Cyprus Contemporary Dance Platform 2016

The Contemporary Dance Platform, returns with a new program and new ideas. 14 established and younger choreographers collaborate with a large number of artists - dancers, set designers, musicians, light designers etc. - aiming at a more complete and original presence. Away from strict forms, highlighting the expressive dance in various ways and modern forms, the performers show the evolution of contemporary dance in our country. With some surprises, choreographers inspired by existential issues such as loneliness, dreams and nightmares, the behavior automation, issues of social stereotypes and the complexity of human relationships. Important social issues such as the refugee problem, find important space for expression in this year's platform, expressing a relationship and responsibility of arts towards life.

Representatives and personalities from international festivals and the international dance community are invited by the organizers (Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture and Rialto Theatre) to attend this years’ three-day event of contemporary dance and discuss with the artists and the public. Specifically attending: Alexandra Georgopoulou from the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation (Athens), Dimitra Koronaiou from the DIMITRIA Festival (Thessaloniki), Rachel Grodjinovsky from the Suzanne Dellal Center for Dance (Israel), Bush Hartshorn from the National Theatre of Sardinia (Italy) and Sofia Falierou from the Dance Days Festival of Chania (Crete).

Like every year Parallel events are organized in the frame of the Platform, by the Dance House Lemesos, under the heading "Dance Throughout the Year". A new parameter this year is the participation of the Blast Collective with the project «Blast from the Past: A retrospective to the future». Blast Collective had the idea of “re-creating” dance pieces from previous Platforms. The project would revolve around the basic idea of the contemporary approach the creator took on their works. Additionally, a new piece would be created by another choreographer and would be presented alongside the original piece of work. The new work would source their inspiration from original, older piece.

DAY 1 - 18.3.2016 FRIDAY

Έλενα Αντωνίου

Inmost 20’

The artist goes on with her research on the physical and emotional limits of a solo performer with her third consecutive solo/monologue, INMOST.

Everything she needs to fulfill her mission can be found within. A ritual initiation in the deeper meaning of existence. The need to reach the ultimate point of the inner world, my INMOST being. What is not seen and hardly expressed.

Choreography / Performance: Elena Antoniou

Artistic collaborator: Polys Peslikas

Music: Stavros Gasparatos

Lighting Designer: Alexander Jotovic

Photo: Stelios Kallinikou

Julia Brendle and Marios Konstantinou

Treatment 10 '

“It was so packed I stood on one foot for two hours as we travelled up the coast. When we were dropped off, we had to walk for another hour and a half through a forest. We kept running, stopping and crouching every four hundred meters. We finally reached a highway and I knew we were close to the sea. I could smell the salt water.”

a child, a man, a woman.

This performance is a draft of an ongoing research project about reproducing and transferring physical moments on the verge of the extreme.

Concept/Movement: Julia Brendle, Marios Konstantinou

Performers: Julia Brendle, Marios Konstantinou

Music: “Ani Couni”, Native American song

Video Editing: Suzanna Phialas

Fouli Stylianidou

Kitame (Look at me) 20’

Even if we follow our own life path, we still somewhere and somehow have all met or experienced similar situations in life. We are all surrounded by people we love and care about, yet loneliness overshadows everyone and everything. I believe that YES we live alone in a world of millions of people just like us. What if we could fill our lives? Open our hearts for someone else.

Become observers for others and see beyond ourselves.

Choreographer: Fouli Stylianidou

Dancers: Loizos Konstantinou, Viky Kalla, Fouli Stylianidou

Music: Giorgos Kollias

.pelma.lia haraki

Truth Well Faked 20 '

One of the first images that initiated the process of the piece was a boy in Syria, screaming from his deathbed: «I will tell everything to God». This image together with many others talk of an era that leaves uneasy those not suffering.

The piece therefore emerged out of the guilt adults feel, knowing their generation is to blame for the death of nearby children. The work sheds light on the tragic which is inspired by horrific true stories, revealed within the space of the theatre that is fake by nature. What meaning is there to art if not to remind us of the responsibility we should have towards life!

