DAP Festival – Dance in Art in Pietrasanta
Contemporary dance and visual arts among the cloisters and museums of Pietrasanta
About DAP Festival
A festival where dance meets art
The DAP Festival – Dance in Art in Pietrasanta is an international contemporary dance and visual arts festival that enlivens the historic center of Pietrasanta, in the province of Lucca, in the heart of the Tuscan Versilia, every summer. Founded in 2017, the festival has quickly become one of the most recognized events on the Italian choreographic scene, capable of combining high-profile evening performances, site-specific shows in urban spaces, and intense training activities.
The idea driving the festival is simple yet ambitious: to create a dialogue between dance, art, and the architecture of the city, known worldwide as the "Little Athens" for its tradition linked to sculpture and marble. Medieval cloisters, museums, and squares thus become natural stage sets for auteur choreography.
The festival venues
The beating heart of the event is the Cloister of Sant'Agostino, the festival's historic open-air stage, which hosts most of the evening performances. It is joined by other evocative spaces in the center of Pietrasanta:
- The Cloister of San Francesco, which joins the performance circuit for the first time
- The Mitoraj Museum, dedicated to the work of Polish sculptor Igor Mitoraj, home to immersive events blending dance and sculpture
- The squares and urban spaces of the city, where site-specific performances take place
- The Gran Teatro della Versiliana, in Marina di Pietrasanta, for special events
An international festival
The program brings together companies and performers from Europe, the United States, and Africa, balancing contemporary ballet, auteur dance, and international galas. Over the years, the festival has hosted leading names such as Spellbound Contemporary Ballet, MM Contemporary Dance Company, Compagnia Opus Ballet, Equilibrio Dinamico, and Virgilio Sieni's production center, as well as dancers from prestigious theaters like the Opéra National de Paris, the Royal Danish Ballet, and the Stuttgart Ballet.
The artistic direction is led by Adria Ferrali, supported by Sara Tartaglia in the executive direction. The event is produced by the cultural association New Dance Drama with the support of the Municipality of Pietrasanta, the Tuscany Region, and other institutional bodies.
Training and new generations
Alongside the performances, the DAP Festival dedicates great attention to training through the DAP College, a program of masterclasses and choreographic workshops aimed at intermediate and advanced dancers, held by internationally renowned teachers and choreographers. Scholarships and advanced training paths make the festival a meeting point between great names in dance and new generations of performers.
Dance, city, and landscape in Versilia
More than just a festival, the DAP Festival is an experience that links art and territory: attending a show in the Cloister of Sant'Agostino at sunset, strolling among the sculptures of Pietrasanta, and experiencing Versilia in its most vibrant season make the festival an unmissable appointment of the Tuscan summer for dance enthusiasts and those seeking quality cultural tourism.
DAP Festival — edition 2026
Tenth edition: ten years of dance in Versilia
The DAP Festival 2026 celebrates its tenth anniversary from June 27 to July 11, 2026, in Pietrasanta, confirming its place among the leading Italian events dedicated to contemporary dance in dialogue with visual arts. The program features 14 performances with companies and performers from Europe, the United States, and Africa.
The edition opens on June 27 at 8:30 PM at the Mitoraj Museum with the Opening Night Gala by Compagnia Bellanda, an immersive work inspired by the sculpture "Bocca di Rocca Bianca" by the Polish master Igor Mitoraj, which weaves together art, body, and memory. Among the evenings at the Cloister of Sant'Agostino, highlights include performances by Spellbound Contemporary Ballet, Equilibrio Dinamico, Compagnia Opus Ballet, and MM Contemporary Dance Company, as well as international auteur choreography galas. The artistic direction is by Adria Ferrali, with Sara Tartaglia as executive director.
Programme DAP Festival 2026
2026 Program (selection):
- June 27, 8:30 PM – Mitoraj Museum: DAP Opening Night Gala, Compagnia Bellanda
- June 28, 8:45 PM – Cloister of San Francesco: "Satiri", Virgilio Sieni National Production Center
- June 30, 9:00 PM – Cloister of Sant'Agostino: "Straordinaria", show on disability and inclusion
- July 1, 9:30 PM: "An Evening with Spellbound", Spellbound Contemporary Ballet
- July 2, 9:30 PM: "Arvo Pärt vs David Bowie", Equilibrio Dinamico
- July 3, 9:30 PM: "Casanova. Variazioni sul desiderio", COB Compagnia Opus Ballet
- July 4, 9:30 PM: International Gala of Auteur Choreography, Kammerballetten
- July 5, 9:30 PM: Contemporary Dance Gala
- July 7, 9:30 PM: Jeune Ballet Rosella Hightower (Cannes/Mougins)
- July 8, 9:30 PM: "Anticipation" (East Coast Contemporary Ballet) and "XZ Generation"
- July 9, 9:30 PM: Triple Bill (Adi Schwarz / Nnamdi Nwagwu / Antonio Russo)
- July 10, 9:30 PM: "Colleges of the Globe"
- July 11, 9:30 PM – Gran Teatro della Versiliana: "The Wall_Dance Tribute", MM Contemporary Dance Company
Most evening performances take place at the Cloister of Sant'Agostino. The DAP College is also active, with Advanced and Intermediate programs and the "Duende" (Nnamdi Nwagwu) and "Elemental" (Adi Schwarz) choreographic workshops.
Highlights DAP Festival 2026
- Tenth edition and inaugural tribute to Igor Mitoraj at the Mitoraj Museum
- 14 performances with companies from Europe, the United States, and Africa
- The Cloister of San Francesco joins the festival circuit for the first time
- Grand finale at the Gran Teatro della Versiliana with MM Contemporary Dance Company
- DAP College: international masterclasses and choreographic workshops
Prices DAP Festival 2026
Practical information — DAP Festival
How to get there
Pietrasanta is located in Versilia, in the province of Lucca. By train, the Pietrasanta station is on the Genoa–Pisa–Rome line, just a few minutes' walk from the historic center. By car, take the "Versilia" exit on the A11/A12 motorway. The nearest airport is Galileo Galilei in Pisa.
Venues
Performances mainly take place in the Cloister of Sant'Agostino and the Cloister of San Francesco in the historic center, as well as at the Mitoraj Museum and the Gran Teatro della Versiliana in Marina di Pietrasanta.
Tickets
Tickets are available on the official website dapfestival.com and at the box office, open daily during the festival from 7:00 PM until the start of the show. For information: [email protected], tel. +39 333 472 3918.
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Where does it take place — DAP Festival
Chiostro di Sant'Agostino