Point of no return
by Mandafounis
Point of no Return is a piece created for 15 dancers of the Greek National Opera Ballet that deals with the question of temporality thought the oldest dance technique know in the western artistic world: Ballet.
Tracing every steps to its roots in order to compose a contemporary proposition was not only a choreographic act for Ioannis, but a re-contextualization and a re-discovery of the foundations of our dance history.
Through the piece, you will notice that the majority of the listed ballet steps are present. This effort was a real matter of coherency and the choreographer’s desire to tie an intimate link between the dancer’s physical perception of ballet and the original roots of it.
A link that is, therefore, destined to evolve through our daily dance practice.
Where do these roots come from? where and why was it created? What is the importance of historical « correctness » when it comes to dance a step that was invented hundreds of years ago for bodies that had a totally different set of abilities and skills? How did our bodies evolve and how does it change our execution of ballet technique?
In Point Of No Return, all these questions are not only the thinking ground of the piece but also a visible live exploration on stage.
CREDITS
Creation 2020
Choreography and costumes Ioannis Mandafounis
Dancers Jovanka Zarić, Elena Kekkou, Margarita Kostoglou, Anna-Maria Markopoulou, Ayuka Nitta, Rina Shimada, Eleftheria Stamou, Rea Tsantouri, Stelios Katopodis, Yannis Gantsios, Michalis Kriempardis, Ángel Martinez Sanchez, Yannis Mitrakis, Giordano Bozza, George Hadjopoulos
Lights Christos Tziogkas
Music Giorgos Koumendakis
Production Cie Ioannis Mandafounis & Greek National Opera
Supported by Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Apivita, City of Geneva, State of Geneva, Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia,
Point of no return ON TOUR
10 shows, 2 theater, 2 city, 2 countries