Fini Dance in Italy was born from Antonio Fini’s desire to bring an American Summer Dance Intensive to Italy. The festival is a meeting of artists and young people who want to experience 100% dance…opportunities, scholarships, meetings, and growth.” Since 2021 Antonio Fini has served as guest artist at MSA and yearly presents scholarship awards to MSA dancers.
During the first two weeks of July 2023 MSA dancers, Natalie Fleming, and Charleigh McDuffie, took part in Fini’s intensive 2-week summer school in Villapiana Lido in Calabria, Italy. They toured two ancient Italian villages, learned basic Italian, maneuvered European train systems, made life-long friends, received awards, and created professional connections in addition to attending a rigorous class schedule in classical ballet, modern repertoire, jazz, hip hop, and aerial taught by dance artists from Italy, America, and the National Kosovo Ballet Company. The day began at 8:30am and ended at 6 or 7pm each day. They were privileged to perform on two occasions, a class demonstration, and a formal gala in Altomonte, Italy. They danced variations from each genre studied and performed with a cast of 10 Italian and American dancers in Tammy Stanford’s new and revised work Rare Earth.
Natalie and Charleigh (Pictured L-R) both received recognition awards for the festival and scholarships for Fini Dance New York in August 2024!
MSA Dance is honored to be recognized as a Fini Dance Partner School. Tammy Stanford received a Fini Career Award in 2022 and this year she received the distinction of Fini Dance Ambassador. MSA’s new technical director, Katie Ginn, attended the Fini Dance Festival during the second two weeks of July. She was invited take part in the festival Choreographer’s Workshop and her dance work “Hands” was performed at the Gala. Congratulations!
About
Antonio Pio Fini is a former Italian principal dancer, choreographer, director, and producer. In 2015 he founded Fini Production LLC to fulfill his desire of showcase artist, companies, creating and producing. In 2011 he founded Alto Jonio Dance Awardin Villapiana Lido, Calabria, South of Italy and in 2013 theItalian International Dance Awardin New York now united underFini Dance Festival. In 2016 he startedFini Dance New York Showcasein Florence during Danza In Fiera the biggest dance fair in Europe. And in the same year the TV Show The Audition 8 episodes started on Amazon TV.
Antonio Fini was a principal dancer withMichael Mao Dance, one of the foremost modern and contemporary companies of multi-cultural performers in New York City. Stylistically, Antonio merged athleticism with art, bringing fluid energy to the simplest of intentions. Performing in New York City throughout the US, and Europe Antonio was also special guest withMartha Graham Dance Company, Erick Hawkins dance company, The National Ballet of Kosovo, Staten Island Ballet, Boca Ballet Theater and Mare Nostrum Elements.
In 2010 he was Awarded by Joseph Fontano as Emerging Choreographer at Stefano Valentini Award III Edition. He receives from Brunilda Lato the Altomonte Dance Award and in 2014 he was Award by Aldo Masella with the Teatro Carcano Award.
As choreographer he created works for theNational Ballet of Kosovo,Roi Escudero,the Players of the Square, Company in residence at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and “La danza dei camorristi” for the New York City Opera at Rose Theater at Lincoln Center.