The International Contemporary Dance Festival “Dance Days Chania” continues its dynamic trajectory, celebrating its 14th edition.
Where: Chania, Crete, Greece
When: 20.07 – 31.07.2024
Dance Days Chania continues its dynamic trajectory, celebrating its 14th edition. In a landmark year and despite the challenges, it remains consistent in its social character, and cultivates ground for creative shifts and fruitful artistic dialogues. In a welcoming and safe environment, DDC gives priority to emerging artists and new productions, while presenting also internationally acclaimed works. Even more cohesive, strong, fresh, flexible, inventive and bright, the festival shapes this year’s programme by emphasising the activation of the community through events addressed at schools, the whole family and the third age.
Extrovert by nature and by choice, Dance Days Chania selects and proposes performances and events that emanate through physicality the narratives of their creators. Bold, aerial, unconventional, unpredictable, floating, “wounded” but brave, the dancers’ bodies take us to their own places, those of constant search, of the timeless, of the inner struggle, but also of hope. With intensity, passion, emotion, reflection, inspiration and humour, they attempt to expand the space of a world that ought to fit us all.
Dance Days Chania, 20 – 31 July, has planned to present a programme of 9 performances at the “Mikis Theodorakis” theatre and other cultural venues, 6 performances at city sites, 2 works in progress from the section “New creators and public space”, unexpected artistic encounters in neighborhoods and squares, 8 workshops, 7 masterclasses from the “Meet the Choreographers” section, Video Dance section, special screenings and discussions with guest filmmakers, exhibition from the educational programme “My body “speaks”” and other events. The aim of this year’s event is to strengthen the relationship between the art of body and the community, to highlight different artistic approaches to contemporary dance art and to provide space for research and the exposure of all stages of the creative process to the public.
For the 6th consecutive year, the section “New Creators and Public Space” aims to support, host, develop and present 2 ongoing projects. In close connection with parts of the city, DDC offers a space for research to emerging creators from Greece and at the same time to the residents of the city and its visitors, the possibility to follow a project in all its creative stages. The events are free of charge.
The festival program includes a 2-day tribute to the Video Dance section on July 24 and July 30, where 29 selected works will be screened at selected locations in the city. In addition, the section this year focuses on inclusion and will host creators Charlotte Edmonds and Adam Csoka Keller on 30 July, where they will talk about their works. The events are free to the public.
An integral part of Dance Days Chania is its educational program through workshops, which are aimed at professionals, amateurs, students, teenagers, parents-children, people 65+, etc. Additionally, the programme is enriched with the section “Meet the Choreographers”, where through masterclasses, the participants have the opportunity to get to know better the choreographic approach of artists who will present their work in the framework of the 14th DDC. Registration for the workshops is still open!
DDC for the 3rd year will implement the transnational artistic residency, in collaboration with Colectivo Priekopnik and Divaldo Studio Tanca from Slovakia, during which a Slovak and a Greek artist will have the opportunity to collaborate and create together an ongoing project which will be presented in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia and in Chania.
“Dance Days Chania” is organized by the “Syn-Kinisi” Association of Expressive Dance since 2011 with the voluntary work of its members. The 14th Dance Days Chania is co-organized by the Region of Crete – P.E. Chania and the Municipality of Chania. It receives the kind support of the J. F. Costopoulos foundation, the Instituto Cervantes Atenas and the Embassy of Austria in Athens. Cooperating institutions are the Ephorate of Antiquities of Chania, the Municipal Port Security, the Primary Education Department of the Municipality of Chania, the Onassis Cultural Centre of the Onassis Foundation and the School of Architecture of the Technical University of Crete.
DDC has received the EFFE Label 2017-2018, 2019-2021, 2022 – 2023 & 2024-2025 certification from the European Federation of the EFA.
*Visit our website https://dancedays.gr/festival/ for more information.
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Performances’ programme of the festvial:
20.07
Myrto Delimichali & Chrysanthi Fytiza, “Ηula > A place for historical recreation” (GR) | Honoloulou area
“New creators and public space” section
–Free entrance—
Compania X, “And now what?” (ES) | St. Nicholas bastion (lighthouse)
— Free entrance —
*Supported by Instituto Cervantes Atenas.
