2026
Make Yourself Home
EVENT (ongoing work in progress)
Make Yourself Home is an evolving participatory project exploring the relationship between body, identity, belonging, and the environments we inhabit.
Initiated by Melania Delli Compagni as an intimate gathering hosted in her home in Amsterdam, the project invites participants to turn their attention inward and develop a deeper awareness of themselves, their bodies, and their relationship with the physical and social world around them.
Each gathering uses an artistic or creative practice as a tool for introspection and connection. The first 2 tryout editions explored collage, offering participants an accessible, indirect way to express emotions, explore personal experiences, and share parts of themselves through images and materials. By approaching inner experiences through art, participants can find alternative ways to communicate and open up, without the pressure of having to articulate everything in words.
Still in development, Make Yourself Home aims to evolve through collaborations with different guest facilitators, including systemic bodywork practitioners, writers, painters, and artists from other disciplines. Each edition will bring a new perspective and creative tool, shaping a space for self-exploration, collective reflection, and meaningful encounters.
At its core, the project asks: What does it mean to feel at home — within ourselves, in our bodies, with others, and in the world?
CREDITS
Concept: Melania Delli Compagni
Production: MDC project in collaboration with Lela Di Costanzo
Ph: Rebecca Pinto
2025
VULNUS
PERFORMANCE
This performance emerges from a research process on human sexuality, translated into movement that was transformed into embodied storytelling.
It is told through the experience of a woman, that shapes to emotions many of us have felt, in silence or in sorrow. You may connect with parts of her story, with all of it, or perhaps with none. The invitation is open.
This is the story of how the physical body expresses what the body memory holds onto. It explores sexuality and its traumas, the weight of generational inheritance, the cycles a woman has to live without a choice, the insecurities and self-doubt, the judgment imposed by others and internalized within.
How do these layers affect the way we make sexual or emotional choices?
Can we truly feel free to be vulnerable?
When someone is not sexually available, it is because there is a lot behind.
This is an ode to vulnerability — the kind that carries fear, echoless space, shame, fatigue.
What happens when you’re expected to be strong, but your body refuses to comply?
The audience is invited to feel — to connect, to step away, to observe, to reflect.
This piece is addressed to each person with the hope that they will connect in the way they want, need, and feel — from a place of empathy and understanding. It is an invitation to care, to reflect, and to become more conscious of how sexual education — or the lack of it — shapes our lives, and how others might respond to our choices.
The ending holds a quiet form of happiness: because, for the first time, it is her who decides how to use her body — and feels free not to use it in a sexual way at all.
Do you feel like a witness? Or part of the story?
Do you feel guilty?
What role would you take in this narrative?
CREDITS
CREDITS
Movement and creative Director | performance Curator: Melania Delli Compagni
Production: MDC project in collaboration with FFP
Performer and voice: Claudia Nieto Martín
Sexologist | Psychologist: Marina Pascual Pujó
Costume designer: Antonia Di Martino, Sonia Medori
Sound designer: José María Nieto Rodríguez
Video, edit, and picture: Oliver Kiss
Graphic Designer: Marina Milián Estruch
Marketing Consultant: Pauline E. van der Pol
Visual Artist – Prop Assistance: Thomas Akerboom
Residence Space: Theatre Platform
Video Location: Black Cat Theater Amsterdam
Lullaby inspiration: Enloquecidas of Marta Ocaña Sánchez created by Sara Molina, Maria Rasco
2025
DANCE IT OUT!
ALTERNATIVE DANCE THERAPY WORKSHOP
Dance It Out! is a concept I created from a deep belief: dance should not be exclusive. It shouldn’t be reserved for professionals or fit a certain mold. Movement is a universal language—and when used creatively and consciously, it becomes a powerful tool to reconnect with ourselves, others, and the spaces around us.
This workshop was born from the need to make the benefits of dance accessible to everyone—to feel good through and for yourself, the people, and the world surrounding you. Whether you’ve danced all your life or never moved intentionally before, Dance It Out! is for you.
Each session begins with a theme—a memory, a word, a feeling, a color—and through guided tasks, we explore it using the body as a vehicle of expression and discovery. I draw inspiration from all forms of art: painting, photography, writing, cinema, sound, poetry… because I truly believe nothing heals the soul and brings people together like art.
You’ll move, listen, reflect. Or simply stay still. There is no right or wrong. You’ll always be free to choose your pace, and whether to share or stay in your own silence. The goal is not performance—it’s connection, presence, and freedom.
Dance It Out! is a transformative experience—an open, gentle space where your body and your creativity can meet. It’s a new way of being, moving, and belonging..
CREDITS
Workshop creator, curator, and facilitator: Melania DC
Pictures and video: Joaquín Santillán
Special thanks to: Black Cat Theatre
2024
HOMO DUPLEX
SITE SPECIFIC LIVE PERFORMANCE
Homo Duplex is a contemporary dance performance that explores the endless and necessary dialogue between two interconnected and still conflicting components of the self.
Inspired by the theory of Emile Durkheim, the performance follows the journey of two factors representing integral elements emerging from a forgotten previous dialogue.
Lost and searching for something elusive, the elements find each other and realize they are two halves of a whole. Their movements reflect a deep longing for connection and understanding as they engage in a poignant dialogue, unlocking memories of their shared existence.
As they navigate obstacles and challenges, they discover the significance of collaboration and harmony in their journey towards self-realization. With each step forward, they gain insight into the cyclical nature of their quest, acknowledging that true fulfillment lies in embracing their intrinsic connection.
