With the desire to create a collective experience that values diversity and redefines the notion of power and beauty, choreographer Ermira Goro is setting up “meetings” between very different people – of different sex, ethnicity, body type, age, skill – in an attempt to invalidate the stereotypical identification of the dancer with a youthful, muscular, fit, “perfect” body. At the same time, the work poses a series of questions:

 

How do the particular characteristics of each body affect or enrich the performance of a movement?

 

How is an “untrained” body transformed by a movement or a rhythm that lies beyond its everyday vocabulary?

 

What emotions may be generated by this almost voyeuristic identification between dancer and viewer?

 

Through the exploration of individuality and personal kinesiological expression, as well as through the variety and diversity of the bodies of the performers, some of whom are amateurs, Meetings leads the viewer to intuitively discern on stage elements of him- or herself and to rethink what "right" or "appropriate" even mean.

 

Arguably the greatest significance of this work lies in that it is seeking to abolish the rift that is torn between public and performers when physical skill, expressiveness and labor are confused with bodily youthfulness and vigor. Ultimately, Meetings was created to argue that dance is precisely an experience to be shared in community, provided that the latter’s cohesion rests on the desire of its members to be other, together.

 

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Concept & Choreography: Ermira Goro

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Performed by:  

Sofia Archontidou, Evi Aresti, Melina Darzenta, Katerina Delakoura, Vera Efthimiou, Golfie Gavriliadi, Apostolos Gogakos, Konstantinos Gerodiakomos, Pheobe Grigoropoulou, Zoe Joyce, Dolly Kanellopoulou, Anastasia Kalandrani, Ioanna Karamanou, Katerina Michou, Litsa Mourtzi, Magdalena Niti, Konstantina Stavropoulou, Elissavet Vagena, Maria Viloglou, Konstantinos Vlachakis, Yolanda Ziaka, Maria Zilakou

 

Photos: Dimitris Parthimos

 

Presented and Supported by: The international Dance & Dancetheatre Festival “Akropoditi DanceFest”

With the support of: Municipality of Syros-Hermoupolis

Co-organization with: Aegean Islands - Cyclades Culture

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