Workshop

During this workshop the choreographer will focus on the main creative elements behind his latest productions.

Technically, Calixto will focus on developing an organic sense of movement through a sensitive approach to articulation and physical awareness. Elements such as flow, weight, physical energy and relationship to space are some of the keywords used during the nurturing process of the dancing body. The techniques applied aim to cultivate a very specific, yet flexible dance vocabulary. This approach allows dancers to identify which mechanisms best meet their physical needs and to build on the movement qualities developed during the training process. In the part relating to the choreographer’s creative work, the dancers will be led to combine the training acquired in the first part with a more personal input.

In the realisation of Calixto’s works, the performers are engaged to the maximum of their physical, mental and emotional capacities, immersing themselves completely in a profound universe where inner impulses and strong physicality meet.

To get a glimpse into this universe, participants will be led to explore unconventional physical textures by altering their mindset through a series of intensive exercises.  From there, they will investigate how external elements – such as a coherent musical setting or some other imagery – can have a powerful influence on the creation of unique and personal movement material.

Before fully embracing the world of dance, choreographer Samir Calixto (BR/NL/IT) trained in various artistic disciplines: performing arts, theatre and classical music.

In 2004, when he moved to Europe, he switched definitively to a career as a dancer. After many intense years as a freelance dancer, he started to develop his own work, soon achieving the status of one of the most important names on the Dutch and European dance scene. Among his most important works are ‘Winterreise Tetralogy’ (2021), ‘4 Seasons’ (2014) – nominated for the ‘ZWAAN’, the most important Dutch dance award for choreography of the year, and winner of the first BNG EXCELLENT TALENT AWARD, ‘M’ (2016) co-produced by Korzo Theater and Nederlands Dans Theater, Summa (2018) with the Cello Octet Amsterdam on specially transcribed works by Arvo Pärt, ‘Die Schöne Müllerin’ (2018), for the Dance Company Theater Osnabrück (DE), IN FUGA I (2019), a commission for the Bremen/Hannover company Of Curious Nature, SEEKER※SOLO (2020), DIDO ÆNEAS US & ALL on Purcell’s iconic opera, LA NOCHE ETERNA with the prestigious Black Pencil Ensemble. Among his most recent works is FULGENCE (2025), his second commission for Of Curious Nature.

His work has toured to festivals and theatres in the Netherlands, Italy, France, Germany, Russia, Switzerland, Senegal, South Korea and other countries.

From 2021 Calixto launches Matter Affects, an initiative in collaboration with Stacz Wihelm, former artistic director of the Korzo Theatre. In 2022 he also extends his relationship with Scenario Pubblico (Catania, Sicily) – one of Italy’s leading nationally supported dance centres – for a further period as associate artist.