Balletto di Roma Company was born in 1960 from the artistic partnership of two icons of Italian dance, Franca Bartolomei and Walter Zappolini. The Company has always promoted the production and dissemination of Italian dance in Europe and around the world, with a repertoire that is today focused on innovation and research, grounded in the history and tradition that made it well known. Over the course of its 65 years, it has seen many prestigious collaborations and multiple creative minds, which have contributed to the growth of its productions in terms of both the quantity and quality of the works staged, with growing public acclaim. Over time, the Roman Company has built a unique production model in Italy, aimed at preserving and renewing the repertoire through the support of choreographic creativity and the maintenance of the dancers’ technical and interpretative skills. In addition to artistic production, the Company’s main aspect, Balletto di Roma also promotes comprehensive training: these are the two cornerstones of the organization. This parallel commitment converges into a single brand of excellence in the Italian cultural landscape, and its sole objective, at this historic moment, is the development of new generations of dancers and their educational and professional recognition throughout Europe. A sustainable project thanks to the contributions of public entities (Italian State/MIC, Lazio Region, Municipality of Rome, European Community, Italian Cultural Institutes abroad) as well as the appreciation of the large audiences who flock to the box office every year to attend the numerous performances scheduled both in Italy and abroad.

The current profile of the organization is the result of the managerial leadership of Luciano Carratoni, who since the early 2000s has focused its horizons on artistic growth. This led to a significant generational shift in 2018, when Francesca Magnini was appointed artistic director. This strengthened the existing gender quota programs and expanded its overall objectives, engaging organizations, institutions, and prestigious Italian and international universities in an important process of dialogue and engagement for constant and continuous renewal. Today, the organization nurtures and supports new generations with a quality brand recognized nationally and internationally. It has always been committed to promoting Italy’s immense culture abroad, as demonstrated by its 2023 China Tour, for which Balletto di Roma received the “Italian Excellence Award” at the 2023 China Awards with its production “Juliet and Romeo” (choreography by Fabrizio Monteverde). This award has encouraged a second tour in 2024 and a third in 2025, year in which the organization also celebrates its 65th anniversary.

Balletto di Roma is recognized as a Historic Brand of National Interest by the Ministry of Business and Made in Italy, and since 2024, it is a member of the Association of Historic Brands of Italy.