The Instructors

Marianna Kavallieratos

Dancer/Choreographer

“This process was built around the collaboration between dance and music. We paid close attention to each other and we also listened to the children very carefully. We used the ancient texts of “Antigone” and “Helen” as a springboard, upon which the children built their characters. That being said, we weren’t very strict with how the roles were to be represented in each solo. We wanted the children to draw inspiration from the values of the dramatic characters, combining them with what is happening right now and also with their hopes and aspirations for the future.”

Giorgos Mizithras

Musician/Composer

“I was in charge of the musical aspects of the solos. Perhaps the most important thing was my connection with the children. Each participant gave his/her own spin to the soundscape that s/he asked me to create. The number and diversity of the compositions we came up with was at once a challenge and a genuinely creative process. The ancient texts were the main source of inspiration as far as the compositions were concerned, predicated upon a connection between natural sounds and more electronic soundscapes.”

Nikos Vlachogiannis

“Throughout this workshop, I came to learn a lot about Art and I also found out about the time and effort involved in making a choreography. I also realised I am quite undecided and that I can go to great lengths to achieve something, lengths I couldn’t even imagine I could reach.”

Ioanna Emmanouil

“What I cherish from this workshop is meeting these wonderful dancers and exchanging experiences with them. During the dress rehearsal, Marianna Kavallieratos urged me to express myself through my body rather than through my face. She helped me overcome my inhibitions and taught me how to move more freely.”

Ariadni Koropouli

“This experience helped me push myself beyond my limits and untap my creative potential. Participating in a Festival workshop was something incredible; a truly fantastic experience. Moving the workshop classes online was rather easy, given that by that point we had already established a rapport with one another.”

Yvonni Melissa

“Through this experience I realised that Ancient Drama is not over yet. Ancient Drama does not merely exist in the texts. It is a part of our lives as we continue to invest it with new meaning. For my solo I was inspired mainly from “Antigone”, especially from the fact that, even though she knows she will eventually die, she ends up doing her thing because she is compelled to do so by a higher idea, a noble cause.”

Angeliki Beveratou

“When I signed up for the workshop, I was intrigued by the fact it combined dance and choreography with Ancient Drama. It helped me understand that one can learn how to work alone through collaboration with others.”

Melina Sakkoula

“I connected Ancient Drama with choreography by drawing on certain traits of the ancient heroines. I tried to showcase these traits through movement. I drew on the intelligence of both heroines, on Helen’s versatility and beauty, and on Antigone’s ingenuity and militant spirit.”

Eleni Sarasiti

“This workshop paved new roads for me. It gave me great joy and energy during the lockdown. It helped me learn a few things about myself: I may be alone on the stage, but there are also other people in the audience. Creating and completing a thing of my own felt absolutely great.”

Pablo Soto

“I was familiar with “Antigone” but not with “Helen.” I enjoyed the fact we included certain emotions in our solos. In my own solo, I am a god of joy. I used some of Helen’s traits in my choreography. Through Ancient Drama I realised I can use these characters and revisit them in today’s world via dancing.”