On Both Sides of Borders: The Return of the PerformAzioni Festival
Instabili Vaganti, a Bologna-based artistic duo, has been running the PerformAzioni festival for 13 years, bringing international performances that challenge cultural boundaries. Their ambition is to operate a theater that celebrates the value of the performing arts.
The name they chose has “condemned” them to constantly push beyond limits—not just in theatrical exploration but in the pursuit of a goal that feels like a mirage, always advancing endlessly, crossing boundary after boundary. And at some point, even when a journey feels complete, they find themselves driven to take up the challenge once more.
Instabili Vaganti was founded in Bologna in 2004 by Anna Dora Dorno, a director, performer, and visual artist, and Nicola Pianzola, a performer and playwright. For 13 years, they have made their presence known in the city with the annual festival PerformAzioni (starting tonight at 8:30 p.m. at the Oratorio di San Filippo Neri and continuing through May 31 at Teatro Betti in Casalecchio di Reno with the theme One More Step Beyond Borders). This year’s lineup features artists from Asia, the Americas, and Africa—as well as Italy, of course.
Instabili Vaganti’s international impact is comparable to that of a renowned festival, with artists who travel the world, participate in residencies, and serve as ambassadors for significant cultural exchanges. Yet the message risks getting lost along the way, perhaps due to a “lost in translation” effect in communication.
PerformAzioni will host some truly remarkable works. Opening tonight at 8:30 at San Filippo Neri is Borders, an international theater and dance performance. Tomorrow, at 3:30 p.m. at San Filippo Neri, Mexican playwright and founder of Teatro Para el Fin del Mundo, Ángel Hernández, will discuss his dramaturgical and visual project Entreguerras Archive. Developed through extensive research and creative work in conflict zones, Hernández will present, in its Italian premiere, a collection of monologues written during his time in Gaza, Dark Smoke of Gaza’s Sky. Venezuelan actor and psychologist Ángel Pelay follows at 6 p.m. with his performance Memories of a Madman (pictured). Later, the spotlight shifts to Tafma with The Rich Heritage of Nagamia, a practical demonstration of songs and dances from Nagaland, a state in northern India where Instabili Vaganti spend several weeks each year, performing and building connections.