From ballet stages to Gyrotonic studios and a light-filled coworking community, Flavia Abbadessa is quietly shaping a new lifestyle culture in Milan
Step off busy Viale MonteNero and you might walk past it without noticing. But step inside, and suddenly Milan feels different — quieter, brighter, more international. Someone stretches after class, someone types beside a coffee, and conversations move easily between Italian and English. It feels less like a traditional Milan studio and more like discovering a New York-style loft tucked quietly into the city.
Behind this space is Flavia Abbadessa — Roman-born, internationally shaped, former professional ballet dancer, Gyrotonic and yoga instructor, entrepreneur, and now mother. After years living in the United States, France, and Madrid, where she first opened her studio, she returned to Milan in 2023 and gradually built what is now an integrated wellness and coworking environment: The Garden and, next door, The Seed.
Together they reflect something many internationals already seek in Milan today — not just a place to work or exercise, but somewhere daily life feels balanced, welcoming, and connected.
You grew up between different cultures and education systems. How did that influence you?
My English elementary school had a very creative approach with strong focus on arts, music, sports, and activities. It really taught me that artistic passions could become a real life path if taken seriously. Later I returned to the Italian system, so I experienced both worlds, which gave me a broader mindset from very early on.
Before entrepreneurship, you were a professional ballet dancer. How did that lead to your current work?
I started dancing very young and at 18, I won a scholarship with the Boston Ballet, so I moved to the United States and later danced in France as well. After an injury, I discovered the Gyrotonic method. It helped me recover and return to dancing for a few more years, and only later did I decide I wanted to move into teaching.
For readers searching for Gyrotonic in Milan today, how would you explain it?
Gyrotonic is a movement method combining elements from swimming, dancing, gymnastics, Tai Chi, and yoga. It works with circular movements and breath coordination to improve strength, mobility, and body awareness. For me personally, it was life-changing because it allowed me to recover from injury and continue dancing, but it also made me understand the body in a completely different way — learning to listen to its needs, to be more aware and present, instead of only demanding performance from it without allowing space for rest.
You first opened your own studio in Madrid. Was entrepreneurship always the plan?
Not really. I started teaching in a few studios and after about a year opened a very small space with a few collaborators. I simply followed what I believed in and what I loved doing.
After COVID everything changed — the way we worked and the requests we received. I had to decide whether to stop or go fully into it. I chose to go all-in and opened a much bigger studio in 2021 with partners, and that’s when I also studied business formally because the project had grown.
Why Milan, and why at that moment?
Milan has become very international and dynamic. Even though I’m Italian, I wouldn’t call myself a Milan local — I’m from Rome and the city feels very different. Living abroad brought many insights into how I work and what I wanted to create.
People often say the spaces feel very international, and that wasn’t something I planned — it just came naturally from my experiences.
How do you think Milan is changing in terms of lifestyle, work culture, and openness to new models?
Milan has definitely become much more international. We’ve also seen a big shift toward smart working and more flexible schedules, which means coworking is growing quickly. Many people now want spaces where they can work comfortably outside a traditional office, but still feel connected to others. That change is very visible, and we’re even considering expanding the coworking areas because the demand keeps increasing.
Did you always plan The Garden and The Seed together?
No, The Garden came first. The idea for The Seed actually started years earlier in Madrid as a small dream of having a café corner inside the studio.
Then in Milan, about a year after opening, the space next door became available and we decided to expand and finally create it.
Visitors often say the two spaces together feel like a whole lifestyle ecosystem. Was that intentional?
For me there are two main principles: balance and consciousness.
Balance means understanding that sometimes we need movement, sometimes stillness, sometimes both. Consciousness means really listening to what your body and mind need, instead of just following trends.
That’s why we offer different practices, workshops, meditation, nutrition guidance, and other services — so people can reconnect with themselves.
Community seems very central here. Why was that important?
It’s very important to give people the chance to connect, including families. That’s why we offer things like mom-and-baby yoga or gatherings.
It’s not about promoting one lifestyle, but about creating a place where people don’t feel alone.
Even small details stand out — from communal worktables to healthy food. We heard you may even have introduced one of Milan’s first peanut-butter-and-raspberry toasts…
That was definitely something I wanted to bring from the States. Ours uses natural peanut butter and smashed raspberries instead of traditional jam. Small things like that just come from what I personally enjoy and what feels right for the space.
You seem to embody a model where life shapes work, not the reverse. Was this a conscious decision?
I feel lucky that my work has evolved together with my life. It wasn’t something I planned from the beginning — it developed gradually as things changed. Becoming a mother naturally shifted some priorities and also helped me learn to delegate more. I feel very fortunate that my work and my life can continue growing together.
In a Milan increasingly shaped by international residents, hybrid work, and evolving lifestyle expectations, Flavia Abbadessa’s approach feels less like a new trend and more like a natural response to how people already live today.
Through The Garden and The Seed, she hasn’t simply opened a studio and coworking space — she has created environments where movement, work, family life, and personal wellbeing coexist in everyday rhythm.
And perhaps that quiet integration is exactly what makes the spaces feel, for many visitors, both unexpected and immediately familiar.
What is Gyrotonic®?
Gyrotonic® is a holistic movement method that combines principles of yoga, dance, swimming, and functional training. It uses circular, flowing movements coordinated with breath to improve strength, flexibility, posture, and joint health. Unlike linear fitness systems, Gyrotonic focuses on spirals and multidirectional movement, making it particularly effective for injury prevention, rehabilitation, and overall body awareness. It is practiced both on specialized equipment and on the mat, and is used by athletes, dancers, and people seeking long-term physical wellbeing.
Article by Easy Milano Editorial Staff
Learn more about The Garden and The Seed
