The 2026 training programme: Dance practices and brain health in Museums is a scientific and artistic training for dance artists who wish to learn and develop their practice, interested in exploring approaches to dance for Parkinson’s, dance for people living with and beyond cancer, dance for young people living with psychological vulnerability and depression, in museums.
The training includes online and in-person activities, and it is held in English.
Ten online sessions (February-May 2026) will introduce scientific context and content for the specific dance practices, target groups and artistic approaches in museums. Knowledge exchange sessions will focus on research and experiences developed by experts, scientists and artists in different international contexts.
The in-person 5 days long sessions will take place in June (8-12) and in September (23-27) 2026, with the possibility for participants to choose one of the two optional periods. The sessions will invite the participants to dive into the practice of leading dance sessions for small groups of people living with Parkinson’s, people living with and beyond cancers and teenagers living with psychological fragility. The in-person sessions will take place in the unique Open Air Museum Arte Sella and will include an introduction to the specific context of a museum in nature and its activities, the exploration of dance practices in dialogue with art works, the development of choreographic scores and improvisation-based practices in museums setting. Participants will be invited to explore the conduction of dance practices for target groups and engage in feedback sessions.
Throughout the training course publications and literature tools will be shared.
The training is for active dance artists, with good knowledge of spoken and written English language.
The cost of the course is 600€ and includes online introductory meetings, knowledge exchanges, on-site scientific and artistic training.
The initiative is promoted by e20danza, in collaboration with Arte Sella Education. Applications are open until 30th December 2025, there are 20 places available.
Online contributors:
Vittorio Gallese: Professor of Psychobiology and Physiological Psychology at the University of Parma. He is an Adjunct Senior Research Scholar at the Department of Art History and Archaeology, Columbia University. He is cognitive neuroscientist, one of the discoverers of mirror neurons.
Monica Gillette: Dance Dramaturg and Codirector of the German Tanz Triennale. Monica has facilitated several programmes and developed artistic practices for dance for Parkinson’s and dance for people who live with and beyond cancer. She is the contributor and editor of several publications on dance and wellbeing, dance and brain health, non-professionals engagement in dance and soft skills.
Yasmeen Godder is an internationally acclaimed choreographer, dancer, and teacher, born in Jerusalem and raised in New York City. Her work is distinguished by visceral physicality and emotional intensity, engaging complex themes such as trauma, empathy, vulnerability, and social dynamics. Since 1999, Godder has led the Yasmeen Godder Company, and in 2007 she established her studio in Jaffa — a vibrant home for her artistic research and socially engaged initiatives. Among these is Moving Communities, a pioneering program offering weekly dance classes for people living with Parkinson’s, alongside performances, laboratories, and international conferences exploring the intersections of dance, healing, and community practice.
Sara Houston: Sara is a leading expert in community and socially engaged dance. She is Professor of Dance at University of Roehampton, UK. Her pioneering research work examines the experience of people with Parkinson’s dancing, for which she won the BUPA Foundation Prize in 2011 and published the defining monograph Dancing with Parkinson’s in 2019. As part of her commitment to helping augment high quality participatory dance work, Sara leads professional development courses and workshops for dance artists internationally. She is sought after internationally as a keynote speaker on dance, and she regularly speaks to the media. Sara works closely with dance organisations with a community remit around the world as a consultant, researcher and workshop leader.
Annemarie Labinjo-van der Meulen & Bryndis Ragna Brynjolfsdottir: Dance artists and founders of R.A.A.F. danst, their organisation offers dance projects, educational programmes, and research that contribute to the wellbeing of diverse target groups, including young adults with and after cancer (AYA), individuals with chronic and neurodegenerative conditions, and others in need of additional support. Their projects are accessible and based on scientific research into the positive effects of dance on wellbeing and health.
Antonio Lampis: Director of the Italian Culture and Economics Department of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano-South Tyrol. Vice President of the Free University of Bolzano. Antonio has extensively researched the civic role of museums in relation to artistic and wellbeing actions.
Ugo Morelli: Professor of Cognitive Sciences Applied to Liveability, Landscape, and the Environment, professor of Work and Organizational Psychology, and of Psychology of Creativity and Innovation. He is an expert on the exposure to neurasthetic experiences when dealing with brain health in museums.
Andrea Pilotto: Associate Professor of Neurology, Digital Neurology and Biosensors Laboratory, Neurobiorepository and Laboratory of advanced biofluid markers- Department of continuity of care and frailty ASST Ospedale Civile of Brescia, Italy and University of Brescia, Italy. He has been exploring dance and Parkinson’s and the impact of improvisation based practices on brain health.
