CULTURE

Gavotting at the Goethe

Whalebone skirts, corsets and powdered wigs will be de rigueur at the Goethe Institute in Athens on October 18, as the 9-year-old Contretemps Berlin dance group returns after two years to Athens with another evening of baroque dance, complete with period costumes and an orchestra. Under the artistic direction of Ingo Gunther, the group will present a program of French and German dances such as the courante, gavotte, forlana, menuett, bouree and passepied, which derive in part from the royal court of the Sun King, Louis XIV, the founder and patron of the first ballet group. One of the highlights is the divertissement, a dance set to the music of Georg Philipp Telemann, which was a type of wedding cantata for wealthy couples. The group, which has choreographed all the pieces itself, will also presents four suites for orchestra by J.S. Bach. Entrance to this event costs five euros. It is also worth noting that from October 14-16, the Goethe Institute will also host a seminar on baroque dances with Gunther, which will run from 6-7.30 p.m. for students of dance schools or amateurs with a basic knowledge of dance, and from 7.30-9 p.m. for beginners. The last date for participation is October 10. Other events Another date worth noting is October 29, when the Goethe Institute will host a screening of Andres Veiel’s «Black Box BRD.» The recipient of the Prix Arte Documentary Film award and the European Cinema Award, this film documents the lives of Alfred Herrhausen and Wolfgang Grams, two men who stood on opposing sides of the political spectrum during the period of unrest in the 1980s in Germany. Also, currently on show at the Goethe Institute terrace is a display of works by Gosta Hellner, an artist influenced by Russian Constructivism and abstract photography. His show, «Trees and Idols,» makes a playful comment on religion through set-like, naive compositions. The exhibition runs until November 15. Goethe Institute, 14-16 Omirou Street, Kolonaki, tel 010.366.1000.

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