GREEK DANCES SCHOOL

Classes for all levels and all ages. Classes all 7 days of the week, at various hours, from 1st of October till first days of June. Each class lasts 90 minutes, children 60 minutes. Ask for the schedule and choose your day.

Separate classes for children and grown ups. Absolute beginners are welcome.

Dances from all parts of Greece and Cyprus in their true form, from the large repertory of the Theatre performances, established after field research.
Instructors are lead dancers with over 300 performances’ experience.

Performance by the students at the end of each year with the Theatre’s costumes and musicians. Official certificate awarded at the end of the 3 year training cycle.

Full education: Lectures, workshops, dance evenings, library, research projects. Discount on publications (books, CDs, DVDs, videos). Invitations to students and their friends to the daily performances at the Theatre.

Overview of educational activities

• Classes on Greek dances for adults, every week, three-year course
• Classes for children, on Sunday mornings.
• Extra classes by appointment, for groups or individuals, in English.
• Intensive workshops in English, usually in August.
• Courses on dance therapy and traditional embroidery.
• Workshops for teachers, on Sunday afternoon
• Lectures on various topics around dance by experts, every Thursday
• Workshops, classes and lectures at universities and schools abroad.
  World Congress on Dance Research
• Festivals “Emmeleia” and “Anapali”, annually
• Team of researchers with scientific methology, various projects
• Publication of educational material (books, CDs, albums, cards, DVDs)

Ask for printed material to be mailed to you free of charge

COMPREHENSIVE WORKSHOP 2024

29 July to 2 August 2024, 34th year

Over 30 hours of Greek folk dance and culture!

The national Dora Stratou Dance Theater, the living museum of Greek dance since 1953, offers workshops in English. Monday through Friday. Classes on other dates upon demand.

PROGRAM

• Introduction to Greek folk dance, Monday 11:00-14:00 in the Theatre’s 5-storey office building in Plaka, the picturesque old town of Athens
• Dance classes, 4 hours every day. Dances from all Greek regions according to field research carried out by the Theatre’s ethnographers. Preference to dances performed on stage that week. Dora Stratou Theatre, on the pine-tree covered Philopappou Hill, opposite the Acropolis 17:00 to 21:00
• Class on headdresses
• History of Greek dance, lecture by the President Dr Alkis Raftis
• Theatre’s wardrobe guided visit to the 2,000 authentic village-made costumes, complete with folk jewelry and accessories
• Theatre performances
• Folk art museums

Instructors are Theatre’s senior dancers (each having over 200 performances’ experience)

Fee: 165 euros (140 for CID members)

Folk dance teachers, enthusiasts, dancers and researchers have an opportunity to experience the daily life of a folk dance theatre unique in the world, and to benefit from the wealth of its resources. These workshops are official, not to be confused with classes to tourists on a commercial basis.
Classes on demand every day of the year.

The Theatre is a non-profit organization subsidized by the Ministry of Culture and the National Tourist Organization. It celebrates its 70 years in 2023.

Other activities

Greek dance classes every day throughout the year. Lectures, workshops, research programs. Copies of folk costumes made to order. Library, collections and archives. Numerous publications: books, albums, postcards, CDs, DVDs, T-shirts, posters etc. Close cooperation with the International Dance Council CID at UNESCO, www.cid-world.org

Thursday Lectures

The “Thursday Lectures” go on for the 23rd year under the general title “Dance and culture”.
Place: Theatre Office building, in Plaka, 8 Scholiou Street (off 122 Adrianou Street).
Time: 21:00.
Attendance is free.
Information for the detailed schedule at 210 324 4395 (working days, office hours) and 210 921 2866 (School, 17:30-22:00).

Lectures are held every Thursday evening at 21:00 in the lecture room of the office building in Plaka. Seating capacity is less than 100.

Subjects cover a wide range around dance (not only Greek dance): dance music, dance costumes, ethnography, anthropology, scientific or practical approaches, presentation of various techniques etc.

Presentation is lively (not only lecturing), always including projection os photographs, video, live or recorded music, physical demonstration of dances, discussion with the audience.

Lecturers are recognized specialists on the corresponding subject.
Inhabitants of villages or islands are also invited to present their dances and folk culture. They bring home-cooked local food, wine or handicraft.
Sometimes the lecture is followed by a general dance in the yard or a dinner at a nearby taverna.

Attendance is free.

Ms. Marigoula Kristioti is in charge of planning and organizing the lectures.

More than 350 lectures have been held since 1988. For a complete list of subjects and lecturers see the corresponding Greek section.

Among other activities the Dora Stratou Greek Dances Theatre has accepted invitations to give Greek dance seminars abroad.

Some of them follow:

Participation in the 19th annual FDF annual festival 17-20/02/2000 San Jose, California

• Lecture-show, Friday 18 February
• Head seminar, Saturday 19 February
• Demonstration and presentation of costumes, Sunday 20 February

14-17/03/2003
Classes for dancers, workshop for teachers, lecture-demonstration in Richmond, Virginia, USA, by two instructors from the Theater.

16/03/2006
The Dora Stratou Greek Dances Theatre accepting invitation from the Metropolis of Boston Youth Dance Group sends two representatives, to give a lecture on Greek folk costumes and Greek dance workshop.
Maliotis Cultural Center, Brookline MA.

04/02/2011 – 06/02/2011
Greek Dance Seminar in Detroit, USA. Invited by Opa Dancers, USA.