Children’s games transform ladies’ tea into power struggle
“Being a dancer is difficult, but when I dance, I escape from daily misery… I can dream.» Dancer and choreographer Katerina Kassioumi turned one of her dreams into reality: earlier this year, she co-founded, along with Kelly Zambela, the Drapetes dance group. In collaboration with the Orchestra of Colors and the Greek Film Center, she will stage the dance show «Harin Paidias» (with original music by Costis Kritsotakis) at the Trianon cinema (see Cinema listings below) tomorrow to Thursday. Right after the show, the audience will be able to enjoy two classic films, Federico Fellini’s «Ginger and Fred» tomorrow and Jacques Demy’s «Les parapluies de Cherbourg» (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg) on Wednesday and Thursday. In «Harin Paidias,» the choreographer and the composer’s playful attitude focus on six serious ladies who meet for afternoon tea. What was the inspiration? «We all played, are still playing and will play games, both literally and metaphorically, like children and like adults,» Kassioumi, concept creator and choreographer of the production, told Kathimerini. The largest part of the choreography refers to some well-known games, like chase, for its quick and somehow stressful pace, musical chairs because they are very competitive, or hide-and-seek, for the melancholic loneliness of the one who has to look for the others. «One would not expect to come across such games during a tea session of dignified ladies,» Kassioumi explained. «Yet these ladies misbehave and let themselves go to the carelessness of games, which are very reminiscent of some equally absurd social phenomena. Hence, innocent children’s games become tangled up with social power games, love competitions and small social hypocricies… «We worked with a lot of enthusiasm for this show and I hope the audience can feel that, I hope they can have a good time and not worry too much about the message we want to convey,» said the choreographer. Kassioumi studied at the Greek State Ballet School and was taught by internationally acclaimed dance teachers. «My great love for music and my need to express this feeling with my body was what made me turn to dance,» she said. As a dancer, she has collaborated with dance groups SineQuaNon, Horeftes, Kinitiras, the Roes Dance Theater, Schedia, Oktana, Chorika and more. When asked about the future of the Drapetes dance group, she replied she would very much like to continue. «It is difficult. You need to remain practical and down to earth, manage to work with your imagination but remain within the boundaries of reality.» The sets and costumes for «Harin Paidias» are by Kalliopi Kopanitsa and Kelly Zambela was choreographer adviser. Yianna Philippopoulou, Vassia Angelidou, Mariza Tsiga, Katerina Kassioumi and Atalanti Mouzouri are the dancers. The six Orchestra of Colors musicians who will accompany the show with live music will be conducted by Miltos Logiadis.
