Riccardo Battaglia to Dance With Ailey II

R. I. (March 31, 2014)

2014 is Riccardo Battaglia's first year with Ailey II. The talented dancer will star in numerous premieres in the soon to start New York season. He is the first male Italian primo ballerino (soloist) to be accepted by the dance company.

Following an over thirty city world tour, Ailey II, the youthful and gifted second company of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, returns to its home, the Ailey Citigroup Theater, from April 2 – 13, for a highly anticipated 40th anniversary season – the second led by Artistic Director Troy Powell.

Riccardo Battaglia, a native of Pescara, was chosen by the Italian Youth Ministry in 2010 to represent dance as part of the country’s “TNT Festival.” He was among 200 other talented youth from the country selected based on his outstanding dance performances in tap dance and other contemporary genres. Battaglia won prestigious dance competitions in Florence and Rome before graduating high school with honors and moving to New York. Battaglia teaches at his childhood dance studio, Scuola D’Arte New Step [2] in Italy, and still has strong ties there.

In the upcoming 2014 New York season, Battaglia will perform in the premieres of Wings [3],by Jennifer Archibald, Alchemies [4] by Adam Barruch, and in Cuore Sott’Olio [5] by Katarzyna Skarpetowska. For the Returning Favorites program, he will dance in Alvin Ailey’s Streams [6], Amy Hall Garner’s Virtues [7], and Rusty [8] by Paris-born choreographer and former member of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Benoit-Swan Pouffe.

Riccardo Battaglia began dancing at the age of eight at Scuola D’Arte New Step in his hometown. He is a three-time winner of the “Expressions” competition held in Florence as part of the Danzainfiera event and also won the Tip Tap Show competition in Rome. Battaglia trained at The Ailey School as a scholarship student, where he performed in the 2011 and 2012 Ailey at The Apollo galas. He has worked with renown choreographers including Earl Mosley, Hope Boykin, Thang Dao, Darrell Grand Moultrie, Nathan Trice, and Jennifer Archibald. He was also a member of Elisa Monte Dance. This is his first year with Ailey II.