Cy.Choreography Showcase 2024-Day 2

Cyprus Choreography Showcase (SΧΚ) takes place every two years at the Rialto Theatre and aims to showcase the work of local choreographers abroad, as well as to create greater visibility for the Cypriot contemporary cultural production. The SXK has become an institutional event that presents selected choreographic pieces conceived and created in Cyprus over the past two years. More specifically, the SXK offers the opponunity to Cyprus-based choreographers to present their works, within an organised context, to anistic directors and international contemporary dance festival representatives, thus fostering collaborations with global dance networks. In this way, the Showcase enhances the choreographers’ effons for international promotion and presentation of their works abroad. At the same time, the SXK offers the chance to the local audience to re-watch some of the most memorable choreographic productions.

20:30
Aμφίδρομο Χοροθέατρο Έλενα Χριστοδουλίδου | Amfidromo Chorotheatro Elena Christodoulidou Chameleon
23΄

21:00
Milena Ugren Koulas & Stylish Junkies Collective
Εις Μνήμη… | In Memory Of…
20΄

21:45
Χάρης Κούσιος | Harry Koushos
98 y.o.
20΄

22:10
Ασώματες Δυνάμεις / Ανδρομάχη Δημητριάδου Lindahl | Asomates Dynameis / Andromachi Dimitriadou Lindahl
Αχειροποίητος
25΄

 Amfidromo Chorotheatro Elena Christodoulidou - Chameleon, 23´

A fragile body explores its limits. Adapting to the ever-changing light-soundscape, the movements fit perfectly into the surrounding stillness, are born and die within it. Instantaneous adaptation of the living body to an environment that functions as a source of its movement and immobilisation, as an existential space/way that delimits the strengths and weaknesses, a life-hiding place! Whatever constitutes the “chameleon effect” defines the nature of maximum adaptability. Unlimited range of feelings between (metaphorical) light and dark. Given figuratively, this “nature” is translated into successive stages of exploration of the body in a state of immobility and movement, from light to darkness and vice versa. A performative existence marginally given to the game of adaptation, destined to alternately experience the most extreme different conditions in order to survive.

Elena Christodoulidou studied Dance in the US, Greece and England. In 2002, she founded Amfidromo Chorotheatro dance company. Her choreographic work has been presented in Cyprus and abroad. Amfidromo is supponed by the Deputy Ministry of Culture. Elena was the president of the New Movement of Dance Groups, Dancers and Choreographers of Cyprus from 2006 until 2012. She is a founding member of Dance Lab Nicosia and the curator of Dance waves Festival and Moving Images International Videodance Festival. In 2011, she wrote the book Contemporary dance in Cyprus 1980-2010. She often collaborates as a choreographer with Cyprus Theatre Organisation (THOC) and other theatres. She taught for 20 years in university institutions with the University of Cyprus being the last station, until 2013. In 2013, she established Egomio, a modern performing ans centre where she gathers her choreographic, educational, and anistic activity.

Choreographer: Elena Christodoulidou
Dancer: Maria Masonou
Music: Haris Sophocleous
Costumes: Fani Mouzaki, Eleni Ioannou
Visuals: Alexandros Demetriou
Pictures: Pavlos Vrionides

Milena Ugren Koulas & Stylish Junkies Collective - In Memory Of…, 20'

In Memory Of… is a little choreographic work that belongs to my ongoing larger research on how trauma affects people and how traumatic experiences shape the way we think, move, communicate, and relate to others. In this piece, I explored, together with the dancers, different scientific studies about trauma in an abstract and physical way. The tension of movement in the choreography, transitions between movement and how we relate to each other have all been influenced by the information on what trauma is.

Milena Ugren Koulas is an anist who, in collaboration with her husband, musician George Koulas, has been working in the field of contemporary dance and choreography for the past 20 years. Their choreographies have been presented in Cyprus and many European countries. For the past few years, in collaboration with the Stylish Junkies Collective, Milena has been choreographing and organising workshops and classes for professional dancers. Also, for the last couple of years, she has been a guest teacher/ choreographer at Comma Master, at Codans and Fontys Dance Academies in the Netherlands.

Choreographer: Milena Ugren Koulas
Dancers: Elena Gavriel, Katerina Tylliridou, Magda Argyridou, Anna Nikolaou
Music: George Koulas

Harry Koushos 98 y.o. 20´

“I cannot make you understand.
I cannot make anyone understand what is happening inside me. I cannot even explain it to myself.”

Metamorphosis, Francis Kafka

Harry Koushos is a multidisciplinary anist coming from the field of Dance. He was born in Cyprus in 1988, and has been based in Athens since 2006. He danced and presented his choreographic and film work in Europe, the US and Asia.

Choreography, Performance: Harry Koushos
Dramaturgy: Eleni Moleski
Text: Ody Icon, Eleni Moleski, Harry Koushos
Music: ECATI

Asomates Dynameis / Andromachi Dimitriadou Lindahl - Acheiropoietos, 25´

«Acheiropoietos»: Byzantine icon painting term, «the one not made by man’s hand», suggesting that something is made by another kind of creative force. Images of the Mother of God. A Church in Thessaloniki founded on top of Aphrodite’s temple. Care, worship, prayers. A shelter for the refugees, a slaughterhouse for the unbelievers, a trophy for the conquerors. The one that embraces all, endures all. Temple as a body, body as a temple. Reflection in movement. Faces of femininity, moments and stories of abundance, loss, violence, transcendence. Roles we played with or without our consent. «Acheiropoietos», like the essence of our existence. «Acheiropoietos», like Her invisible presence reassuring us: «Go, and I’ll be there».

Andromachi Dimitriadou Lindahl is a choreographer, a performer, and the anistic director of Asomates Dynameis dance company. Expressive and lyrical, her dance works focus on the human experience, body memory, identity, loss, dystopia, violence. Gender and social issues, personal narrations and stories often become the staning point for reflection and the canvas upon which dance, text, music, and images constitute her poetic universe.

Concept, Creation, Text, Scenography, Performance: Andromachi Dimitriadou Lindahl
Music Composition: Konstantina Polychronopoulou
Video AE: Christophoros Larkos
AE Photography: Andromachi D. Lindahl, Anthi Kettirou