Biography

Born in Florence in 1980, Irene trained at Florence Dance Centre (Opus Ballet) in Italy and Amsterdam University of The Arts (MTD) where she studied intensively with and has been greatly influenced by Katie Duck, Vivianne Rodrigues de Brito, Ballet C de la B, Inaki Azpillaga (Ultima Vez), Keren Levi, Nigel Charnock and Wendy Houston (DV8) among many others.

In 2001, she is part of Silenda Compagnie in Paris, since then she has toured both her own work and work of others including with companies such as: Hans Tuerlings, Sara Wookey, TPO Company, Ludo Ludis Contemporary Theatre and Odin Teatret. Her first solo Oh My God, Today TV’s Everything was selected at Young Choreographer’s platform Dans Ateliers Rotterdam in 2004.

Notable projects include: several large-scale international touring works with Hopballehus Ensemble, which she co- founded in 2006, several staged outside normal touring networks, including villages in the Argentinian Andes, Teatro Della Cooperation Buenos Aires and Norway.

After a three-month tour with international theatre ensemble Hopballehus on the show, The Monkey, she moved to London in 2010, making her London debut at the Place with the dance duet Aquarium. In 2013 she became an associate artist of Riotous Company directed by Mia Theil Have and Kathryn Hunter, performing, co-producing and creating shows such as Insomnia, A Pas De Deux Drama For Two Girls And A Piano Man, which was awarded an Arts Council grant and toured the UK, Denmark and Italy.

Other collaborations include: Maxine Doyle, Sky One, Channel 4, MTV One, Kei Ito, Stratford Theatre, Park Theatre, Arcola Theatre, Rose Theatre London, Lost Theatre, Spitalfields Music, Laban, Leila McMillan, Miramax, ITV, Ursula Mayer, Kei Ito, Rainstar Boutique Production, Teatro Vascello Roma.

In the last 9 years in London her work focused on interdisciplinary collaborations, devising and creative process.

Her recent choreography and movement work for theatre productions includes: Inside Bitch by Clean Break a female theatre company working with ex- prisoners at the Royal Court Theatre; See Me Now at The Young Vic Theatre by Look Left Look Right Company; Ergo Sum by Sleight Of Hand Theatre, Barbican; Tonight I Am Gonna Be The New Me, Soho Theatre and Super Duper Close Up both by Made in China Theatre where she made several dances for theatre maker and actress Jessica Latowicki. The latter was praised “Superb choreography” by Reviews Hub. More recently, her choreography featured on COS Active Wear campaign Move. Better, as well as Inverter, a short film by Teddy Powell as part of a developing film series.

In 2018 Irene became a free space artist at Studio Wayne McGregor where she developed new creative work alongside her teaching practice. She has been awarded the Arts Council DYCP award in 2020 and has become a teacher of the Flying Low and Passing Through techniques after studying intensively with David Zambrano. In 2021 she started working on a new solo work Your Story, supported by Company Blu in Florence and Arts Council England.

Irene has led many workshops in dance and physical actor’s training in Europe and America amongst others at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in USA, University of the Arts Buenos Aires, Odin Teatret in Denmark, ULITA in Check Republic, Laban Conservatory of Music and Dance, Trip Space, Company Blu and Northern School Of Contemporary Dance in Leeds.