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Interview with Davide Cacciari

Interview with Davide Cacciari

Davide, could you elaborate on the significance of connecting IDSF dancers with esteemed figures such as Janet Gleave?

I was 18 the first time my Italian teachers, Gianni and Sandra Doria, sent me to England to take lessons with some of the greatest teachers in the dancing world. The Irvines, the Gleaves, the Shorts, and the Venables were the first people we connected with.

It was a completely different world from what we had in Italy at that time.

I was amazed by the knowledge and experience these people had. I remember living in an apartment with Luca Baricchi, and every evening we would go to practise in different studios, having “floorcraft competitions” with young dancers who later became very illustrious champions, such as Christopher Hawkins, Augusto Schiavo, Massimo Giorgianni, and others.

Whoever lost had to buy a Coca-Cola or a Seven Up for the rest of the group!

I truly believe it is tremendously important for our entire Heritage to have the opportunity to meet some of these dance legends.

My mentor, Dr. Peter Maxwell—whom I was introduced to about 30 years ago, when I was 26, and who helped us build what Heritage is today—always said that you must know the past in order to create the future. Being in contact with these legends can be an incredible source of inspiration for young dancers.

Our foundation, DSH/IDSF, has many young dancers, and it is our responsibility to give them the very best opportunities.

Janet became one of our main teachers. She has always been extremely technical and, at the same time, forward-thinking. Her knowledge and expertise are exceptional, and she is a fantastic teacher.

Giving some of our best dancers the opportunity to work with teachers like Janet is, for me, extremely important.