Michele Pastorini (born in Sicily, 1993) is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher based in Croatia.

He completed his dance training between Italy (Teatro Massimo Vincenzo Bellini) and Switzerland

(Cinevox Junior Company), and began his professional career in 2013 in Germany at the Landesbühnen Sachsen.

In 2017 he moved to Croatia, where he became Principal Dancer and later Main Artist at the Croatian National Theatre in Rijeka under the artistic direction of Maša Kolar. During his years there, he performed works by Andonis Foniadakis, Nadav Zelner, Douglas Lee, Jeroen

Verbruggen, Cayetano Soto, Marco Goecke, Ji?í Bubení?ek, and Maša Kolar, developing a strong stage presence and a deep understanding of contemporary dramaturgical structures.

Alongside his performing career, Michele has continuously developed his work as a choreographer, gradually placing creation at the center of his artistic path. His works range from opera and theatre productions to full-length dance performances. In Rijeka, he created titles such

as Giulio Cesare d’Egitto, Decameron, La Traviata, Magic Flute, Amarcord, and Pinocchio.

In 2024, Michele co-founded YAC (Yellowbiz Art Collective), within which he is responsible for choreographic creation.

Through this platform, he has further expanded his authorial voice and collaborative practice. Works such as “What Do You See, or Not” and “EXIT” reflect this evolution.

EXIT, which premiered in 2026 as a co-production with major Croatian cultural institutions and Cornelia Dance Company, marks a significant step in consolidating his choreographic trajectory on an international level.

Michele’s choreographic language combines strong physicality and theatricality. Rooted in classical training, his work integrates contemporary and acrobatic elements, always guided by an intimate and precise dramaturgical structure, which he considers essential to his artistic vision.

Alongside performing and creating, Michele is deeply engaged in teaching. He regularly leads workshops and choreographic labs across Europe, including Croatia, Italy, Serbia, Slovenia,

France, Greece, Switzerland, Portugal (Conservatório Regional de Música da Covilhã), and the Netherlands (Codarts – University of the Arts, Rotterdam). A particularly meaningful experience has been the creation for the graduating class of the National Dance Institute in Belgrade, reflecting his commitment to sharing creative processes and supporting emerging artists.