Italian Choreographer Luna Cenere reveals the ‘inner self’, or ‘kokoro’, as the Japanese say. The expression embraces both ‘mind’ and ‘heart’; it provided inspiration for Cenere through The Invisible Actor, a book by Yoshi Oida and Lorna Marshall.

Cenere’s solo performance is a challenge to prejudice and collective delusions.Using a unique dance vocabulary, she demonstrates the disconnect between reality and the perceptions aiming to capture it. In todays world, nothing is entirely ‘good’ or ‘bad’, ‘beautiful’ or ‘ugly’. The human body is the perfect example and will be revealed as something very different under the spotlight.

Luna Cenere is a dancer and young author from Naples, In 2011 she graduated from SEAD (Austria), and participated as a guest member to the creations of the company ‘SEAD Bodhi Project’ made by Anton Lacky (Anton Lacky Company) and Josef Frucek (Rootlessroot). In 2014, Cenere worked with Simone Forti and Anton Lacky, and in 2016 became a member of the Agitart Company (Spain) and the Virgilio Sieni Company (Italy).

Her solo KOKORO was selected by ‘Aerowaves Twenty18’ and won the Price for Best Choreography by Solocoreografico 2017. Cenere’s next production, TWIN, premiered at the FOG/Triennale Festival in Milan. Her most recent work, PNEUMATIKA, premiered in late 2018 at T.A.N. in Naples.

Certified teacher from SEAD, Luna conducts workshops of movement research and improvisation. She shares her time between Italy and Belgium.

“The human body is so familiar to us – our own, and others – it seems impossible that Italian dancer and choreographer Luna Cenere could show us something we don’t already know. And yet she does, over and over again. “, says Kelly Apter in a review. What do you want us to see in your work Kokoro?

Well, I was very happy to receive such a comment from Kelly Apter and I thank her for that. I personally wanted to explore the possibility to see somethings that I didn’t already saw and I also don’t want to know what it is. Of corse I have my own story running in each moment of the piece but at the same time there is not only one story. I wanted to create somethings that was open to interpretation because for me the body it’s a landscape that can contains more than just one meaning.

You said in a video interview that Kokoro is a very important step for you. Way is that?

Kokoro it’s my first work and already for that I consider it a very important step. It contains a chapter of my life and came as a result of a personal transformation as well as a creative urgency. After i created it I felt that I could see honestly who I really I’m.

Tel us more about the choreographic approach and the process of creating Kokoro. It took you 2 years. What were you searching for?

Transformation takes time. As buddhist I know that I might find a good question and that is enough to start because the answers are never the same in time. I begin questioning what I was doing and I what wanted to be. My life was changing and so my dance. I embraced this state and committed to create somethings out of that. So I started writing and reading a lot. Going to the studio I was recording myself observing anything will appear till a clear path emerged. The turning point was to put at the center of my research the body and it’s architecture. To observe my own posture, the gestures and the way how the energy was flowing from the body to the space revealed me what I was looking for.

Referring to Kokoro you are talking about “inner negotiation” and “equilibrium”. Tell us little more.

This work needs meditation. It is a meditation in itself. Now that I’m passing my research to other dancers this became a clear point for me. In order to allow who observes to enter in your world you need to observe yourself as well in the same time. Invite the other to do it with you and make space inside yourself to welcome the other.

At the same time in Kokoro the ‘equilibrium’ doesn’t really exist and this is one answer that came from the process itself. The equilibrium it’s always a negotiation and I move from one side to the other. I need to lose the balance to then find it again. So I constantly change form as a result of this, let’s say ‘biological instinct’.

“Kokoro was a huge question for me” you said. Do you have the answer now?

Yes, it was a huge question and is still is! I keep on researching inside of it. So, the question has now a different shape,may be it became more specific and clear, but may be I’m not really looking for an answer. I believe that and artist needs his question as the fire needs woods to continue burn.

What is the naked, moving and searching body for you and why is so important for your art?

In my research nudity is a state and a condition that I explore to transform the body in a landscape. Somehow I try to make ‘Luna’ disappear to let the body reveal something else than the personal story. The constant research of form that the body does on stage tells more about human condition as part of a bigger picture. What it’s fascinating me is that the body is fragile and strong at the same time, it’s nature but is inevitably the bearer of his culture and his personal story. All these nuances are important for me.

As an artist, what drives you now and what are you working on now?

All these points are still very much present in my actual research. I’m trying to explore them deeper and deeper.
I became artist associated of the Festival Oriente Occidente for the biennial of 2019-2020 with the project, ‘Genealogia’ that embrace different activities based on my research such as workshops with locals and creation of shows.
For this year of association I presented at the Festival a show with the title ‘Zoè – notes on the bare life’. In this piece I worked with other 4 performers. Tah was the first time I was sharing my artistic and choreographing approach with other interpreters and it was a real journey for all of us! I would say that I had the chance to make another important step in my personal and artist career! I’m very grateful.
Talking about the project ‘Genealogia’, as the word says, I’m questioning thought the physical experience the generation of a meaning. I’m experiencing the complexity and for this it’s essential for me to work with many different people in order to create a wider landscape. Of course a very strong question is: what is nudity? And the answers are always many.

You were selected by the European network of dance theatres, Aerowaves, as one of the 20 best new talents to be presented around Europe in 2018. What does this mean for you?

As you can see I’m a person with many questions… but I just have one desire: to create. To be selected by the Aerowaves Network for me it was like receive an answer after long time. It was the first recognition that I received for my work and I receive it when finally I really committed myself to create. For this reason it meant a lot. Moreover, thanks to the network I’ve got to perform in places that otherwise it would be very hard to go as a very jung author. I’m grateful for what the network does and I wish to many others the same great experience.

And the last question, that usually come first, but we would like it to be the “culmination” of our conversation: How would you present yourself to the Bulgarian audience? Who is Luna Cenere?

As I said before, I’m going to disappear on stage. Please allow yourself to see anything thought my body and enjoy your journey.