Concept / Movement / Direction / Performance: Lia Haraki

Performance / Creative contribution: Marios Ioannou

Music composition and sound: Christos Hadjichristou

AELION DANCE COMPANY Fotini Perdikaki

Surprise 20 '

The project Surprise, is a revelation for the audience and the performer, as well as for the choreographer herself! Each moment is a new world that should be explored on stage by each and every one, but also one is called to adjust and to respond accordingly to the new data that is presented.

There is no room for performers’ "mannerisms", because the project’s structure is based on and is the deconstruction of the moment, every moment! The choice of experienced artists is imperative because of the need to respond to the volatile and the unexpected. The aim is real Surprise for anyone who will be at the theatre that night. Apart from the performers, some "guests” will appear on stage, individuals who will remain anonymous until their appearance on stage.

Choreography: Fotini Perdikaki

Performers: Hamilton Monteiro, Fotis Nikolaou, Alexia Perdikaki, Rania Glimitsa

Set design: Elena Kotasvili

Set technician: Sofronis Efstathiou

DAY 2 - 19.3.2016 SATURDAY

Suzana Phialas

Collecting References 10 '

Everyday behaviour leads to automations of movements, which are adopted by the body.

Fragments of conscious presence assume the role of a more substantial existence. Is that enough?

Choreographer’s name: Suzana Phialas

Title: “Collecting references” (11′)

Choreography/Creation/Artistic Direction: Suzana Phialas

Performance: Rania Glymitsa

Set Design: Elena Kotasvili, Alexis Vayianos

Music Manipulation: Suzana Phialas

Photography: Suzana Phialas

Photo Manipulation: Pavlos Vrionides

Set Technician: Sofronis Efstathiou

*Special Thanks to Yannis Yapanis for his presence and contribution during the creation of this performance, Yiannis Ioannou for the technical assistance and Fotini Perdikaki for her assistance and advice.

EN DRASI Evie Demetriou

the more you dance the more you get 20 '

the more I move the more I dream

the more I dream the more I move

the more I move the more I dance

the more I dance the more I let go

Choreographer/Performer: Evie Demetriou

Advisor: Tabea Martin

Voice coach: Cathryn Robson

Styling: Kristia Michaelidou

Thanks to Emily Papaloizou, Alexis Vasiliou, Louiza Papaloizou

ASOMATES DYNAMEIS | Machi Dimitriadou- Lindahl

Liquid Body / a study on empathy 20 '

The Mediterranean Sea is full of stories of migration as far back as human memory goes. The liquid element calls for voyages and odysseys, sometimes identical with freedom and sometimes with peril. Water carries people and stories. Water transfers memory. Water tunes in, water communicates. Every day a human life negotiates its salvation or its peril. Water feels. We are 70% made of water...

Choreography/dramaturgy: Machi Dimitriadou Lindahl

Music: Giorgos Kolias

Costumes: Elena Katsouri

Video/Photography: Christophoros Larkos

Performers: Alexia Nicolaou,Vicky Kalla, Paulina Ioannou

Fotis Nikolaou

Those gentle hearts are like shot birds falling 20 '

The hour of the wolf…

It is the hour between night and dawn.

It is the hour when most children are born and most people die.

It’s the time when the wolf is lurking outside the door,

when ghosts and demons are most powerful,

when sleep is deepest,

when nightmares are most real.

It is the hour when the sleepless are haunted by their deepest fears

and all they can hear is the sound of their heart.

It’s the hour of the deepest confessions…

Choreography: Fotis Nikolaou

Dramaturgy: Thanasis Georgiou

Music: Dimitris Spyrou

Set & Costumes: Elena Kotasvili, Alexis Vayiano

Technical organization: Sofronis Efstathiou

Performers: Fotis Nikolaou, Hamilton Monteiro, Dimitris Spyrou

Special thanks to Elena Agathokleous and Maria Messis

DAY 3 - 20.3.2016 SUNDAY

Zoe Georgalli in collaboration with Matt Gordon

Counter Tensions 10 '

Counter Tensions investigates the ability of the human body to create complex kinesthetic, visual and audible patterns, which interact and influence each other. The above connections focus on the themes of space, rhythm and time, balancing between the qualities of harmony and irregularity.

