The first National Library of Dance opens in Rome. This dedicated site will bring
together culture, tradition, history, art and performance. Over three-thousand volumes, ranging in time from the 17th century to today, will be accessible in digital or paper form. The
brand-new library, located at the National Dance Academy, was inaugurated today, Thursday, January 28th. The goal is to develop a broader and broader audience base, both on a
national and an international level.
The thousands of volumes – include rare and antique books – come from valuable collections and donations. The project was implemented by the
National Academy of Dance in collaboration with the Academy's Foundation and with the contribution of the Arcus, s.p.a., company.
A new centre for study, research, and awareness aimed at promoting dance culture: the library facility is a special-focus section of Rome's National Library – Main
Branch (“Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale”). The new space has been created in a charming Art Nouveau-style villa within the park of a college campus; the institution is
subdivided into a number of different sections.
From the history of choreographic expression to dance iconography, to teaching and criticism,
the world of dance is the subject of vast bibliographic troves: rare and antique texts, pedagogical
material, timelines, encyclopaedias, and essays in Italian and French.
As a complement to the impressive catalogue is a periodicals reading room, which houses Italian and international
museums. Furthermore, the library is home to a vast video and dvd collection with ballets from the classical, modern and contemporary
repertoires. Among the rarities is the collection of videos from the George Balanchine Foundation, which allows
viewers to enjoy long-lost choreographies; the donations from the founder of the Jia Ruskaja Academy; from Margherita Parrilla, the current director, and from a host of respected scholars and ballet masters.