Italian Company Making Up for Lost Half-Century

SAN DIEGO —  Although France is considered the cradle of ballet, the cornerstones of classical dance were actually laid in Italy centuries before Louis XIV established the Royal Academy of Dancing in Paris in 1661. A basic manual written by Renaissance dance master Guglielmo Ebreo of Pesaro for the 15th-Century Italian courts still serves as a valuable primer for today’s dancers.

Ironically, Italian ballet has been almost dormant during the 20th Century. Italy’s reputation as the mecca for opera notwithstanding, the last place that springs to mind for world-class ballet is the country of its origin. Italy’s first serious ballet company--Aterballetto--did not even take root until 1979, as the company’s executive director, Roberto Giovanardi, acknowledged in a recent telephone interview from Italy.

“Nothing was happening until this company started professional ballet. No one was doing ballet outside of the opera companies or the (ballet) schools. There was no permanent ballet company,” he said.

Since then, Aterballetto’s reputation in the international ballet world has grown by leaps and bounds. Dance Magazine proclaimed it “Italy’s first national ballet.” And when Clive Barnes reviewed the company’s American debut in the New York Post four years ago, he observed that it clearly revealed “the first signs of another Italian renaissance.” Nonetheless, the dance troupe has never performed in Southern California.

Yet, that fact was no deterrent to the San Diego Foundation for the Performing Arts, even after last year’s disaster with “no-name” dance events. The local arts organization will begin its 1989-90 season with a pair of performances by Aterballetto at 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at the Spreckels Theatre.

Why did the foundation decide to stage another possibly risky event, after the poor response to last year’s series nearly wiped out the organization? Founder Danah Fayman answered emphatically.

“Everyone wants somebody else to take a chance,” she said. “That’s always a problem. But before we decided, we called people who have presented them (in America). Their recommendations were all unqualified. They all said they wanted to bring Aterballetto back again, and the reviews have been good. You still never know how they’re going to do here, of course. You have to go on instinct.”

The 22-member troupe, sponsored by the Assn. of Theaters of the Emilia Romagna region of northern Italy, was founded by Amedeo Amodio, who remains at the helm after 10 years, although he retired as a dancer five years ago.

Like the Joffrey Ballet (to which the Aterballetto has been favorably compared by American critics), the company has an eclectic repertory that draws from the full spectrum of ballet styles. It also boasts a highly acclaimed group of dancers, with an average age of only 20. According to Aterballetto’s publicity material, the company dances more than 130 concerts in Italy alone every year.

Even in its homeland, however, Aterballetto is eclipsed by its sister arts, particularly the prestigious opera.

“Over the last 10 years, there has been some growth in regional (ballet) companies, but the government spends its money first on the opera, then on drama and concerts, and if something remains, it goes to the ballet,” Giovanardi noted.

“Our income is around $2.5 million, but only about 10% comes from (government) support,” he pointed out, adding that most of the rest of the income comes from performances. He said the opera receives a 90% subsidy and the symphony a 70% subsidy.

In spite of the economic shortfall from public funding, Aterballetto continues to make impressive strides and to aspire to even greater heights.

“We want to be a little company with big ballets,” Giovanardi said with a laugh. “We want to fill the gap between the great ballets--the ‘Giselles’--and the Pina Bausch and Jerome Robbins. Italy missed 50 years of ballet, and we want to make up for that.” He said the company is trying to get “Fancy Free,” the all-American masterpiece by Robbins.

In the early years, Aterballetto had to import half of its dancers. Now, nearly all are home-grown. And the high standard of dancing in the troupe earns kudos, even in major dance centers.

All but two of the seven works that will be performed in San Diego were choreographed by Amodio, who was trained in Italy and has worked with ballet greats like George Balanchine, Anthony Tudor and Glenn Tetley. His diverse repertory includes works by Alvin Ailey, Kenneth MacMillan and Margo Sappington.

The troupe is expected to open its concert Tuesday with a sunny suite of dances by the celebrated Danish choreographer August Bournonville, staged for the company by his compatriot, Peter Schaufuss.