Ricky Bonavita – Excursus

Ricky Bonavita, Artist, choreographer, dancer and teacher of contemporary dance technique, with an extensive and intense professional experience, he has performed since the 1980s in more than 1,000 shows, in his own creations or with Italian choreographers and companies on national and international tours. He is the author of more than 40 creations for Compagnia Excursus, founded in 1994 and directed by himself; in his works he often performs alongside his dancers. The company has obtained residencies and support from Italian and foreign public and private institutions for its productions, and has an intense activity both in Italy and abroad. Since 2018, the company has merged into PinDoc, maintaining Bonavita’s artistic direction alongside that of Velardi.
As a guest choreographer he has collaborated with: Fundación Opera Panamá – Anayansi Theater / Panama City / Panama 2013; International World Stars of Ballet Art / Central Concert Hall / Astana / Kazakhstan; La Compagnia / AND 2010/2011; Akarwerkstatt / Bern / Switzerland 1998; in the context of theatrical productions for “Memorie di Adriano” by Maurizio Scaparro / Giorgio Albertazzi / Teatro Parioli / Rome 2013; and “Il funambolo” by Daniele Salvo, Napoli Teatro Festival 2016; for television RAI1 / Eurovision / live broadcast “L’alba separa dalla luce l’ombra” Andrea Bocelli Concert / Colosseum / Rome 2009, etc.
His training includes studies in classical technique, though from the very beginning he favoured the expressiveness and stylistic richness of contemporary dance. He studied with numerous masters of the main historical techniques of American contemporary dance (Graham, Limón, Cunningham, Nikolais), and during an extended stay in Paris he immersed himself in the multifaceted world of new European contemporary dance, studying with Carolyn Carlson, Peter Goss, Jean Gaudin and Jean Cebron.
He has won numerous choreographic awards, including the 1st prize for contemporary choreography at The Young Ballet of the World Competition 2010 in Sochi / Russia, presided over by Maestro Yuri Grigorovich; the 3rd prize for choreography at the Serge Lifar International Ballet Competition 2004 in Kyiv, Ukraine; the Fausto Maria Franchi Award for best contemporary choreographic piece at the International Dance Competition – Premio Roma 2010; 1st prize at “Singolari di danza 1988”, Teatro Spaziozero, Rome; the production award; and, in recent years, various lifetime achievement awards, including the Career Award – Città di Sabaudia 2023.
For 20 years he has been a teacher of modern and contemporary dance technique at the Accademia Nazionale di Danza in Rome, for advanced courses, degree programmes and master’s programmes, and he is frequently a guest lecturer at many renowned European universities.