In a moment of clarity, they understand that the dialogue between their inner selves is both endless and necessary. As the dialogue concludes, they return to the beginning, ready to embark on this eternal journey once again, guided by the profound understanding that their communication is essential to their existence.
Homo Duplex invites audiences to contemplate the importance of connection, communication, listening, and the ongoing pursuit of self-discovery in the intricate tapestry of human experience.
CREDITS
Performance curator: Melania DC
Dancers: Marta Bianchi, Teresa Royo, Lela Di Costanzo, Melania Delli Compagni
Choreography: Melania DC in collaboration with the dancers
Music editor: Sofia Martin Shinoda
Dramaturgy: Melania DC, Sofia Martin Shinoda
Costume designer: Laetitia de Veth
Special thanks to: NDSM Fuse, Cinetone Atelier, Patty Van Hoften, Lola Lieven
2021
ESTATE
VIDEO PROJECT
Estate (Summer) is a captivating dance video project directed, choreographed, and curated by me, where the fleeting nature of summer is portrayed as a dreamlike experience. Filmed entirely in black and white to evoke a sense of nostalgia and unreality, the video explores the idea that summer is a season where anything can happen—passionate loves are born, hearts are broken, and moments of pure joy and freedom are lived to the fullest.
As the dance unfolds, the black-and-white imagery alludes to the ephemeral quality of these experiences, emphasizing that just like a dream, summer is fleeting. When the season ends, the dream vanishes, and reality returns with the impending arrival of winter. The snow of winter, cold and unyielding, symbolically covers the remnants of summer’s romances, leaving only memories in its wake.
Estate invites viewers to reflect on the bittersweet beauty of summer—a time of intense emotions and possibilities that ultimately gives way to the inevitable passage of time and the return of reality.
Through evocative choreography and striking visual contrasts, the project captures the essence of a season that, like a dream, is both enchanting and transient.
CREDITS
Choreographer and dramaturg: Melania Delli Compagni
Performance Curator: Melania Delli Compagni
Co-choreographer and assistant Production: Sara Spiro
Dancers: Elisa Nania, Ludovica Cimmino, Melania Delli Compagni, Sara Franzil, Sara Spiro
Camera and Film Editor: Marlis Andrea De Angelis
2021
DAWN AND BREATH
SITE SPECIFIC LIVE PERFORMANCE
As the first light of dawn breaks over the Adriatic coast, a serene beach becomes the stage for a mesmerizing performance that marries the power of nature with the art of dance, music, and poetry. Against the backdrop of a vibrant sunrise, two dancers and a violinist come to life, their movements and melodies reflecting the hues of the awakening landscape.
The performers, their flowing costumes mirroring the pastel colors of the sky, move in harmony with the gentle waves, embodying the rhythmic ebb and flow of the water. The violinist’s music, delicate yet powerful, intertwines with the sound of the waves, creating a symphony that echoes the natural world.
As the sun rises higher, a voice recites poetry, its words weaving through the air like a gentle breeze. The verses speak of renewal, resilience, and the enduring strength of the human spirit—a reminder of our capacity to restart, much like the daily rebirth of the sun and the relentless return of the waves to the shore.
Dawn and breath is a celebration of the power of nature and art to heal and inspire. It is a tribute to Italy’s resilience in the face of the pandemic, a symbolic gesture of hope and renewal. As the performance unfolds, it invites the audience to reflect on the beauty of each new beginning, the strength found in unity, and the eternal dance between nature and humanity.
CREDITS
Choreographers and dancers: Chiasmo (Melania Delli Compagni, Sara Spiro)
Violinist: Ingrid Ranalli
Voice and text: Vincenzo Martino
Performance Curator: Melania Delli Compagni
Feedback on My Work as Movement Director & Curator
A needed event
I joined the Make Yourself Home event, and for the next few days, I kept wondering when the next edition would take place.
I felt so good and connected with myself during the event. I was in a room full of people I had never met before, and we started with a meditation. It was so worth it, especially because I was coming from a very busy day and was feeling overwhelmed. The meditation really helped me slow down, calm my mind, and feel grounded again.
We then moved on to some decoupage, and the activity was soooo good! It felt amazing to make art, connect with the people around me, and, personally, reconnect with my inner child.
We also took a break to enjoy some amazing homemade food. Everything was so delicious and healthy.
My favourite part was the final sharing circle, where we all presented our pieces of art and shared the stories behind them. It was so beautiful to see how something so personal could bring us all closer together.
I really believe in Melania’s project, and I truly hope there will be many more editions in the future
reconnected with myself
I had the pleasure of taking part in the “Make Yourself Home” event. It was an immersive experience that allowed me to reconnect with myself and give space to my emotions and creativity. It filled me with love and positive energy. Meditation, sharing, decoupage, good food, and wonderful company. Thank you, Melania, for your humanity, your sensitivity, your professionalism, and the love you put into everything you do.
movimento, musica e condivisione
Un’esperienza fuori dal comune, iniziata alle 6 del mattino quando tutto intorno era ancora silenzioso. Attraverso il movimento del corpo, la musica e la condivisione, Dance It Out ha creato uno spazio autentico in cui lasciarsi andare, ascoltarsi e scoprire qualcosa di sé attraverso gli altri. Un modo bellissimo per iniziare la giornata: presenti, liberi e connessi.