Italian Folk Arts in the Diaspora
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photo by Eric Bandiero for Dance Astoria
Roots and Branches Reimagined!
Performances, classes, and cultural partnerships that honor Italian ancestral roots while celebrating the evolving creativity of the Italian diaspora.
Please fill out the contact form for inquiries.
SOLO PERFORMANCE & PRESENTATIONS
Danielle Marie Fusco presents an immersive 1–1.5 hour solo lecture-demonstration performance that explores the living continuum of Italian folk tradition, contemporary theatre, and women’s narratives. Designed to engage, educate, and inspire, this program combines storytelling, movement, and cultural context to create a unique, transformative audience experience.
Program Features:
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Dance Performances: 2 works representing traditional Italian folk dance and/or contemporary work reflecting the Italian diaspora.
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Lecture Presentation: Each dance is introduced through a short lecture using visual aids (projector required, provided by the venue), contextualizing cultural history, tradition, and creative process.
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Audience Engagement: Includes time for Q&A and an opportunity for participants to engage in a mini-class, experiencing the movement firsthand.
This versatile program is ideal for:
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Museums and Cultural Institutions
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Universities and Academic Settings
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Intimate Theatre Spaces Equipped for Dance
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Festivals, Foundations, Galas, and Luncheons
Danielle’s lecture-demonstration is more than a performance—it is an interactive cultural experience, connecting audiences with Italian heritage, contemporary artistic innovation, and embodied storytelling.
GROUP PERFORMANCES & PRESENTATIONS
Our ensemble aims to craft a modern music & dance production that seamlessly integrates the richness of Italy's traditional dances with contemporary interpretations. This innovative fusion not only pays homage to the celebrated dances like the Tarantella, Tammuriata, and Pizzica but also delves deeper into the organic roots from which these dances emerged, ensuring authenticity while inviting modern innovation.
Danielle Marie Fusco’s work is designed to be modular, collaborative, and adaptable to a wide range of venues, audiences, and institutional needs. In addition to her evening-length performances and lecture-demonstrations, presenters may expand or customize programming by incorporating additional artists—either as part of Danielle’s curated performance offerings or as independent collaborators booked directly by the presenter.
Additional artists can be:
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Integrated into an existing evening-length work or performance
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Included as collaborators for workshops, residencies, or educational programming
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Presented alongside Danielle’s solo work to create a multi-artist event or series
Danielle’s interdisciplinary background as a dancer, choreographer, aerialist, educator, cultural preservationist, and producer allows her to work fluidly across disciplines and formats. She regularly collaborates with musicians, theatre artists, scholars, ritual practitioners, and multidisciplinary performers, creating programming that is both artistically rich and logistically versatile.
Whether you are seeking a solo performance, a collaborative evening, an immersive workshop series, or a fully produced multidisciplinary event, Danielle’s offerings can be shaped to meet your goals while maintaining artistic integrity, cultural depth, and audience engagement.
Custom programming, scale, and collaboration options are available upon request.
Below are photos of artists with whom Danielle Marie Fusco regularly works with at events. These artists may be integrated into Danielle’s existing programs, included as collaborators for workshops or educational offerings, or booked independently for their own specialized programs. (Photos taken by Eric Bandiero at Dance Astoria)
Danielle is also happy to coordinate and produce a complete, turnkey package—bringing together artists, scheduling, and programming to meet the specific needs of your institution, event, or audience.
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