Gioacchino Starace’s Moving Threads of Expression

MILAN, ITALY — A rising force within Italy’s new wave of virtuoso artists, Gioacchino Starace is fast becoming one of the most recognisable figures in contemporary ballet. Born in Naples and raised in the district of Pianura, he discovered dance early and began formal training at the age of 10 at a private school in the city.

Determined to pursue a professional path, he went on to study at the Dance School of the San Carlo Theatre in Naples before moving to the Dance School of the Rome Opera House, graduating in 2015. After a brief stint with the Corps de Ballet of the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Starace joined the prestigious company at Milan’s La Scala.

At La Scala, he has danced an extensive range of classical and contemporary roles and has worked with some of the world’s leading choreographers, including David Dawson, William Forsythe, Mauro Bigonzetti, Hans van Manen, John Neumeier, Wayne McGregor and Heinz Spoerli. He has also shared the stage with luminaries such as Roberto Bolle, Svetlana Zakharova, Alina Cojocaru, Alessandra Ferri and Polina Semionova.

Below, GLASS sits down for five minutes with the dancer shaping Italy’s ballet horizon.

How has the past year been for you?

It has been a very enjoyable and intense season. Above all the performances, the revival of Béjart’s Boléro certainly stands out: Dancing Boléro is an all-encompassing experience. It’s a physical and mental test, a hypnotic crescendo in which the body becomes the voice of the music. Every time I climb onto that red table, I feel like I am entering a sacred space: you are alone, but at the same time supported by a powerful collective energy. Ravel’s music grabs you, pushes you, ignites you – and you become rhythm, flesh, breath. It’s a role that cannot simply be “performed”: you have to live it, burn it, offer it.

And after years, being able to perform it again was a huge gift. I rediscovered new nuances in myself, new expressive urgencies. Because Boléro is always the same and yet different every time. It is like being reborn in the fire. And then Caravaggio. Unlike Boléro, which I had never even dreamed of being able to perform, Caravaggio was one of my dreams since childhood.

What is your first memory of dance?

It dates back to my first day of rehearsal at a private school. I was young, shy, very embarrassed… and in a class full of girls, there were only two boys.  But it didn’t take long to realise that this was my place, my world. From that day on, I never left.

Who were your biggest inspirations while growing up?

My first dance teacher. She was a key figure: she always encouraged me to push my limits, to give my all, to never settle for less. She taught me to believe in myself and to dream big.

Could you unpack the performance that changed your life forever?

I can’t point to a single performance that changed my life. Rather, it has been a journey made up of many steps: rehearsal after rehearsal, show after show, each experience has left me with something, shaped me, and made me grow. It is the combination of all those moments, one after the other, that has brought me to where I am today.

And how about the choreographer that truly resonates with you?

I have a special affinity with Mauro Bigonzetti. There is a deep mutual respect, and working with him is always a stimulating experience. He makes me feel at ease, he gives me space to express myself freely, and this is a fundamental element for me.

Has the meaning and impact of dance changed over the last few years, or has it stayed the same from the start?

Like everything else in life, my relationship with dance has evolved. As I grew up, changed and matured, my way of perceiving it, experiencing it and feeling emotions through movement also changed.  Yet, despite all the transformations, dance has remained a constant, an essential pillar in my life.

Speaking about career feats: what have been the biggest pinch-me moments thus far?

There have been several, but some remain truly indelible. One above all: the first time I danced at the Arena di Verona in 2018. Roberto Bolle (in Bolle and Friends) invited me to dance with him in Jiří Bubeníček’s pas de trois ‘Canon in D major’ by Jiří Bubeníček. It was a very powerful emotion. I felt very small in that immense space, with 20,000 people around me. Then last year I returned, by myself, as principal dancer in Aida 1913. The Arena is a magical place; it overwhelms you, it amplifies you. It’s one of those stages you never forget.

And how about your lowest moments?

As in any artistic and human journey, there have been periods of doubt, fatigue and fragility. Sometimes your body doesn’t respond the way you want it to; other times it’s your mind that tests you. There have been moments when I questioned everything, when I wondered if I was doing the right thing. But it was precisely in those moments that I discovered my strength, my determination, and the deep love I have for this art.  

Moving on to lighter territory: are there any performances you’re looking forward to?

I can’t wait to return to the stage at La Scala for Forsythe this November, and with Caravaggio at the Teatro Regio in Turin from 27 November and in Genoa from 4 December. Two very different shows, but both very rich from an artistic and personal point of view.

by Chidozie Obasi