Twyla Tharp came from the American Ballet Theatre school, but she also trained with Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham and Paul Taylor. She founded her own company in 1965 and her choreographic practice combined virtually everything the dance world had to offer - tap, jazz, postmodern, and neoclassical influences. In addition to works for the stage, which she performed with American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Opéra national de Paris, London's Royal Ballet, etc., she also choreographed for film. Of particular note are Miloš Forman's films Amadeus, Ragtime and Hair. She has also joined forces with Mikhail Baryshnikov, Frank Sinatra and the fashion houses Oscar de la Renta and Calvin Klein. She was also active on Broadway, where one of her greatest successes was the production of Singin' in the Rain. Tharp will receive her Golden Lion during a gala evening on 17 July at Teatro Malibran. She will also serve as a mentor for selected Biennial College students during the festival.

Carolina Bianchi comes from Brazil, South America, where she founded the ensemble Cara de Cavalo. Since 2020, however, she has been based in Amsterdam. She is a performer, author and director who has attracted attention with her project A Noiva e o Boa Noite Cinderela, presented at the Avignon Festival. Her other works include O Tremor Magnifico, Mata-me de Prazer and the short film Isolda.
"In A Noiva e o Boa Noite Cinderela, the first part of an intended trilogy, Bianchi delves into the horrors of sexual violence, which feels like a descent into the deepest hell, where memories intermingle and blur the lines between them. Bianchi uses her own body as the central element of her work, which, while firmly rooted in the tradition of female performance, exposes it to critique. She is at the top of her field and a reminder of how much we need such uncompromising artistic voices," McGregor said of the award selection.

Source: www.labiennale.org