BCURIOUS · PROFESSIONAL

with Maud de la Purification | Zappalà Danza

MoDem is the choreographic language that Compagnia Zappalà Danza and choreographer Roberto Zappalà have developed and codified in recent years.
The workshop on the MoDem language is based on the three texts written by the choreographer himself: “Corpo devoto”, “Corpo etico”, and “Corpo istintivo”, collected in a single text titled OMNIA CORPORA, in which Roberto Zappalà outlines his considerations and reflections regarding his approach to choreography. The text contains notes and analyses related to the constructive process of the choreographer’s creative work.

The more physical section of the workshop, led by Maud de la Purification, focuses on strengthening both the body and the mind through intense and powerful muscular work. The MoDem language is based on simple principles related to flows and harmonies, which the body practices daily through a methodology that also encourages contamination among the members of the workgroup.
The joints and various sections of the body are selected and developed with work aimed at revealing the infinite possibilities of movement that the limbs possess, both internally and externally, and that can be explored, invented, and multiplied day by day. The animalistic aspect of the body is an essential element in Zappalà’s work, as is instinct, in which an apparent imperfection is identified. Both instinct and imperfection are added values in the movement vocabulary of the choreographer.

Workshop direction

Born in 1983 in France, after training at the National School of Marseille and the National Conservatory of Toulouse, she worked with the Ballet National of Marseille and the Ballet du Capitole of Toulouse. Between 2006 and 2009, she collaborated with the Nederlands Dans Theater II in the Netherlands, Sidra Bell in New York, and Hiroaki Umeda in Berlin. She began her collaboration with the Compagnia Zappalà Danza in 2011 as a dancer, participating in most of the company’s productions up to the present. She took part in the project Three Times Rebel by Marina Mascarell, in 2017. She is an assistant to Roberto Zappalà and a teacher of the MoDem language. In recent years, she has started her own choreographic journey, with works such as Siamo for CZD2 – compagniazappalàdanza2.
Maud was awarded in 2024 the Danza&Danza Prize as Best Dancer in Italy.

Scenario Pubblico/Compagnia Zappalà Danza is a Centre of National Relevance for Dance. This recognition was granted in 2022, marking the culmination of the long history of the Compagnia Zappalà Danza and its founder Roberto Zappalà; 35 years of activity marked by international successes and 23 years ago the establishment of an avant-garde space, Scenario Pubblico, which, together with MoDem, the choreographic language of the company, quickly changed the perception of dance in Sicily.

Scenario Pubblico was founded – as Italy’s first choreographic center – thanks to the vision of artistic director Roberto Zappalà and private and European Union fundings. The center carries out various activities: production, programming, hosting a rich dance season and an international Festival, residencies with the ACASA call, workshops, meetings, dance videomaking, publications, making the space a place where dance can express all its potential. The center also produces the young company CZD2, formed by dancers chosen through the MoDem PRO program.
A leading company in the Italian dance scene for over 35 years, Compagnia Zappalà Danza is a bearer of Roberto Zappalà’s artistic thought. It stands out for its vast and diverse repertoire, the result of the collaborative work between the choreographer, his dramaturg of reference Nello Calabrò, and the dancers who over the years have contributed to the creation of over 80 productions, mostly full-length works, hosted by theaters and international festivals worldwide. The company has received numerous awards and boasts a wide network of national and international partners.