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AUDIENCE REVIEW: Fini Dance Festival New York 2026

Company:
Antonio Fini / Fini Dance New York

Performance Date:
August 30, 2026

Freeform Review:

Antonio Fini, dance teacher and impresario, presented a Gala evening at the Ailey Citigroup Theater on August 30th, with dancers from Italy and the U.S., focusing on dancers from Italy or of Italian descent. It was indeed a Gala evening, with host Fini in a tuxedo and charming hostess Ornella Fado in a lovely gown.

The dance part of the program was fast-moving and as varied as could be, ranging from a robust tarantella danced by about 25 spirited young dancers to an excerpt from Don Quixote performed by the drag company Ballet Eloelle Grandiva to a delicate pas de deux from La Sylphide.

Awards were also given, with well-done short videos of each awardee. Veteran choreographer Michael Mao received a Lifetime Achievement Award, and two of his dances included in the program proved his worthiness for that award. Leslie Andrea Williams, a principal dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company, received the Fini Dance Extraordinary Award; and young Italian dancer Giuliano Ruocco was awarded the Fini Dance Rising Star Award.

All in all, it was a very festive, fun evening and a real celebration of dance and dancers.

Photo Credit:
Photo via Giuliano Ruocco (@giulianoruocco05)