Gravina in Danza – International Dance Festival

A week of international dance in Gravina in Puglia

Every summer, Gravina in Danza – International Dance Festival brings world-class dance to the historic center of Gravina in Puglia, a city in the Province of Bari set against the tufa cliffs of the Alta Murgia. For an entire week, the city fills with dancers, choreographers, and teachers from across Italy and around the globe: a gathering that blends training, competition, and performance, designed for those who live dance as both a passion and a profession.

The vision of Domenico Ciaccia

The festival is conceived and directed by choreographer Domenico Ciaccia together with his mother Lucia Carulli, the heart of the Arabesque Movie Dance Academy. A native of Gravina, Ciaccia has choreographed for television and international productions, and he sought to bring an event to his hometown that connects young talent directly with established professionals. This is the foundation of the festival’s formula: not just a simple review, but an intensive journey that offers lessons, auditions, and concrete growth opportunities in just a few days.

Masterclasses, competitions, and gala

The core of the festival lies in its masterclasses: days packed with lessons across all disciplines, from contemporary to hip hop, modern to classical, led by international instructors. Alongside the workshops, the event features auditions, castings, showcases, and video projects, culminating in a competition for soloists, duos, and groups. The week ends with a final gala in Piazza Benedetto XIII, in the city center, where the best students perform before an audience and a jury awards prizes and scholarships for academies in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Madrid, Hamburg, Rome, and Milan.

A bridge between Gravina and the global stage

Over the years, the festival has hosted prominent masters and jurors, from Garrison to choreographers and dancers from the United States, Spain, Belgium, Malta, and Australia. For Gravina in Puglia, it has become a defining event, enlivening the city's summer and placing this small Murgia town on the international dance map. It is yet another reason for those visiting Puglia in July to stop in Gravina and be swept up by the energy of this week.