Dutch-Albanian artist to stage Cinedance festival

TIRANA, Sept. 29 – Albanian-Dutch artist Altin Kaftira, a former principal dancer with the Dutch National Ballet in The Netherlands will soon bring home The Cinedance Festival which will be supported as part of the Embassy’s Public Diplomacy Fund.
The contract for the support of the festival was signed last week at the Dutch Embassy in Tirana. Altin Kaftira is a former principal ballet dancer, who was involved in the well-known Dutch National Ballet for multiple years. He now focuses on making films which involve dance or movement. Dance seen through film is an innovative approach that will be introduced to the Albanian public during the Cinedance Festival.
“Dancing at a high level on many stages around the world for many years, I have an undeniable passion for dance. In 2007 I took the decision to finally stop dancing; however, many years before that I developed a new passion: making films featuring dance or movement,” says Kaftira.
“When I decided to leave behind my rapidly growing career in Albania (1993), I knew, I was heading towards the unknown. Until at that time, I was enjoying very much the chances I was given to dance in Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Tirana. I danced numerous performances (among other) of Baryshnikov’s Don Quichotte, The Nutcracker, Giselle giving me a valuable stage experience under guidance of my teachers Pullumb Agalliu and Agron Aliaj,” he says.
After a brief isolated living during his emigration months in Germany, Kaftira moved to Greece, where he found an alternative way to make the living.
“In 1995, my way of dancing was spotted by the Dutch choreographer Rudi van Dantzig (former Artistic Director of Het Nationale Ballet). During my dance career in Netherlands I danced many major roles, which I wouldn’t even dream of, when I was a young dancer. I worked with such world legends like Natalia Makarova and also with the world’s top choreographers like Alexei Ratmansky, Christopher Wheeldon, Sir. Peter Wright, William Forsythe, Twyla Tharp to mention just a few.”
In 1999, he danced for a short period with English Nationale Ballet in London under the Artistic Directorship of Derek Deane.
“Beside seeing my career hitting levels that I never thought, it could, I consider myself a very lucky man to have enjoyed a rich experience dancing in many world’s famous stages. Travelling around the world, meeting and dancing with new colleagues has been an experience I value the most,” says Kaftira.