At PARC, the Nuovo Balletto di Toscana in residence with the new creation Sisifo felice / Smiling Sisyphus

Sisifo felice / Smiling Sisyphus marks the return of NBDT with a work inspired by the Theatre of the Absurd and The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus.
Choreographers Philippe Kratz and Pablo Girolami explore the absurdity of existence and the choice to find meaning.

Through dance, electronic music, and organ, seven dancers embody the paradox of resilience in a cycle of effort and rebirth, transforming the absurd into a poetic and physical act.

The work – winner of the Biennale Danza 2025 call, securing support for a new choreographic creation, and set to premiere in Venice in summer 2025 – is co-produced by Balletto di Toscana, House of IVONA, and Fondazione Fabbrica Europa.

Philippe Kratz, born in 1985 in Leverkusen, trained between Montréal and Berlin. A dancer with Aterballetto until 2021, he explores resilience within cycles of creation and transformation. Awarded by Danza&Danza in 2019 for cloud|materia, inspired by Anni Albers, he sees physicality and rhythm as the key to authentic movement, where effort and harmony intertwine in an intense expression that fuses matter and emotion.

Pablo Girolami, an Italian-Spanish choreographer, trained in Zurich and danced for Hessisches Staatsballett and Spellbound Contemporary Ballet. Since 2019, he has been an independent artist, creating works inspired by nature, his diversity, and resilience. By translating these elements into movement, he seeks an inclusive and universal experience. Deeply connected to the LGBTQIA+ community, he integrates unique perspectives and innovative artistic visions into his work.

choreography: Pablo Girolami and Philippe Kratz
music: Anna von Hausswolff, Maxime Denuc, and others
sound design: Pablo Girolami and Federico Bigonzetti
costumes: Patricia Villirillo

photo: Emma Scarafiotti