Geographies of Gesture
Bodies in Transit between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic - The body as geography, the gesture as trace
An International Network Project
Geographies of Gesture is an international project of choreographic research, creation, and transmission, developed across Europe and the Americas and supported by the Italian Ministry of Culture – Boarding Pass Plus Programme 2026/2027. The project is conceived as a collaborative network connecting choreographic centres, festivals, academic institutions, and independent contexts, activating an ecosystem of artistic research that spans territories, practices, and communities.
Partners
• Radialsystem / Sasha Waltz & Guests – Berlin (Germany)
• UNAM – Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México o DAJU – Compañía Juvenil de Danza de la UNAM – Mexico City (Mexico)
• Festival Time to Dance / Latvian Academy of Culture – Riga (Latvia)
• Pôle 164 – Marseille (France)
• Centre National de la Danse (CND) – Lyon (France)
• La Normal – Centro Coreográfico – Córdoba (Spain)
• Conservatorio de Córdoba – Spain
• Unity Consciousness Arts Festival – Vancouver (Canada)
A network that brings together leading international institutions, creation spaces, festivals, and universities, fostering continuous dialogue between artistic practices and educational contexts.
Project Vision
The project is conceived and directed by Francesca Lettieri, choreographer and co-artistic director of Compagnia ADARTE, and unfolds as a journey connecting the Mediterranean and the Atlantic through bodies, languages, and artistic practices.
At the core of the research:
• the body as a space of transit
• the gesture as trace and writing in motion
• dance as a device for connecting territories
Geographies of Gesture constructs a living map made of:
• places
• bodies
• communities
Project Structure
The project operates at the intersection of:
• choreographic creation (a new production)
• research on creative processes
• training and transmission (with a focus on young dancers)
• the development of a stable international network of partners
Each phase contributes to the development of a final choreographic work, while simultaneously activating reflection on creative processes and modes of transmitting gesture.
Research, Training and Exchange
Geographies of Gesture develops as an international laboratory based on dialogue:
• between established artists and young dancers
• between artistic practices and academic contexts
• between theory and choreographic practice
The project includes:
• artistic residencies
• workshops and laboratories
• public sharings
with a focus on the analysis of creative processes and the transmission of knowledge in contemporary dance.
International Mobility (2026–2027)
The project unfolds between 2026 and 2027, across multiple artistic and academic contexts.
Main Stages:
June 2026 – Riga (Latvia)
Festival Time to Dance
Choreographic research workshops and performance presentation
2027 – Mexico City (Mexico)
UNAM
Academic workshops, residency, and performance
in collaboration with DAJU
2027 – Berlin (Germany)
Radialsystem / Sasha Waltz & Guests
Artistic residency with final showing
2027 – Marseille and Lyon (France)
Pôle 164 + Centre National de la Danse
Residency, research, and dialogue with the French choreographic scene
2027 – Córdoba (Spain)
La Normal – Centro Coreográfico
Residency, performance, and collaboration with the Conservatory
June 2027 – Siena / Tuscany (Italy)
Ballo Pubblico – International Festival of Contemporary Dance
Public presentations and national dissemination
June–July 2027 – Vancouver (Canada)
Unity Consciousness Arts Festival
Residency and performance
Artistic Direction and Coordination
Artistic Direction: Francesca Lettieri
Coordination and Organisation: Compagnia ADARTE
