Nicoletta Manni

La Scala Theatre, Milan

Born in the province of Lecce, she was admitted to the Ballet School of the Accademia Teatro alla Scala at the age of 13.

In 2009, after graduating, she joined the Berlin Staatsballett, where she remained for three seasons dancing in Les Sylphides, Swan Lake and The Nutcracker by Patrice Bart; Tchaikovsky by Boris Eifman, La Esmeralda by Petipa and Yuri Burlaka; Caravaggio by Mauro Bigonzetti, Peer Gynt by Heinz Spoerli; Onegin and Romeo and Juliet by John Cranko; she also took part in La Peri, La Bayadère, Cinderella and Spring by Vladimir Malakhov.

In spring 2013 she joined the Corps de ballet of La Scala Theatre in Milan and made her debut as "Myrtha" in Giselle, as "Odette/Odile" in Rudolf Nureyev's Swan Lake and performed in George Balanchine's "Jewels" debuting in the principal couple of "Diamonds" and as a Soloist in "Rubies". In "Serata Ratmansky" she performed Russian Seasons (blue couple) and Concerto DSCH (main couple).

Since April 2014 she has been Principal dancer at Teatro alla Scala where she has performed the title role in Nacho Duato's The Nutcracker, Giselle and Excelsior. She is among the principal interpreters of Cello Suites by Heinz Spoerli (2015).

During the Gala for the 23rd International Ballet Festival in Lodz she presents Gran Pas Classique and the pas de deux from Don Quixote. From 2015 to 2017 she also performed in Manon, Cinderella, The Garden of Lovers and The Lady of the Camellias. Since then she has danced all the principal roles, also performing new creations as well as numerous masterpieces from the classical repertoire.

She participates as a guest dancer in national and international galas.

She has received several awards such as the Roma Danza Award in 2012, the Danza&Danza Award as best dancer of the year in 2014 and was nominated for the Benois de la Danse Award in 2015. In 2019 she received the 100 Eccellenze Italiane V° Edizione award.