We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lorenzo Guerrini. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lorenzo below.
Lorenzo, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
“57” hasn’t been just a dance performance—it’s been a powerful artistic growth. Choreographed by Tina Bararian, the production has been performed in various venues across New York, including the Spark Theatre Festival and the International Human Rights Art Festival.
I had the honor of performing a lead role in “57”, being on stage for almost all the time, taking on a solo, a duet, and a trio. The solo, “Just the two of Us,” pushed me beyond my limits, requiring deep emotional commitment to bring a complex character to life and connect with the audience on an intimate level. The duet, “Built on Kindness,” was a hilarious and playful conversation through movement – such a great feeling to hear the audience laughing nonstop.
The final piece, “Pray,” was a deeply spiritual trio inspired by Zoroastrian mythology. I portrayed Zoroaster, the central character, onstage for the full 40 minutes without a break. Embodying a divine, sensitive figure was both a major responsibility and a life-changing experience.
Being the lead across such a dynamic range of pieces in “57”—comic, intimate, and spiritual—allowed me to grow as both a dancer and a storyteller. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to give life to these characters, and to do what I love most: connect with audiences, bring stories to the stage and make the audience believe it.
Lorenzo, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m a dancer and dance educator originally from Italy. I began my artistic path as an actor, which later evolved into a broader exploration of the performing arts. I earned a degree in Performing Arts Management (PROGEAS) from the University of Florence, but it was my passion for dance that ultimately led me to New York.
In New York, I graduated from the Martha Graham School, where I also became a certified Graham Technique teacher and had the honor of receiving the Armgard von Bardeleben Award for excellence in Graham Studies—an achievement that affirmed both my dedication and love for this dance technique.
From September 2022 to June 2023, I was a company member of Graham 2, Martha Graham’s second company, where I performed several of her iconic works. Later, I was invited back as a guest artist, a recognition that means the world to me. One of the most meaningful highlights of that time was dancing at the Joyce Theater and being part of Carousel of Dreams, a collaboration between the Martha Graham Dance Company and DIOR for the SAKS Fifth Avenue holiday windows. It was a surreal experience—dancing in the heart of Manhattan in DIOR costumes and makeup, with the oldest American dance company.
Currently, I am a principal dancer of the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, which is celebrating its 37th season. With Nai-Ni Chen, I’ve had the opportunity to tour across the United States, performing on major stages like the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in California, the Valentine Theatre in Ohio, and the Miller Auditorium in Michigan. One of my proudest moments with the company was dancing the lead role in “Way of Five – Fire,”- Nai Ni Chen’s signature work, the perfect artistic combination between American modern dance and Chinese folk dance.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
It’s hard to choose only one, but I’ll try.
With Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, I’ve discovered how rewarding it is to perform leading roles that have been danced for decades by generations of artists before me. It was an incredible honor to be casted for the lead role of Way of Five – Fire by Nai-Ni Chen, bringing on stage the spirit of the warrior that other male dancers have done in the past. After learning the choreography, I watched recordings of past performances to be inspired by the interpretations of previous dancers. Seeing their choices helped me understand the role more deeply and gave me the tools to shape it in my own way, working through the details to make the movement truly mine.
When you take on a role like this, you feel the responsibility of keeping a legacy alive—bringing the work to the stage as if it were being performed for the very first time. You embody the choreography to give life to the fire, setting the tone for a meditative and powerful energy that evolves and eventually explodes in a climax of freedom, determination, and resilience.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
I wouldn’t say I have a fixed goal, but I do have a desire—a wish to keep discovering my artistry and pushing it beyond limits. The more I discover what dance can make me feel, the more I can feel alive.
I’ve often heard that we need goals in order to achieve something, and that without a clear direction, you won’t get what you want. But I see goals as points of arrival—and I don’t think of dance, or art, as something you arrive at. To me, it’s a constant state of change, of seeking new knowledge, and also letting knowledge come to you.
I know I still have so much to learn, but one thing I’ve come to understand is this: the body holds infinite possibilities. With each practice, it’s not about finding something better than what I knew before—it’s about finding something different. And many of the possibilities I uncover are valid in their own way.
So, I wish to keep dancing as much as I can, to find all the possibilities that my body and expression can offer. The more knowledge I have, the more I have to share with the audience. I want to offer them something real—a moment of joy, a memory, a laugh. I want to enrich my dance with as many possibilities as I can, so the audience can receive at least some of them. I want them to leave the theatre with something better—or at least different—than what they came in with. That’s probably what my goal is. And that, to me, is what art is all about.
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Main profile picture: Isabella Pagano