Type – Dance
If you liked – Ballet, flamenco, Saturday Night Fever
Save the Last Dance for Me: The weight of trust in the whirl of polka chinata takes audiences on a thrilling 20 minutes
In a breathtaking 20-minute performance, two men reclaim the nearly lost tradition of Polka Chinata. It is a physically gruelling folk dance that Alessandro Sciarroni turns into a profound meditation on masculine intimacy. This “crouched polka,” which originated in early 20th-century Bologna, was traditionally performed by men in a display of strength and stamina, but here, it becomes something far more tender: a testament to the vulnerability required to be dependent on one another.
Dressed like two John Travoltas heading out on a Saturday night, the dancers Gianmaria Borzillo and Giovanfrancesco Giannini have a presence and machismo that only Italian men seem to achieve. The performance began with deceptive simplicity, but as the tempo increased, they performed the signature “chinata” (crouched) position. In this deep squat, with arms tightly interlocked, they spin rapidly, giving us a masterclass in centripetal force and mutual reliance. The speed was dizzying, yet the centre of the circle between the men remained perfectly still – a zone of intense focus with the dancers were locked in an unbreakable gaze. With contemporary trance music for their soundtrack, they cast a hypnotic spell over the audience.
Is Save the Last Dance For Me Worth Seeing in Sydney?
In a brightly lit room, with no special lighting effects, the intimacy on display was striking. The audience sits around the edge, on the same level as the dancers. There were no soft balletic gestures, but sweat, laboured breathing, and absolute reliance on their strength and coordination. Any slight misalignment or hesitation from one would cause both to fall – and often they were not even an arm’s length away from the audience. To see two men give themselves over so completely to one another was to witness a rare form of sensuous male connection.
By the time the twenty minutes concluded, their exhaustion was visible, but they were smiling at each other and having great fun. They were so focused on each other that it felt like an intrusion to be watching them. The dancers had a quiet, radical intimacy that I have never seen before in any kind of performance, and it was an utterly unique experience.
Tickets and Practical Info for Save the Last Dance For Me in Sydney 🎟️
Alessandro Sciarroni, Marche Teatro
Town Hall, Sydney and other locations
Until 23 January 2026
Tickets: https://www.sydneyfestival.org.au/events/save-the-last-dance-for-me-town-hall
