World premiere of Sofia Nappi’s ‘CHORA’
Florence-based choreographer Sofia Nappi unveils CHORA, a profound new full-evening work exploring the ancient Greek concept of χώρα (chora): the creative emptiness that serves as the origin of life and movement.
This virtually unlimited primordial space, existing before language, individuality, or identity, forms the philosophical core of CHORA. As a continuation of Nappi’s and her company Komoco’s danced investigations into the prerequisites of movement and existence, the piece harnesses the magic of beginnings, transforming apparent nothingness into charged presence.
Nappi describes the essence: “Emptiness here is charged with boundless possibilities – like the air before a storm, the stillness before a breath, the silence in nature before dawn, a blank page before writing, or the pause between heartbeats. Space itself becomes presence: in the pauses, the silences, the spaces between us, lives something greater. Space becomes a partner, holding memory, tension, and potential. Fragile gestures grow into larger volumes. Small pauses expand into collective flow. What seemed empty reveals itself as charged with life, connection, and story.”
The world premiere of CHORA takes place at Theater Winterthur in Switzerland on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 7:30 p.m., with an additional performance on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. Further shows include Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. at Tollhaus Karlsruhe, and Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. at Tanz Köln an den Bühnen Köln. Additional appearances are planned for the 2026/27 season in Italy, with details to be announced.
Sofia Nappi, an internationally acclaimed choreographer, trained at the Alvin Ailey School in New York and has enriched her practice through global studies. She is the artistic director and co-founder of Komoco, alongside key collaborators Adriano Popolo Rubbio and Paolo Piancastelli. Her early works earned prestigious honors, including the Introdans Partner Award at the 2021 Rotterdam International Duet Choreography Competition and multiple prizes at the 35th International Competition for Choreography Hannover in 2021.
Nappi frequently creates for renowned companies worldwide. Recent commissions include Tagadà for Staatsballett Hannover; Moving Cloud for Scottish Dance Theatre; Kemet for Introdans; stage movements for Göteborg Opera’s Platée, and upcoming premieres such as Duende for The Leipzig Ballet, Charlie for Gauthier Dance, and Lila for Ballet BC. In 2026, alongside CHORA, she will restage Tagadà for Introdans.
Beyond performance, Nappi leads international research and training at institutions like Tisch School of the Arts (NYU), Micadanses in Paris, Henny Jurriëns Studio in Amsterdam, and others, often in partnership with Komoco dancers.
Since 2020, Komoco has been an Associate Artist of Sosta Palmizi in Cortona, with ongoing collaborations including Oriente Occidente, Fondazione Fabbrica Europa’s PARC, and a three-year funding program from Italy’s Ministry of Culture. The company has toured extensively across Europe, the USA, Mexico, Israel, and beyond, appearing at festivals like La Biennale Di Venezia, RomaEuropa, MASDANZA, and COLOURS International Dance Festival.
CHORA promises a mesmerizing journey into the generative power of emptiness. Don’t miss this innovative exploration from one of contemporary dance’s rising stars.
Book now at https://www.komocodance.com/calendar
Komoco in rehearsal for Sofia Nappi’s CHORA. Photo credit Jeanette Bak