“We settled on the title Dare to Lead as a way to represent the unique qualities of a leader,” Mr. Cali explained. “Throughout the performance, there were movement motifs that showed strength, vulnerability, and dependence — all qualities of a good leader who demonstrates both responsibility and integrity.”

All nine JIS dancers worked closely with Castorina and Belluci during their two-week residency here to learn the bespoke solo performances they will also use again for their IB Dance coursework. 

Mr. Cali first connected with GDO and its founder Patrizia Salvatori during the organization's 2017 visit to the Italian Cultural Institute in Central Jakarta. After participating in various workshops with GDO, he knew that JIS dancers would greatly benefit from their talent and deep appreciation of the performing arts.  

“Not only were they some of the most incredible dancers I've seen perform, but they were also gifted teachers who were able to quickly tune into each student they were working with in order to highlight each dancers' strengths to create a final performance,” he said. “After this experience, I knew I wanted to bring them back to JIS to work with our students.”