From September 3-7, 2025, Milan will be transformed into a stage for thousands of dancers with more than 40 free events dedicated to dance. Dance performances, dance talks and master classes will enliven the city’s large squares and parks. OnDance is a truly unique event that brings together professionals and enthusiasts from all over the world under the majestic Arch of Peace. Classical dance but not only; OnDance celebrates dance in all its forms, from tango to hip hop to samba and Irish dance.
Program, master classes and major performances
Most events take place from Simplon Square, in the heart of the city. Generally, in the early morning experienced instructors will hold yoga and Pilates classes, while during the rest of the day the various dance forms are mixed together, ranging from ballet masterclasses with the first dancer of the Ukrainian Ballet Academy, Pierpaolo Ciacciulli, to lively Bollywood dance classes with Gioia Cavedon and Anna Franzini, to a Salsa open class with Omar Lopez and Tatiana Bonaguro.
Definitely not to be missed are the four Dance Nights to be held at the Arch of Peace. On Thursday, the iconic arch, a symbol of Milan, will be transformed into an open-air Milonga, where up to a thousand participants will be able to try their hand at the art of tango and watch a performance by professional dancers. Friday is the turn of swing, while on Saturday they fly to Central and South America for a night dedicated to salsa, bachata and reggaeton. On Sunday, however, OnDance students will perform in a final show.
BalloinBianco and Ballo Rosso
Following last year’s great success, BalloinBianco, the OnDance event dedicated to students from the various dance schools, is back, and they will have the opportunity to take a dance class with Roberto Bolle, principal dancer at La Scala Theater and creator of OnDance. A ballet class at the barre, where hundreds of dancers and dancers, all strictly dressed in white, will move in synchrony following Bolle’s directions.
New this year, however, is the Red Ball. This, is a show that will feature about 1,500 dancers from all over Italy performing to the notes of Maurice Ravel’s Bolero. The show will be staged at the Peace Arch starting at 5:30 pm.
👉 For most of these events, registration is required as places are limited.
🎟️ Find the entire program and various registration links here.