Contaminazioni

A festival where artistic languages converge

Contaminazioni is one of Rome's longest-running contemporary dance festivals: established in the 1990s, it reaches its 31st edition in 2026. Its title perfectly captures its philosophy: to create a dialogue between diverse artistic languages—dance, theatre, music, performance, and multimedia research—and allow them to cross-pollinate. The result is a programme that evolves week by week, where a choreographic creation might share the stage with a theatrical monologue or a work-in-progress study.

The TeatroLibero at the Molinari Art Center

The festival takes place at TeatroLibero, the performance space within the Molinari Art Center at Via Antonino Lo Surdo 51, in the Municipio XI of Rome, between the Marconi and Portuense districts. It is an intimate venue designed to foster proximity between artists and the audience; spectators can truly feel the dancers' breath, which fundamentally changes the experience of watching contemporary dance. The center, also a recognized professional training facility, is directed by Giacomo Molinari and hosts advanced training programs dedicated to the performing arts.

Respiri Festival, the competitive heart

At the core of Contaminazioni lies the Respiri Festival, a choreographic competition that provides visibility to young and emerging choreographers. The formula is simple and engaging: each evening, known as a Frame, showcases multiple works and awards two recognitions: the Critics' Prize, decided by a panel of experts, and the Frame Prize, voted on directly by the audience in the hall via smartphone. The winners of each evening advance to the spring finale, which concludes the festival and crowns the choreographer of the year.

A prize that becomes a residency

The overall winner of the Respiri Festival receives more than just a symbolic award: they are offered a choreographic residency with a debut in the following season, produced in collaboration with the dancers of the Molinari Art Center. This is a virtuous mechanism, rare in the Italian independent dance scene, as it transforms a showcase into a genuine production opportunity. Participation in the call is free and open to groups of three to twelve professional and semi-professional dancers from Lazio, Campania, Tuscany, Marche, Umbria, Abruzzo, Molise, and Basilicata.

What you will see on stage

• Contemporary auteur dance, featuring original creations and repertoire revivals;
• Studies and works-in-progress, presented by the authors and discussed with the audience;
• Experimental theatre and projects that weave together word, movement, and sound;
• Competition evenings with audience voting and a jury of critics;
• In-house productions, signed by Giacomo Molinari and guest choreographers.

Rome, Lazio, and independent dance

Contaminazioni occupies a specific niche in the cultural landscape of the Lazio Region: it is not a massive international festival, but a local cultural hub that has defended auteur dance outside of mainstream theatre circuits for over thirty years. The festival is supported by the Municipio XI of Rome and is included among the projects funded by the Interventi per lo Spettacolo dal Vivo (Live Performance Interventions) of the Lazio Region. For those visiting the capital in winter or spring, it offers a different way to experience the city: an evening in a suburban theatre, far from tourist circuits, where you can witness the Italian dance scene as it takes shape today.

An engaged audience

The participatory dimension is an integral part of the project. Smartphone voting during competition nights, post-show artist meet-and-greets, and tickets that are often free or affordably priced make the festival accessible even to those who do not regularly attend contemporary dance events. This is likely why Contaminazioni has survived for over thirty seasons: it has built, performance after performance, a loyal local audience.