MILAN, Italy — Jolting pulses of feel-good, cathartic energy into creativity’s talent pool comes with great effect when an artist’s vision is endearing, expansive, and pierced in all the right places.
It’s exactly one of the reasons why dance, with its wealth of sensibilities, is a practice broad enough to enrich the senses and stretch not only technique – but emotions – to far-fetched horizons. To some, the burning desire to begin making steps in a dance room comes from quite early on; however, it’s never too late to manifest a passion.
Photograph: Antonio Crotti
At least not for Filippo Pagani, who age 16, had his very first approach to a rehearsal room. Born in a small town near Bergamo and now hailed in Berlin, he had a box full of fabrics while growing up, which he used to put on. “I played all kinds of music back then,” he recalled, his face filled with excitement. “I was just looking at myself dancing in front of a mirror, having fun as a kid; my mother saw me doing that a few times, and she once asked if I wanted to study dance but I said no because I was scared, coming from a narrow-minded provincial town.”
Pagani’s primary school teacher was a ballet dancer and worked at the school as a PE tutor, encouraging him to take classes, which he refused to attend. “I said no, because in that provincial reality one always thought that being a dancer meant being gay,” he reflects, pausing momentarily. A friend of his spoke to him about a project in a school play, where all he had to execute was a brief dance sequence.
Photograph: Antonio Crotti
“It was so fun!” Pagani exclaimed, “so after that time, I remember I kept doing this project inside school. And then from 14 years old, I decided to do this dance training very seriously.” Pagani started his path in a private school, soon moving to a bigger institution, connected with the smaller one. “I did that at 16, but my classmates were already on a higher level and I wasn’t,” he recalls. “I had no clue of the technique, of the positions or anything at all.”
Fast forward to 2019, he moved to the Berlin State Ballet school and graduated in 2022. “In these three years, the pandemic happened and many things were locked down. So the process of integration and preparation of performances was really, really hard,” he says. “It was also not helpful for me because I joined the ballet world quite late. But it was one of the best periods of my life because I danced every show, every performance, and I met amazing choreographers and dancers in the company.”
Photograph: Antonio Crotti
To find out more about his odyssey to date, the thrills and takes of his practice, and what is next on the horizon, Filippo stopped by GLASS for a chat. Read all the insights below.
On Dance as a Form of Expression
“Throughout my career, I felt closely related to ballet and contemporary dance in equal measure: I feel right in the middle because my personality makes for both of them. Ballet helped me structure and express myself in a specific way, through rules and a precise code. But on the other hand, I feel connected with contemporary dance because it gives me a sense of freedom and it feels cathartic, almost free-flowing. As you can see in most of the photos, my eyes are closed; but as soon as I open them, especially in this kind of composition, it feels like I’ve lost connection with myself. When my eyes are closed, I feel like there’s waves of energy skimming through my body.”
On The Joys And Thrills Of Dance
“I think I have different sensations in each piece I dance. If I have to perform a group one, I think the emotions do come in less for me, as I need to focus on the steps. Knowing the intention of the choreographer is crucial, and so is the delivery: if I have freedom, of course, I’ll take it and just go with it. And when that comes through, my heart thumps and rushes.”
Photograph: Antonio Crotti
Photograph: Antonio Crotti
On Dance’s Hardships And Systemic Complexities
“It’s a practice that is not so easy to approach and to be part of, as it requires a lot of strength and mental stability. Plus, you have to be confident because if you begin having moments of self-doubt, it gets extremely tough. One must also come to terms that it’s a short career, so you have to use the time you have and maximise it, particularly because injuries can always happen. I would say that the best thing for a dancer is learning how to take care of yourself, because we usually don’t and we tend to stretch to the maximum, training until our breath is basically gone.”
On Mental Health
“There’s so many bad triggers that spark when you’re dancing; my injury triggered my brain a lot. But then, to be honest, I think I made one of the best decisions of my life because I began seeing a psychologist and we talked about this long term. We worked on it and it was so helpful, which helped me realise that I didn’t have a good approach or the right approach to some things I pursued (not in dance, but in my life, ndr). The environment could be so intense that you don’t realise how you approach your life. This injury started very badly, but then it also helped me grow up, improve myself, and it made me approach difficulties from a different perspective.”
Photograph: Antonio Crotti
On Future Hopes And Expectations
“In all honesty? Do like a full season without causing further injuries, that’s the goal. Not feeling pain and being satisfied by my work is another one, too. Yet the biggest hope I have and that I’m working towards is to accept everything that comes to my life in a positive way, feeling grateful for what I have, and refrain from complaining about something that is beyond my control. I have a job that’s one of the best gifts I’ve ever had: if I look at my past, I can recall where I started and where I am now. And for that, I have to be proud of myself.”
by Chidozie Obasi
Photographer: Antonio Crotti @mira_geler
Stylist: Chidozie Obasi @chido.obasi
H&MUA: Marta Cupaioli @mm_martamua via @mksmilano
Fashion Coordinator: Alberto Michisanti @albe.michi
Producer: Jessica Lovato @jessicalovato_
Contributing Editor: Luca Rosei @luca_rosey
Copy Editor: Edward Pusca @edwardpusca
Talents: Filippo Pagani @ooppilif + Michele Forghieri @micheleforghieri_
Fashion assistants: Loris Vottero @loris_vottero + Cloe Rubinato @cloe_rubinato + Anna Regazzoni @anna.regazzoni + Martina Manenti @girlbyspring + Alessandra Di Mugno @liladmxxy + Angelica Guaman @leidyguaman_ + Allegra Auro @_.alle.graa_ + Giulia Tolotti @giuliaatolotti
Clothing Credits:
Look 1: IM MEN
Look 2: Coat CELINE | Trousers DUŠAN
Look 3: RANDOM IDENTITIES by Stefano Pilati
Look 4: Shirt PAUL SMITH | Jumper HOMME PLISSÉ ISSEY MIYAKE | Trousers HERMES
Look 5: Blazer BRUNELLO CUCINELLI | Shirt LOUIS VUITTON | Shorts SILKOLOGIE | Trousers JIL SANDER by Lucie and Luke Meier
Feature Image: LORO PIANA