I would like to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees – Contemporary dance review

A project that focuses on the creative process

"I would like to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees" is the contemporary dance festival at the Petrella Theatre in Longiano, in the province of Forlì-Cesena, in the heart of the Romagna hills. Born in 2016 from a partnership with L'arboreto – Teatro Dimora in Mondaino, the festival is not just a season of performances: it is a path of artistic residencies where companies and choreographers find space, time, and listening to build their new creations. The title, borrowed from a famous love verse, well describes the spirit of the project: creating fertile ground made of dialogue and support for those who research in dance.

Open rehearsals: watching a show come to life

The formula that makes this festival special is that of open rehearsals. At the end of each residency period, the artists open the doors of the Petrella Theatre to the public and show the work still in progress. You don't witness a finished performance, but the living material of the creative process: gestures, intuitions, evolving choices. After each open rehearsal, there is a meeting "Il pane quotidiano. Moltiplicazione degli sguardi" (Daily Bread. Multiplication of gazes), curated by Francesca Giuliani, a moment of direct confrontation between artists and spectators.

Ten years of choreographic research

In ten years of activity, the project has hosted artists who have become references in Italian contemporary choreography, including Stalker/Daniele Albanese, Luna Cenere, Francesco Marilungo, Masako Matsushita, Glen Çaçi, and many others. The two structures have chosen to take direct curatorial responsibility for the selections, building a coherent artistic line attentive to the new generations of dance.

The Petrella Theatre and Longiano

The festival takes place in the small and precious Petrella Theatre, an 19th-century gem overlooking Piazza San Girolamo, in the medieval village of Longiano. The town, among the most evocative in the Romagna hinterland in the province of Forlì-Cesena, is dominated by the Malatesta Castle and preserves a vibrant cultural identity. With a single ticket price of only 5 euros, "I would like to do with you…" is an event for enthusiasts and the curious who want to approach contemporary dance in an intimate and welcoming setting.