Luca Silvestrini, Artistic Director of Protein Dance has been awarded the Premio della Critica by the Associazione Nazionale Critici di Teatro, given annually by Italy’s national association of theatre critics, in particular recognition of his company’s work in championing diversity.
Through Protein’s Real Life Real Dance programme, Silvestrini has created participatory performance opportunities for disadvantaged and disengaged people, including young people in alternative provision schools, hospitals, refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.
Hosting the award ceremony, Guilio Baffi, president of ANCT, said, “Luca Silvestrini’s style of dance theatre combines choreography, text, humour and social commentary to present the everyday in revealing and subversive ways, on- and off-stage, and expresses a renewed sensitivity towards disability in the broad sense of the term, to diversity, to loneliness and shows how much desire there is to feel part of a community by working and creating together and in the latter period even at a distance.”
Silvestrini added, “I am delighted and honoured to have received this prestigious award from my country of origin, Italy. This is a wonderful climax to Protein’s year-long 21st anniversary celebrations, and it’s a great testimony to everything the company has achieved so far. As well as thanking ANCT for their commitment to celebrating our industry at a moment of great challenge and uncertainty, I wish to thank all Protein’s Italian partners and audiences, in particular Marche Teatro for their ongoing and invaluable support.”