Celebrated international choreographer Paolo Mangiola has just been selected as the new artistic director of Malta's national dance company, ŻfinMalta Dance Ensemble.
Incumbent artistic director Mavin Khoo, who gave birth to the island's first national dance company three years ago, will pass on the baton to Mr Mangiola on 1 July. He will go on to take full leadership of the company in August.
"We are very excited to have Paolo on board. He is an artist of the highest standing with a luminous career. I have great confidence that he will take the company to higher goals," Mr Khoo said.
Mr Mangiola, who was appointed resident choreographer at Balletto di Roma in 2015, was chosen by the Board of ŻfinMalta and the Arts Council Malta from over 30 applicants.
Later this month, Mr Mangiola will be assisting Mr Khoo during the auditions for new dancers, which are to be held at the company's dance studios in Valletta between 15-17.May
Mr Mangiola is a choreographer, dance educator and performer working within ballet and contemporary dance practices. As a performer, he collaborated and danced for artists and choreographers such as Wayne McGregor, Deborah Hay, Martin Creed, Mauro Bigonzetti and Jacopo Godani.
Alongside his work as a dancer he decided at a young age to devote himself to the exploration of his artistic practice, refining his studies at The Place, London, achieving in 2015 a Master in Choreography.
He created works for the Royal Ballet, Tanztheater Nürnberg, Aterballetto and Balletto di Roma and his choreographies have been performed in theatres as well as in contemporary art galleries and urban spaces in the UK, the US, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Spain and Serbia and have been broadcasted worldwide from the cultural platform Nowness.
Currently, he is curating the contemporary dance department at the Scuola del Balletto di Roma. He was a guest teacher of choreography and dance history at the University of Malta and a full-time teacher of composition at the English National Ballet School, London.