Choreographers and dancers Simone Repele and Sasha Riva build a story of love, hope and memory.The loss of a child suddenly changes the perception of time. “Dear Son”, is a story of love, hope and memory that transcends death and the barriers of time and space. The piece presents a family portrait where the son decides to go to war. Using flashbacks, the past illustrates projects of a lifetime – the present seems to be frozen, pain is silent and the mother is trying to write a letter to her son, still waiting for his return – in the future, the parents live on, remembering their lost child. “Dear son”, invites to reflect on the fragility of life in a society still marked by the persistence of war and its consequences.
Bio
Riva&Repele was founded by Simone Repele and Sasha Riva in 2020. Throughout their careers in professional companies like Hamburg Ballet and Geneva Ballet, they approached different styles and discovered a strong need to express their creativity. Sasha and Simone’s choreographic work find his source on a theatrical side, sensitive and poetic. The stylized images are linked by a neoclassical/contemporary vocabulary and strong gestures. Defined as “Poets of Dance” they made their first full length ballet Lili Elbe Show already performed in several European theaters. In 2021 they were the only foreign company to be selected by Centro Coreografico Canal and recently programmed at Festival Madrid en Danza. With La Jeune Fille et Les Morts presented at the Noverre Gesellschaft, Riva&Repele became part of the Stuttgart Ballet season 24/25. They are invited to perform in many international galas and soon will collaborate for different dance companies. With a residency at Orsolina28, they recently created their new work Dear Son, and in 2024 they premiered I Died for Love for the Rome Opera.
Credits
Choreography: Simone Repele & Sasha Riva
Dancers: Parvaneh Scharafali, Sasha Riva, Simone Repele
Design: Gu Jiajun (with the help of Adèle Vettu)
Lighting design: Alessandro Caso
Production Credits
Production: Riva & Repele and Le Voisin
Co-production: Orsolina 28, Centre des Arts Geneve, Romaeuropa Festival, Daniele Cipriani Entertainment
