by Nina Vaclavikova
Interviews: Paolo Gargiulo organizer of the event, Elisa Lodi, Andrea Montenesi and Luana Provedel -parents
The fourth edition of “Above the Clouds,” a breakdance event that brings together dancers from Italy and abroad, will take place Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Generali Convention Center in Trieste’s Porto Vecchio-Porto Vivo district.
The event was created in memory of Mattia Montenesi, a young Trieste dancer known in the breakdance community as “Bboy Scatto.” Organized by the Associazione Scatto in collaboration with the Municipality of Trieste, the event combines competition and workshops with a fundraising effort supporting children with cancer and their families.
The 2026 edition was presented Wednesday at Trieste City Hall in the presence of Elisa Lodi, the city’s councilor responsible for real estate assets and sport, along with Montenesi’s parents, Andrea Montenesi and Luana Provedel, and Paolo Gargiulo, the event’s organizer.
Previous editions have attracted about 200 dancers and more than 1,000 spectators. Last year’s competition brought crews from Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Belgium, France, Switzerland and Austria.
Lodi said the event had grown from a family’s effort to preserve the memory of their son into a gathering for young dancers from across the region and beyond.
“This event was born from the desire of two parents to keep alive the memory of their son, who died too young,” Lodi said. She added that the event gives young athletes an opportunity to meet and practice a discipline that was important to Montenesi.
Holding this year’s event at the Generali Convention Center, she said, also connects the competition with the redevelopment of the former port area, which is being transformed as part of the Porto Vivo project.
The day will begin with workshops led by three internationally known judges: Poe One, San Andrea and Vision. Participants will have the opportunity to study techniques and styles with the visiting dancers before the competition begins.
The main contest is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. It will feature two categories: a 2-versus-2 competition for dancers under 16 and a 3-versus-3 open competition. The judging panel will include representatives from the United States, France and Slovenia.
The evening will conclude with awards for the winners of both categories and the presentation of the “Premio Scatto.” The award recognizes the breaker whose performance best reflects qualities associated with Montenesi, including energy, creativity and a positive spirit.
The winners will also receive opportunities to participate in international events. The winning 3-versus-3 team will gain access to the Top32 bracket of the Radikal Forze Jam, scheduled for March 2027 in Vietnam. The winner of the Under-16 2-versus-2 competition will receive the opportunity to attend the “Youth is the Future” camp in Slovakia.
Beyond the competition, organizers describe “Above the Clouds” as a way to build connections among young people through an urban dance form that has developed an international following.
Admission to the contest costs €5. Proceeds will be donated to AGMEN Friuli Venezia Giulia Onlus, an association that has supported children with cancer and leukemia and their families across the region since 1984.
