BODY INTO THE FIGHT

Body into the Fight is Diego Tortelli’s performance for Dis.abile/Iper.abile, a project by CCN/Aterballetto in collaboration with Sony CSL. It seamlessly combines artistic exploration with advanced scientific and technological research to explore the potential of a Hyperable body. It made its debut in Rome in October 2023 during the Opening Conference at Maker Faire Rome and the Dancing Days of the Romaueropa Festival.

Through our collaborative research with Ken Hendo and SONY CSL, we delve into prostheses as transformative body extensions, amplifying physical performance well beyond their conventional role in trauma recovery or disability concealment. Our vision extends to redefining human capability in a poetic manner, aligning more closely with the essence of the ‘contemporary body.’ Ultimately, we aim to stimulate contemplation and bring a poetic narrative to the theater, ensuring the continued ability of the human body to captivate and astonish.

Diego Tortelli

Choreography Diego Tortelli
Scientific Consulting Ken Endo
Music Oneohtrix Point Never
Performers Giuseppe Morello and Karim Randé
A production by National Dance Foundation/Aterballetto
In partnership with SONY CSL

Premiere: October 19, 2023, Maker Faire Rome/Opening Conference – Romaeuropa Festival/Dancing Days

Dis.abled | Hyper.abled is born from the collaboration between FND/Aterballetto and Sony CSL. The project stems from the desire of the two partners to support a welfare “focused not on solving emergencies, but on promoting the well-being and abilities of people, as an engine of development and employment and a factor of social inclusion,” according to urban planner Carolina Giaimo‘s definition.

Society is changing, and healthcare is facing new needs. In this scenario, innovation is a challenge. Aids for disability, but also for daily life, biomedical devices, tech and digital accessories for sports: this and much more will be presented at Maker Faire Rome 2023 from October 20 to 22 at the Fiera di Roma. This is how director Gigi Cristoforetti comments:

“The project “Dis.abled | Hyper.abled“, centered around the performance by Diego Tortelli titled “Body into the fight,” fits into this framework and serves as a sort of amplifier for the themes on which CCN/Aterballetto has worked in recent years. Research always supported by the observation of bodies, the generative material of dance. In the background, like a leitmotif, we find the duty, as a cultural institution, not to isolate ourselves in our own world but to address social issues. Such as cultural welfare, just to give an example.”

Sony CSL aims to contribute to the future of humanity and the planet by promoting the development of sciences and new technologies and their application in various fields. In particular, at the laboratory in Rome, directed by Vittorio Loreto, one line of research aims to participate in the redesign of our societies with a transdisciplinary approach that uses creativity as a starting point to address the challenges of today’s society. Comment from Vittorio Loreto of Sony CSL:

“In this direction, the project “Dis.abled | Hyper.abled,” takes its first steps. One of our research lines has precisely this goal: to observe and experiment with the interaction between humans and new technologies (such as AI), and understand how both can benefit from this virtuous exchange, where humans receive input from the machine that helps them improve. When we learned about the artistic work of CCN/Aterballetto, we immediately thought of the technology of Ken Endo, which is why we are here today together, ready to present this new project at Europe’s most important innovation event.”