Gianluca Vincentini
Gianluca has performed, taught and directed dance throughout the UK, Europe, Asia and USA since 1997.
Originally from Italy, Gianluca trained at the National Academy of Dance in Rome, Biennale Danza, Venice and Transitions Dance Company at Trinity Laban. Performance credits include: Henri Oguike, IJAD Dance Company, Efrosini Protopata’s Lapsus Corpi, himherandit productions and Iceland Dance Company.
Gianluca has been the Artistic Director of VERVE from 2011-2016 and the Head of Professional Development from 2014-2016 at Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds.
Under his direction the company worked with many of Europe’s leading international choreographers such as Lea Anderson, Anton Lachky, Akram Khan, Kerry Nicholls and Ben Wright as well as Theo Clinkard, Luca Silvestrini and Efrosini Protopapa. Gianluca put emphasis on nurturing and supporting upcoming choreographers such as Jamaal Burkmar, James Cousins and Leila McMillan. Under his direction the company toured extensively throughout Europe.
While directing the Riley Theatre, Gianluca established ‘Connections’, a year-long scheme of professional artistic development and performance. The programme included ‘Northern Connections’, specifically designed for emerging dance artists based in the North of England.
Other achievements include a collaboration with the Henry Moore Institute and Tino Sehgal for the recreation of Kiss, a live project first staged in Nantes in 2002 which visited Leeds city centre in 2015.
Prior to moving to Leeds, Gianluca was the Assistant Artistic Director and Rehearsal Director of Iceland Dance Company from 2006-2011 and collaborative Rehearsal Director for Carte Blanche. He held Artistic Directorship for Spiral Dansflokkur. Gianluca has assisted over 50 choreographers including: Ben Duke, Alexander Ekman, Katrín Hall, Damien Jalet and Erna Ómarsdóttir.
Gianluca has also worked with theatre and musical productions as well as television as assistant choreographer for the UK version of the popular BBC TV show So You Think You Can Dance.
In 2015 Gianluca joined AGITART Companyia as Festival Co-Director – programming the International Festival of Contemporary Dance in Figueres and a season for the Teatre El Jardi.
Gianluca now offers freelance Artistic Direction, programming and curation across the dance industry internationally as well as coaching and supporting up and coming dance artists.
Photo: Danilo Moroni