the professional stage dance education in Switzerland. Under their direction, Zurich Dance Academy, over the years had become a
most reputable dance education and training organizations in the world.

Besides her duties and responsibilities as artistic director and a truly expert in the field of classical ballet she served very successfully as an exceptional teacher for classical dance, pointe work and classical repertoire.

Many of her former students have won top prizes at major international ballet competitions and are engaged at world-renowned companies.
Her international activities also include master classes as well as the service as jury member at international ballet competitions around the globe.
Since 2022 she carries on supporting young international dance talents as a freelancer and thus continue to contribute to the preservation of ballet as an art form.

FRANCESCO MANGIAPANE 

Nasce a Firenze nel 1987. Conclusa una prima formazione presso la scuola del Balletto di toscana si perfeziona presso l’Accademia nazionale di danza di Roma, conseguendo la Laurea in Discipline coreutiche (110 Cum Laude) con il progetto di video-danza contemporanea dal titolo – Chroma Key – esposto successivamente presso la galleria d’arte contemporanea, Treespace Gallery (Londra). 

Danza in coreografie di: Ismael Ivo, Alessandro Bigonzetti, Ranko Yokoyama, Joseph Fontano, Michele Pogliani, Enrica Palmieri, ed altri celebri coreografi nel panorama internazionale. Docente di tecnica della danza contemporanea e composizione coreografica dal 2006, collabora con alcune tra le più prestigiose realtà formative italiane ed estere, con le quali riscuote importanti successi a Festival e competizioni presenti sul panorama Europeo. ( Dancer at Work, Kaos BDF, Balletto di Toscana, Accademia Internazionale coreutica, Dance Studio Faenza, Opus Ballet … ) 

Crea inoltre video e cortometraggi per il teatro, tra i più recenti: Le corps de l’actris, Slum – Bassifondi (Maxim Gorkij). Nel 2021 fonda la compagnia di danza contemporanea, Rame dance phylum, per cui crea: Amorìa – Orbruo ( Premio Teatro il Moderno) – Resist them, resist my people (Love is Love – USA ) Mormora (Solo Coreografico ‘21 Tunisia) – De Causis Naturae – Fragments of the woods – I was born flower.