21.07
Alvaro Silva, “EURO” (ES/BE) | Yali Tzami sqr.
–Free entrance—
22.07
“Syn-Kinisi” contemporary dance co, “The square as a stage” (GR) | Katechaki sqr.
–Free entrance—
Anton Lachky co., “The Others” (BE/SK) | “Mikis Theodorakis” theatre
23.07
Los Informalls, “Informal Stage” (CAT/ES) | Yali Tzami sqr.
–Free entrance—
Ioanna Paraskevopoulou, “MOS” (GR) | “Mikis Theodorakis” theatre
*Produced by Onassis STEGI and first presented as part of Onassis New Choreographers Festival 9. The presentation at DANCE DAYS CHANIA is supported by Onassis STEGI’s “Outwards Turn Program”.
25.07
Berdahi/Mairi Pardalaki, “Dunya Maskara” (GR/FR/TR) | Yali Tzami
–Free entrance—
Elisavet Pliakostathi, “SCAPE” (GR) | “Mikis Theodorakis” theatre
26.07
Tasi dance co., “Jirito” (GR) | Tampakaria area
“New creators and public space” section
–Free entrance—
Baye & Asa, “HotHouse” (USA) | “Mikis Theodorakis” theatre
27.07
Barbara Bardaka & Ioulia Zacharaki, “’AMFI” (GR) | “Mikis Theodorakis” theatre
Dimitris Mytilinaios/howtomakeyourlifeharder, “hard pop” (GR) | “Mikis Theodorakis” theatre
28.07
Open presentation of the “achronic fracture” project (65+) curated by Polena Kolia | Aqueduct sqr., side of St. Nicholas (Splantzia)
–Free entrance—
29.07
Despina Lloyd Goula & Ioanna Antonarou, “SWELL” (GR)
–Free entrance—
Sita Ostheimer, “The Inevitable and You” (DE) | “Mikis Theodorakis” theatre
30.07
Livia Balazova, “Camille (Laboratory in the Shadow)” (SK)| Centre of Mediterranean Architecture
31.07
BODHI Project/ Lenio Kaklea, “Chemical Joy” (GR/AT) | “Mikis Theodorakis” theatre
Workshops Dance Days Chania 2024
> Discount packages available.
– 20-21.07 Jitsa Konstantoudaki (GR) – Contakids – Physical play for parents and kids 2,5-5 y.o.
– 20-22.07 Aggeliki Avgitidou & Ioannis Varvaresos (GR) – What’s so specific about site specific?
– 20-23.07 Los Informalls (CAT/ES) – Master your monster
– 20-27.07 Polena Kolia (GR/DN) – achronic fracture (65+)
– 22-25.07 Baye & Asa (USA) – Taste & Smell
– 25-26.07 Ioulia Zacharaki (GR) – Reset
– 26-28.07 Satoshi Kudo (SW/JP) – Motion Qualia
– 26-28.07 Sita Ostheimer (DE) – Complex Simplicity
Masterclasses Dance Days Chania 2024 – “Meet the Choreographers” section
– 22.07 Ioanna Paraskevopoulou (GR) – Inside Out
– 22.07 Alvaro Silva (ES/BE) – Passing Through
– 23-24.07 Lewis Cooke (UK/BE) – RelaxtoErupt
– 28.07 Dimitris Mytilinaios (GR) – The unintended use of ballet in choreographic thinking
– 28-29.07 Livia Balážová MM (SK) – behind the scenes
– 30.07 Despina Lloyd Goula & Ioanna Antonarou (GR/UK) – Vertical Dance
– 30.07 BODHI project dance company (AT) – Repertoire masterclass
For information and registrations email to dd.ch.workshops@gmail.com
How to apply:
For workshops’ registrations email to dd.ch.workshops@gmail.com.
Costs for participants: varies
Contact details:
dancedayschania@gmail.com
dd.ch.workshops@gmail.com
For further information, please visit https://dancedays.gr/
For more dance FESTIVALS, visit https://dancingopportunities.com/category/festivals/