In person contributors:
Giacomo Bianchi: President of Arte Sella, the Mountain Gallery, biomedical engineering graduate, Giacomo combines a solid scientific background with a passion for art and literature. Winner of numerous national literary awards, for a decade he has also dedicated himself to exploring the expressive possibilities of photography. He has been part of several international programmes exploring dance in museums across Europe such as Dancing Museums among others.
Roberto Casarotto: Co-director of Aerowaves, until 2022 he collaborated with CSC and Operaestate Festival in Bassano del Grappa-Italy, curating dance programmes and developing international projects. For the Municipality of Bassano del Grappa, and its citizens, he developed Dance Well – Movement research for Parkinson and has been coordinating its national and international growth until summer 2025. Since 2025, in collaboration with the Municipality of Vicenza, e20danza and the city health system, he has developed Future Moves a programme of dance practices in museums for teenagers dealing with depression. He is a member of CCW Welfare Cultural Center.
Giovanna Garzotto: independent dancer, teacher and dance maker trained at London Contemporary Dance School. As performer she’s collaborated, among others, with Melanie Demers, Chiara Frigo, Sharon Fridman, Andrea Costanzo Martini, Ivan Perez, Emma Crithley. She’s been assistant choreographer for Yasmeen Godder, Itamar Serussi, Stian Danielsen, Sharon Fridman. Teacher for Dance Well-movement research for Parkinson’s Program since 2013. In her works she likes to inhabit unconventional locations, and projects that engage in dialogues with communities, stem from processes of cooperation and sharing, and provoke careful consciousness in terms of use of resources. Through dance, as a soft activist, she strives to arise awareness about spaces for changes.
Michela Negro: Dance Well teacher, since 2013, tutor of the Dance Well teaching course 2015-2025. Dancer, choreographer, co-founder of the Nolimita-c-tions network (network of contemporary dance teachers with dance teachers Garzotto, Briaschi, Bolfe, Mocellin, Todesco), she directs e20danza cultural association with Simone Baldo, offering training in contemporary and modern dance, in particular for pre-professional practitioners and adults.
She collaborates with the I dance The way I feel project – dance practices for people living with and beyond cancer. Michela has created choreographies since 1996, and she danced extensively for Parmentier, Alegado, Frigo, Novembrini. She graduated in philosophy and since 2010 she has been studying the relationship between dance and the A.Tomatis method with A.Orset.
Arianna Ulian: writer and performer. She has a background in philosophy of science and contemporary music. She has played in various and diverse ensembles, using music as a mean of intervention in social situations of celebration, protest, memory. She has participated in sound and writing workshops with Fred Frith, Jacopo Baboni Schilingi, Marcello Fois, Vitaliano Trevisan, Giulio Mozzi. She has worked as a sound designer for foundations, civic museums, communication agencies and architectural firms, in particular for MCA-Mario Cucinella Architects.
She leads courses at the Storytelling Workshop of Giulio Mozzi, and is a teacher in public schools. She made her debut in 2021 with the novel La questione dei cavalli, the first title of the Fremen series, published by Laurana publishing house. On the occasion of a choreographic project commissioned by Operaestate Festival, she started the collaboration as author and performer with dance artist Sara Sguotti. She is currently codirecting Le Scuderie dell’Arte in Padua.
Rosa Zambelli: Head of communications and event organization at Arte Sella Museum, Rosa has developed several social engagement programs over the years and coordinated the activities of the European projects Moving Borders and Performing Memory, involving dance artists from the Ukrainian diaspora and presenting performances by Ukrainian-based artists at Arte Sella. Rosa has coordinated a research program on multisensory accessibility for Arte Sella works.
Practical information:
To apply please fill in the application form by December 30th, 2025 L I N K
20 participants will be identified by the in person contributors by January 10th 2026, the invited artists will have five days to confirm their participation and pay the training fee.
The online sessions will be held on Tuesdays between 12:30 and 01:30pm CET From February 24th till the end of May 2026.
The in-person activities will take place at Arte Sella in Borgo Valsugana (Trento), the museum is located at 1000mt latitude www.artesella.it .
B&B and hotels are available in Val di Sella near the exhibit locations, and Arte Sella has a café and restaurant open every day. Participants will be invited to choose to attend either on June 8-12 or September 23-27. More information will be shared with the participants upon confirmation.
Nearest airports: Venice, Verona, Milano, Bolzano.
Borgo Valsugana is connected by train to Venice Mestre, Verona, Bolzano and Milano.
Email contact: info@e20danza.art
