WHO: RICHARD CILLI
WHAT: DANCER - SYDNEY DANCE COMPANY
WHERE: SYDNEY
VISIT: www.vanheusen.com.au
FFF LOVES… A man who loves dance AND dessert. Swoon…
Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch or Dinner?
Definitely lunch because you can legitimately start a lunch at breakfast time and have it go until dinner time (at least you could with my Italian family!).
Where will you be dining?
On a yacht in a lagoon of the Ningaloo Reef near Coral Bay.
What music are you listening to?
My own private string quartet playing covers of all my favourites: Bon Iver, Radiohead and a healthy dose of 90’s and 00’s pop for fun.
What are you wearing?
My Van Heusen Performa suit, thongs and a pair of Ray-Bans.
What are you going to eat?
Entree: Oysters and sashimi with an NZ Marlborough Pinot Gris.
Main: A Thai extravaganza! It must include at least an amazing Massaman (just the right amount of sweet sour salty and spicy) and a Som Tum (Papaya Salad). I’ll be drinking Pinot Noir.
Dessert: This will be the main event. I’m getting a bit better but I still challenge anyone to find a bigger sweet tooth than mine (maybe that’s the secret to where I get all my energy for dancing — hee hee!). A degustation of the most creative desserts from the best culinary talents around Australia. Macaroons to start and to finish, a chunk of rocky road and a big glass of icy water.
About Richard Cilli
Recently listed in Harper’s Bazaar’s 100 people to watch in 2010, Perth born Richard Cilli first crossed paths with dance at STEPS Youth Dance Company. Here he performed contemporary dance work throughout his teenage years, culminating in being the joint recipient of the Ausdance WA award for outstanding achievement in choreography for Dash in 2007. After briefly studying Law/Arts (Politics and International Studies), Richard began his professional training at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). He undertook a semester abroad in Taiwan, studying Tai Chi, Kung Fu, and Chinese Dance. Upon graduating, Richard was recipient of the award for most outstanding graduating student, having performed the work of Sue Healy, Nacho Duato, Gary Stewart and Kim McCarthy.
Immediately after graduating, Richard successfully auditioned for Rafael Bonachela’s Sydney Dance Company where he remains a full time member. Works performed with the company include Bonachela’s We Unfold, 360˚, 6 Breaths, and Soledad, Kenneth Kvarnstrom’s Mercury, Adam Linder’s Are We That We Are, and Emanuel Gat’s Satisfying Musical Moments.
Richard was recently named Best Male Dancer at the 2010 Helpmann Awards held at the Sydney Opera House for his performance of We Unfold. Richard is also developing his skills as a choreographer, having made his first short work on SDC dancers entitled End of the Freeway. Richard is currently the face of the Van Heusen Performa range of suits and shirts.