Cyprus Choreography Showcase (SΧΚ) is co-organized by the Deputy Ministry of Culture -Department of Contemporary Culture and the Rialto Theatre. It 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 opportunity to Cyprus-based choreographers to present their works, within an organized context, to artistic directors and international contemporary dance festival representatives, thus fostering collaborations with global dance networks. In this way, the Showcase enhances the choreographers’ efforts for international promotion and presentation of their works abroad. At the same time, SXK offers the chance to the local audience to re-watch some of the most memorable choreographic productions.
Programme for the first day of Choreography Showcase Cyprus, 27/9/2024
Panayiotis Tofi - Mon Otage, 25´ | 20:30
In an altered reality, a boy, born in a land of light, erroneously fails to realise the existence of others while growing up. Years later, when coming across the meaning of the word ‘alone’, he decides, in a rather surreal and peculiar way, to claim and secure the long- delayed attention and love he has been missing. Mon Otage is a choreographic work based on autobiographical fiction, through which the choreographer/performer explores and connects unfulfilled promises of acceptance, care, and affection between men. The result derives from a co-creative process between the choreographer/ performer and the composer/ musician.
Panayiotis Tofi, initially a professional visual artist, graduated from Trinity Laban, holding a First Class BA in Contemporary Dance (2014) and a Diploma in Dance Studies (2011). His latest choreographic works have been: Erroneous Encounters (2024), Body of Mine (2022), Excavated Anatomies (2020). Several have been presented in Cyprus, Greece, and the UK. For the past eight years, he has been collaborating as a movement director and choreographer with acclaimed directors for numerous theatrical productions. In 2018, he received the ‘Creator of the Year’ award by the Cyprus Theatre Organisation, for his artistic versatility, imaginativeness, and boldness towards experimentation. Based on his choreographic research and evolving movement vocabulary, he has led workshops on improvisation, composition, and contemporary techniques in Cyprus, Greece, Sweden, and Italy.
Concept, Choreography, Text, Performance: Panayiotis Tofi
Live Music Composition: Andreas Economides
French Translation: Popi Kontolemi
Costume Design: Rea Olympiou
Lighting Design: Panagiotis Manousis
Promotional Photographs: Theodora Iacovou
Premiere Photographs: Pavlos Vrionides
Special Thanks: Crisanto Alonso Arias Benavides
Γαλλική Μετάφραση: Πόπη Κοντολαίμη
Aneesha - Redemption Street (12+), 25´ | 21:00
A solo performance about abuse, trauma, the healing process, and redemption... To the women who had the strength to lift the roots from underneath them and plant their wounded heads facing a new light. The performance evokes the deep language of Butoh, a different approach of contemporary dance, in which emotions are what give rise to movement.
Aneesha graduated from Rallou Manou Professional Dance School in 2012. Since 2014, she has been working as a solo performance artist. Her unique characteristic is that she performs and choreographs in a meditative way. The themes of her work most often revolve around humans and their spirituality. She aims to communicate these deeper meanings and emotions of each work through dramaturgy and movement, which often relate to Butoh (the dance of the soul).
Concept, Choreography, Performer: Aneesha
Dramaturgy: Antonis Katsaris
Lighting design: Panagiotis Manousis
Image: Sergio Vaccaro
Many thanks to Charitsa Mouyiasi
Lia Haraki - CHANNELS, 40´ | 21:45
The work is a small window into the world of a middle-aged woman from Cyprus today, through the encounter, conversation, and coexistence of her several bodies on stage. In an era of continuous extreme ecological changes and under the constant threat of a nuclear war, the subconscious, the emotional, the physical, and the creative bodies of an individual are searching to find a much-needed balance. In CHANNELS, the performer takes refuge in humour and in her direct connection with the audience as a reminder that, at least, we have each other.
Lia Haraki is an anist working across performance, choreography, devised theatre, and what she calls repetitive poetry. Lia’s performances have been presented at festivals internationally such as the Athens festival, Bozar Βrussels, Tanec Praha, Venice Biennale (special mention for the Cyprus and Lithuanian Pavilion, 2014), and were twice shortlisted at the Aerowaves EU network. Her practices are taught locally and internationally at institutions such as Impuls Tanz Vienna and the University of Nicosia. Lia’s project The Performance Shop Concept was selected by EDN as one of the 25 best dance practices in Europe (2016). In 2005 she initiated Dance House Lemesos and was the head of its board from 2007-2024.
Concept, Dramaturgy, Choreography, Song, Performance: Lia Haraki
Sound Design: Christos Hadjichristou
Set Design: Yiorgos Yiannou
Lights: Alexander Jotovic
Technical Management: Yiangos Hadjiyiannis
Images: Pavlos Vrionides
Production: pelma.lia Haraki
Organisers: Deputy Mistry of Culture – Department of Contemporary Culture and Rialto Theatre
Hospitality Sponsor: Alinea
Media Sponsors: Fileleutheros, CYBC
Supported by: Dance House Lemesos, Dance House Lefkosia, Νέα Κίνηση, Lemesos Newspaper, Limassol Today, Limmasol Tourism Board, Vestnik Kipra, Russian Radio Cyprus, Lenta Cyprus
Tickets: € 8
E-ticket: www.rialto.com.cy
Box Office: 77 77 77 45 (Monday – Friday 10:00 -15:00)
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