Using a dancer, a musician and a video projection, Counter Tensions creates reoccurring patterns that play with the expectations of the audience and our tendency to find satisfaction in synchronization and symmetry. These three patterns interact and depend on each other in order to create a complex web of links that constantly alter and develop.

Choreographer: Zoe Georgallis

Musician: Matt Gordon

Costumes: Clio Alphas

Visual assistant: Teresa Georgallis

Video artists: Ryan Kinsella, Brendan Little

Hamilton Monteiro

Labeling U 10 '

The duet Labeling U, explores the issue of social stereotypes in a closed social group, thus continuing a thematic displayed by the previous project entitled Marika's dress.

Two dancers will share the milestones for the development of their art in a dance theatre dialogue. A kinesiological flashback into two parallel routes, in an attempt to highlight the stereotypes rooted in the structure of societies. Contrasting each one’s side of the story, Hamilton Monteiro and Fotis Nikolaou will explore through their experience - and deconstruct - these stereotypes with their onstage "Personas".

Choreography: Hamilton Monteiro

Performers: Hamilton Monteiro, Fotis Nikolaou

Alexander Michael

Complex Foreverafter 12'

This work attempts to uncover the complexities of modern relationships and life. In this dance, the choreographer, influenced by personal experience, seeks to illustrate the strain of a couple living through the growing physical disability of one partner and the emotional and psychological trials that connect to this. It is a tale of love, support, hardship, frustration and respect.

This dance extends beyond the complexities of two people into a wider global scheme of sharing strength and weakness, needing support and providing it. The choreography aims to consider and offer emotional perspectives of both partners.

Choreography: Alexander Michael

Performers: Alexander Michael, Dara Milovanovic-Michael

CHOROTHEATRE OMADA PENDE Chloe Melidou

La Solution de cycles 20'

The fly is not born in the form which I have described, but as a maggot from the dead bodies of men or animals. Then, she puts out legs, grows her wings, changes from a creeping to a flying thing… Being the creature of a day she likes sunshine best and goes about her affairs in it. At night she keeps quiet and does not fly or sing, but hides away and is still… Ιn the dark she does nothing: she has no desire for stealthy actions and no thought of disgraceful deeds which would discredit her if they were done in daylight.

LUCIAN, The Fly Loeb Classical Library

We fill moments by clinging to the light. We engrave paths by hunting the light. We fill the distance between what is shown and what existed before it had been illuminated.

Choreography: Chloe Melidou

Dancers: Julia Brendle, Mayia Mina, Aleksia Perdikaki, Fotini Perdikaki

Music composition: Dimitris Zachariou

Light design: Panayiotis Manousis

AMFIDROMO CHOROTHEATRO Elena Christodoulidou

Frontears 17'

Wet tomb! Hundreds of people, including babies, babies and their mothers. Hundreds of people, the verb used by the media when they start to narrate the drama: Drowned! Drowned? Is it the sea itself that is responsible for their drama? The weather? Are all these desperate mothers, who are unable to leave off their arms their dead from hypothermia children, thus raising the number of the drowned people lists? Or is it something else? Or are the barriers, the vertical frontiers on land borders, the only real perpetrator? Or is it one who forces the "thousands of persecuted" to their only way to escape, risking their life in the endless sea?

This tear that "dries" at the border, is a tear for culture, for Humanity...

Choreographer: Elena Christodoulidou

Dancers: Panagiotis Tofi, Ivi Hadjivasiliou, Stefany Papadopoulou, Kristia Pitsillidou, Anna Piperi

Music: Antis Skordis

Video /Installation art: Klitsa Antoniou

Video editing and supervision: Christos Andreou

Costumes: Lakis Genethlis

Photography: Iacovos Hatzistavrou, Refugees, Lesvos 2015