Ciao! My name is Anna. I'm actress, movement director, and theatre lecturer based in Denmark.
I was born in Milano, Italy, on a warm summer night, in 1987.
Milano is my home, my first stage, and a city that I love for its transformative energy.
A city where history and innovation coexist.This dialogue between tradition and innovation is at the core of my artistic vision.
Passionate about theatre history, and historical discourse, I do believe in studying tradition in order to innovate.
As I engage in the creative process, in the actions of studying, researching and performing, the dialogue between tradition and innovation is ever present, the boundaries between these three actions becoming invisible.

In 2014 I graduated as actress from the Civic Academy of Dramatic Arts "Nico Pepe" in Italy.
Upon graduation, in parallel with my career, I continue my education as actress by attending the Master of Fine Arts in Performing Arts at Den Danske Scenekunstskole/ The Danish National School of Performing Arts (2021-2023). Moreover,I pursued a specialisation in "Active Analysis method" based on the work of Anatolij Vasiliev/ Stanislavskij/ Maria Knebel.

My interest in extending my vision of the performing arts pushed me to travel, and to enrich my baggage with new experiences, among them: Commedia dell'Arte training with Carlo Boso and Claudio De Maglio, Clowning with Pierre Byland, a Masterclass at New Actors Workshop (New York, USA), Dance for actors with Julie Anne Stanzak and Balletto Civile Dance Co.(Italy).

Physical expression, choreography and movement direction are my main field of interest.

Moreover, I studied mask techniques and performed in various shows with contemporary masks, utilitarian masks, experimental masks and Commedia dell'Arte masks.
In addition, I worked as performer/mover/actress in several international festivals: UK, Denmark, France, Italy.

In 2017, I moved to Denmark and set up the company HumanLab which brings shows, workshops, lectures, research projects and site specific performances to theatres, universities, schools, cultural institutions, art galleries, museums in Denmark, Italy, France, UK, Brazil and Taiwan.
Between 2018 and 2019, I'm guest drama teacher in Denmark b.la. at Aarhus Universitet, Copenaghen International School for Perfoming Arts, Skuespillerskolen Ophelia, Teaterhøjskolen Rødkilde, Skuespillerakademiet)
In parallel with my career as an actress and movement director, I design theatre-based learning workshops and research projects for higher education institutions, focusing on body language and storytelling. In 2023-2024 I design ad hoc theatre workshop for the EU project “DigiQ” funded by the Eurorpean Commission (Diversity and Inclusion training) - project by ScienceMeltingPot

In 2024 I'm movement director and performer in the shows Terminus and TRIC in which I conducted my research on "The Liquid Actor".

I’m currently involved in a research project at the intersection of theatre, learning, and wellbeing (CCARE, Aalborg University).

My contribution on innovation and experimentation with new mask codes will appear in: Bridel, D., & Motta, F. (Eds.). (in press). Commedia dell’Arte: Contemporary Practitioners. Routledge (UK).

Publications: Chemi, T., Ponsillo, N., Firing, K., & Penati, A. (Accepted/In press). Empathy, learning, ensemble: nurse students’ experiences of theatre-based training. In D. X. Harris, D. Henriksen, & T. Chemi (Eds.), Handbook of Creativity in Higher Education Bloomsbury Academic.