PRESENTATION OF TEACHERS AND ASSOCIATES

CHRISTIANA KATSAROU (dances of Ikaria )

  Christiana Katsarou est née à Athènes en 1976 et a fait des études de philologie, de théâtre et de ethnographie à l’Université Nationale d’Athènes. Depuis 1995, elle collabore avec le Centre de Culture Hellénique, institution de diffusion de la langue et de la culture grecques où elle est responsable des activités culturelles et de l’enseignement des danses traditionnelles. Elle y enseigne également la langue grecque. De plus, elle a enseigné à l'association Lykeio ton Ellinidon d'Ikaria de 2000 à 2007. Son travail d’enseignante des danses traditionnelles à Ikaria, ainsi que son implication active dans les fêtes traditionnelles locales ont développé sa passion des danses des îles. Elle a animé et anime encore de nombreux stages en Grèce et à l’étranger (France, Belgique, Italie, Allemagne, Suisse, Espagne, Luxembourg, Turquie) et co-organise le séminaire de danses à Ikaria. Elle mène actuellement une recherche sur les fêtes d’Ikaria, dans le cadre d’une maîtrise en culture et ethnographie helléniques à l’Université d’Athènes.

Christiana Katsarou tanzt mit Begeisterung seit ihrer frühen Kindheit. Sie erhielt ihre Tanz-ausbildung namhaften Institutionen in Griechenland (Zentrum Duncan, Lykeio Ellinidon, Argonavtes Komninoi, Arbeitskreis für Kunst und Kultur u.a.m.).Seit 1996 unterrichtet sie Tanz und griechischen Sprache am Zentrum für Griechische Kultur in Athen, Lesbos, Ikaria.  Sie arbeitet zusammen mit der Cultural Development Society of Lesbos Island (AEOLIS) und dem Programm für die Jungend beim Generalsekretariat der „Neuen Generation“.  Über 6 Jahre hat sie als Tanzlehrerin des Lykeio Ellinidon in Ikaria traditionellen Tänze der Insel unterrichtet. Seit Jahren gibt sie Seminare in Griechenland und verschiedenen europäischen Ländern. Christana Katsarou studierte Philologie an der Universität Athen und Schauspiel an der Schauspielschule „Kostas Kazakos“ und betreibt Forschungen zu Volkskunde und Tanz auf  Ikaria. Zurzeit arbeitet sie an ihrem Master-Abschluss, mit dem sie die Ergebnisse ihrer Forschungen präsentieren wird. Sie lebt in Athen und auf Ikaria, ist verheiratet und hat zwei Kinder.  

CHRISTOS THEOLOGOS (dances of Asia Minor and Chios / danses d'Asie Mineure - Cappadoce et Chios)

Christos Theologos has studied Economics and actually finishes his Master in Education Management  in the University of Aegean. He teaches Asia Minor dances since 1988 and has conducted a serious research on the areas of Asia Minor coast, Constantinople and Cappadocia. Since 1995 he is the president of the cultural association Etepo ( Workshop of Arts and Culture) and co-ordinates its many activities including dance lessons, traditional song lessons, ethnographic field research, children educational activities in relation to tradition e.t.c. He is the artistic director of the Performance Group of the association. He has taught in numerous dance seminars in Greece and abroad.

NIKOS ZOURNATZIDIS ( dances of Pontos / danses du Pont)

  Nikos Zournatzidis was born in Kehrokampos, Kavala in November of 1947. He completed his studies in engineering studies in Kavala in 1969. He was first introduced to dance from a very early age in a completely Pontian environment (in his village). His first affiliation with a dance group was in 1965 at the Pontian Club of Kavala. In September 1969 he finds himself in Athens to fulfill his naval service.

From 1971, now living in Athens, he was both a dancer and the director for the Pontian group of the “Dora Stratou” Theatre, and from 1971 through 1975 he was the director of the entire dance group. From 1969 until 1972 he danced for the Pontian Society “Argonautes-Komninoi”. He also is both dancer and dance instructor at the Pontian Artists Association of Athens (KOPA) from 1971 through 1983.

In 1973 he begins to study Pontian dance in order to collect and record all the dances; he came to the conclusion that the attempts to do this up to that time had serious omissions.

He has taught – and continues to teach – Pontian dance to Pontian and non-Pontian societies, to the Lykeion Ellinidon and at the Gymnastics Academy in the dance field. He has danced or taught dance in various cities in the world: USA (Los Angeles, Boston, Florida, Atlanta, Wilmington), India (Mumbai, Calcutta, Varanassi, New Delhi), France (Paris, Lilles, Strasbourg), Denmark (Copenhagen), Norway (Oslo, Tonsberg, Os), Spain (Barcelona, Pamplona), England (London), Russia (Moscow, Minvonti, Esentouki), Iraq (Baghdad), Jordan (Amman), Egypt (Cairo), Cyprus (Larnaca, Lemessos, Paphus, Lefkosia, Paralimni), Hungary (Budapest), Bulgaria (Sofia, Bourgas), European Turkey (Istanbul), Kazakstan (Almata), Italy (Rome, Cagliari), Canada (Montreal). The last years, invited by the Federation of Pontian Societies in Europe, he travels to Germany twice a year, and teaches dance to the dance instructors of the societies. Every year he instructs dance at 4-7 seminars worldwide. Every summer in Greece he teaches dances to Greeks and non-Greeks as well. 

In 1994 he established the Pontian Dance Society “Argo” which was later renamed “Serra”. It is the first dance group which has worn true copies of Pontian clothing with all their jewelry and accessories, while utilizing all the traditional Pontian instruments in their performances along with vocalists. The Society has also recorded all of the Pontian dances on videotape. 

It was Mr. Zournatzidis' original idea to record all of the Pontian dances, with all of its traditional instruments, by the Federation of Pontian Societies of Southern Greece (OPSNE), under his supervision and the supervision of the Pontian musicians Giorgos Amarantidis and Mihalis Kaliontzidis. 

He is married to Eleni Petridi-Zournatzidi with whom he has two daughters, Sofia and Ioanna. He is also a restaurant proprietor and partner of the Pontian music hall "Kortsopon". 

GIORGOS ELENIS-ANNA GEORGIOU (dances of Leros / danses de Lèros -Dodécanèse)

Giorgos Elenis is a musician (violin player) and a dancer originated from the island of Leros. His family is known for their contribution in the local traditional feasts as musicians and dancers and he has also studied violin with reknown violin players. 

Anna Georgiou is a dancer from her early childhood at the association Etepo. She has been a dance teacher at the same association and has danced in numerous dance festivals and performances in Greece and abroad. She has studied Europen and International Politics in Panteion University of Athens and she has a diploma of the Greek Official Training Center for professional tourist guides. She lives in Leros island ever since her wedding to Yorgos Elenis. She has been collaborating with Ikaria Dance Project since 2004.