MSP 173: Giada Matteini

Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

Dance for a Violence-Free Future with Giada Matteini

Today's guest, Giada Matteini, embodies the belief that artists have the extraordinary ability to shape a world free from violence. As a performer, educator, choreographer, and cultural producer, Giada founded WADE (Wandering Avian Dance Experience), a women-led performing arts company that brings awareness to gender-based violence and offers healing through the transformative power of dance. In this episode of Movers & Shapers, Giada shares a panoramic view of her international dance career, brimming with hope and inspiration for those driven by their passion for art, movement, and self-expression. She speaks candidly about her personal experience with domestic violence and the profound role that dance played in her healing process; emphasizing how WADE emerged as a platform to raise awareness, initiate important conversations, empower survivors, and build a compassionate community of creative minds. You’ll gain insight into Giada's journey, her dedication to her craft, and her unwavering commitment to using art as a catalyst for social change. This episode is a testament to the boundless potential of dance and resilience, so be sure to tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

· Giada’s love for movement and teaching and an overview of her dance career.

· The story of how she first came to the United States (and what made her stay).

· How she learned English from The Cure and honed her American slang with TV.

· Her early days in New York and how she began to build a career for herself.

· Insight into her passion for learning and her formal dance education.

· The haven that dance provided for Giada when life was difficult.

· How WADE was born and how it became so much more than a dance company.

· The bird that inspired the name and the four foundational pillars in the logo.

· Touching stories about some of the most poignant moments from Giada’s career.

· Why Giada refers to ballet as “the greatest equalizer” and her somatic approach to it.

· Insight into her plans to use dance as a tool to build a violence-free future for all.

“My life was hard; emotionally hard, physically hard, financially hard. Dance was – my haven.” — Giada Matteini

Giada Matteini is an Italian performer, educator, choreographer, and cultural producer based in New York City, who is the Founder and Director of WADE (Wandering Avian Dance Experience), a women-led multifaceted performing arts company working at the intersection with social justice and focused on supporting the voices and artistic expressions of women and historically underrepresented artists.

More on this episode: themovingarchitects.org

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