The 27th Kalamata Dance Festival to take place between July 16-25

The 27th Kalamata Dance Festival takes place July 16-25 with 31 productions, 18 foreign companies, of which 14 appear in Greece for the first time, performances in other cities of the Peloponnese Region, three world premieres, new powerful collaborations, and a rich educational program for professionals but also for the citizens of Kalamata.

In 2020, the Kalamata Dance Festival was one of the few festivals in the world that not only was not canceled but was indeed held live, offering a full and rich program, with international and Greek artists and companies, while taking all the necessary measures to ensure a safe environment for both the public and the artists.

This year's Festival is the result of the close collaboration between the Festival's Artistic Director Linda Kapetanea and the Mayor of Kalamata Athanasios P. Vasilopoulos with the Minister of Culture and Sports Dr. Lina Mendoni, the Deputy Minister of Culture and Sports responsible for Contemporary Culture Nicholas Yatromanolakis, the Governor of the Region of Peloponnese E. Panagiotis Nikas, the President of PHARIS Pantelis Drougas, and the members of the Board of Directors of PHARIS.

In April of 2021, the above institutions signed a planning contract that provides the cooperation framework and necessary financial resources for the Kalamata Dance Festival's development over the next three years (2021-2023). The contract supports the implementation of the Festival's strategic planning for 2021-2023, which includes extending the institution's operation with events all year round, strengthening its presence in the city of Kalamata, pursuing collaborations, both local and international, supporting Greek artists, participating in interregional initiatives, conversing with all art forms, opening up to increasingly younger age groups, investing in high-level education for dancers, and expanding its audience through participatory and educational activities.

This year, the Festival's artistic program is scheduled to take place July 16-25 and comprises the Main Stage performances (Kalamata Castle Amphitheatre and Main Stage of Kalamata Dance Megaron), the smaller scale productions presented in the Black Box— that is the Kalamata Dance Megaron's Alternative Stage, and the performances held in Kalamata's Main Square. The workshops and masterclasses of the Festival's educational program for professionals and the public— the citizens and the visitors of Kalamata— will be held on July 9-25.

The 27th Kalamata Dance Festival will host 31 productions, 18 from abroad and 13 from Greece. These are dance performances that combine different genres, from contemporary dance and hip hop to acrobatics and current urban African dances. The foreign artists presenting their work at the Festival come from France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Portugal, the Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, Israel, Ireland, Nigeria, and Slovakia. Out of the 18 foreign artists and companies, 14 appear in Greece for the first time, whereas out of the 13 Greek performances, three will have their world premiere at the Festival and one is presented live for the first time after the online premiere.

The title of this year's program, On The Move. Constantly On The Move. Together; Or Alone? summarizes the Festival team's need to fuel the discussion on the human condition in the modern era by recording the personal and collective experience. It focuses on the importance of community and the role of each person within it, the coexistence of people everywhere and always, and the need to create a common place for meeting and communicating as ways to survive and prosper. The artists participating in this year's Festival speak through the language of dance and the power of the body, unfolding their stories on stage and inviting us to feel all of the notions resulting from the relationship between community and individual— notions such as trust, solidarity, and acceptance, conflict, negotiation, autonomy, individual identity, and freedom. These notions are neither self-evident nor given.

Read more at thenationalherald.com

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