Transcendental dance, Greek alternative
In other Hellenic Festival events taking place in the next few days, the venue at 260 Pireos Street presents Christian Rizzo and L’Association Fragile dance company tomorrow (at 9 p.m.), in a performance that transcends the usual. Enigmatic symbols, weird beasts and mystical items compose the distinctive scenic concerto created by the French artist. A former musician and fashion and costume designer who currently works as a choreographer and visual artist, Rizzo is known for creating fantastical scenes that are rich in symbolism and highly theatrical. He creates a scenic landscape that is in constant transformation, so that it resembles an artistic installation. For instance, allusions to childhood power in scenes of dancers falling down and crying out in pain before metamorphosing into airplanes landing on an evening runway and emulating the sounds of war. It’s only one aspect of the performance, which is titled «Either the Well Was Deep, or They Fell Very Slowly, Because They Had Time to Look Around.» At the Lycabettus Theater, the focus is on the Greek alternative scene tonight and tomorrow in a drive to attract a younger audience to the festival. Tonight, Pavlos Pavlidis, Rodes and Mikro will meet at the popular open-air theater. The former singer and main songwriter of now-defunct act Xylina Spathia, Pavlidis, joined by the B-Movies, will present «Alli mia Mera» (Another Day), his latest album. Apart from rock, the concert will also feature hip hop by Rodes and electronic by Mikro. With Active Member player Nikitas «X-Ray,» Nikos «Atofios» and Sotiris Papageorgiou, Rodes use street language and poetry in a rap and reggae setting, while Thessaloniki-based Mikro will cater to the Greek contemporary electronic scene. Ble, Manos Pyrovolakis and Despina Olympiou are scheduled to take the stage tomorrow. With more than 10 years on the rock stage and having released five albums, Ble and singer Georgia are continuing their successful career. Pyrovolakis, who knows Cretan music in depth, will interpret songs from his solo album «Ola gia Ola» with his lyre, while Olympiou will sing a selection of her songs.
