Being on stage is a huge responsibility and privilege at the same time. Simultaneously it makes you extremely vulnerable and powerful and makes dance something truly exciting and satisfying.

My name is Selene Travaglia and I am an Italian contemporary dancer. I do not like to say that dance is my life. I believe that dance is what helps me to live my life fully and emotionally satisfied. As with many other jobs, you hate it and love it at the same time. It challenges yourself every single minute, but there is always something about it that keeps you addicted to it. For me, having the freedom and the power to say something through my body to people. The audience is there to observe your performance and to share with you emotions and thoughts. Being on stage is a huge responsibility and privilege at the same time. Simultaneously it makes you extremely vulnerable and powerful and makes dance something truly exciting and satisfying.

Selene Travaglia

After seeing an audition notice on Dancing Opportunities’ website I got a dance contract with Fuora Dance Project. I applied for the audition and then I got the job. I am now a company member in their last production W-hat About? and we are touring internationally. They were looking for one female dancer and of course, I was super happy to be the chosen one after the audition. This job enriched my artistic career, especially because I have the opportunity to work with a broad range of artist coming from different arts.

My journey toward the professional world was not easy, there were many people who always encouraged me, but, especially at the beginning of my professional studies, there were people that totally did not believe in myself as a dancer. However, I honestly think that I need to thank them both. Without them, I would have not become the dancer I am today. I would not have believed in myself especially in the worst moments.

Working with a full-time company or being a freelancer are two quite different things. When you work for a project-based company as Fuora Dance Project is, you are freer to include different things in your life. Especially when you are off from touring or you are not in production weeks. You can decide how to build your training timetable and sometimes you can combine different projects, which makes your artistic life more colorful.

There are many people that I consider amazing human beings and artists, which inspire me every single day, and, even though I am at the beginning of my career, I believe I will never end to learn and study.

Bio:

Selene was born in Trento, Italy. She started her dance training at the age of four at the local ballet school, then continued her professional studies in Milan to gain a professional diploma in contemporary dance. Selene continued her journey at Trinity Laban in London, where she studied with a range of teachers including Rosemary Brandt, Ellen van Schuylenburch and Gary Lambert and worked with choreographers including Naomi Lefebvre Sell, Kate Johnson, Adam Rutherford and Kerry Nicholls. During her studies, she was invited to be an understudy guest in different companies such as Martha Graham Dance Company, Wee Dance Company and Phoenix Dance Theatre. She graduated from Trinity Laban in 2016 with a first class degree and in 2017 with an MA in Dance Performance. Selene was a company member of Transitions Dance Company for the season 2016/2017 and she is a dancer of J7s Dance Company since 2015. She toured internationally with both companies and recently she had the opportunity to dance in a piece by Johannes Wieland as part of B12 Festival 2018 in Berlin. Selene joined Fuora Dance Project as a company member in 2018.

Featured image: Peter Vagvolgyi photography

To learn more about Selene visit
Website https://www.selenetravaglia.com/showreel
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sele.nene/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/selene.travaglia

Or catch her perform in Scotland
Sat 19 January at 2 pm Mull Theatre, Tobermory
Sat 2 February at 2 pm Cumbernauld Theatre, Cumbernauld
Sat 9 February at 2 pm Eastgate Theatre, Peebles


Submit your successful story here:

DO successful stories