The 2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture welcomes the leading European event for contemporary dance, Spring Forward.
A 4-day celebration consisted of 25 performances with the participation of more than 250 artists and dance professionals from Europe and Asia, in five separate venues of Elefsina: Old Olive Mill, Eleourgiki, 2nd & 4th High School of Elefsina, Daskalaki Stadium.
The anniversary event will close on May 1st with a fascinating performance by the great Spanish choreographer Jesús Rubio Gamo at the Old Oil Mill of Elefsina.
Free entrance. Reservations required from Monday 18 April here.
Watch the detailed program of the events here.
#MYSTERY_25 #SpringForward22 #danceprofessionals
Spring Forward, the great celebration of contemporary dance, comes for the first time in Greece, in the context of 2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture, presenting a rich 10-year anniversary edition with free entrance. From Thursday 28 April till Sunday 1 May, five separate venues of Elefsina the Old Olive Mill, Eleourgiki, the 2nd & 4th High School of Elefsina, and Daskalaki Stadium, open their doors to the most important upcoming dancers, choreographers and dance professionals of contemporary dance. The anniversary event will be held on May 1 at the Old Oil Mill of Elefsina with a fascinating performance of the Gran Bolero, choreographed by the great Spanish choreographer Jesús Rubio Gamo, with the participation of local artists. Instead of an entrance fee, 2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture calls on the public to support the Children Support Centre of Elefsis, an organization that provides psychosocial support to children and families in Thriasio Pedio who face social exclusion.
The city of Elefsina for four days will be the international center of contemporary dance, hosting 25 performances from 16 countries in unique venues of the city with the participation of more than 100 choreographers and dancers from Europe and Asia, attracting the interest of more than 150 dance professionals but also lovers of contemporary creation. The end of the anniversary event will be held on May 1 at the open theater of the Old Oil Mill of Elefsina introducing, especially for Spring Forward, an impressive version of Gran Bolero, by the Spanish choreographer Jesus Rubio Gamo, one of the most important artists highlighted by Aerowaves. Exploring the boundaries between lightness and gravity and the fine line that separates pleasure from exhaustion,12 dancers from Barcelona and Madrid and the local amateur dancers meet on stage in an unforgettable artistic experience. The performance is based on the Bolero duet, presented by the artist at Spring Forward 2017 in Aarhus.
The Spring Forward program will include 25 dance performances that will take us to 16 countries (Japan, Taiwan and Korea, Belgium, France, Germany, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Italy, Lithuania, Switzerland, Spain, Greece, Armenia, Romania, Hungary), turning Elefsina into a place of a great international meeting and exchange between the Eleusinians, the visitors of the city, as well as the creators from Europe and Asia. Along with the dance groups based in Europe, partners from Asia participating in the Aerowaves artistic exchange program will present new and important works at this year’s Spring Forward. Among others, the event will host Ayano Yokoyama (Japan), Q dancecompany (South Korea), Yeu-kwnWang / Shimmering Productions (Taiwan) and Movers Platform (Japan / Korea / Greece).
In addition, the event will feature parallel activities such as Dance Quality Writing, a skills development program for upcoming dance writers, the Upstart Forum, a public discussion-touring programming event, and Spingback Social with live artist interviews. on Social Media etc. More information about the parallel activities here.
This year’s edition of Spring Forward takes place in Elefsina, as part of Moving Europe, a programme by 2023 Εleusis that focuses on young people and dance, with the main objectives of creating a dialogue between Greek and international artists, actively supporting young and emerging choreographers and cultivating a new audience for dance in the city, beyond the boundaries of the title of European Capital of Culture.
Spring Forward is a co-organization of the 2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture, in collaboration with the artistic organization DAN.C.CE UNITIVA and the largest European network for contemporary dance, Aerowaves.
A few words about Spring Forward & Aerowaves
Spring Forward is a cross-border celebration of dance, hosted every year since 2011 in different European city. The event is organized by Aerowaves, the largest European contemporary dance network, which this year celebrates its 25th anniversary. The goal of Spring Forward is to showcase a new generation of dancers and choreographers from all across Europe and to create a European network of contemporary dance, with the participation of choreographers, upcoming and professional dancers, journalists, artists and lovers of contemporary dance. It is worth mentioning that some of the most important Greek choreographers have presented their works in previous Spring Forward events: Patricia Apergi, Anastasia Valsamaki, Iris Karayan, Euripides Laskaridis, Sofia Mavragani, Aris Papadopoulos, Christos Papadopoulos, Martha Pasakopoulou and Alexandros Stavropoulos.
The Spring Forward 2022 programme includes works from 12 countries, from Greece, Italy and France to Romania and the Netherlands, demonstrating the thematic and aesthetic richness of Europe’s emerging dance scene. Specifically: “Soirée d’études,” Cassiel (Belgium), “Comme un symbole” (brief version), Cie Al-Fa/Alexandre Fandard (France), “HOLE IN SPACE,” Diego Tortelli & Miria Wurm (Germany), “Treatment of Remembering,” POCKETART (Czech Republic), “Warping Soul,” Andreas Hannes (Netherlands), “Esercizi per un manifesto poetico,” Collettivo Mine (Italy), “the pleasure of stepping off a horse when it’s moving at full speed”, Courtney May Robertson (Netherlands), “Pas de deux,” Anna-Marija Adomaityte/Cie A M A (Lithuania/Switzerland), “Some choreographies,” Jacopo Jenna (Italy), “The Very Last Northern White Rhino,” Gastón Core (Spain), “Vanishing Point,” Dafin Antoniadou, Alexandros Vardaxoglou & Constantine Skourlis (Greece), “Me, My non-Self and I,” Rima Pipoyan (Armenia), “Cold Hawaii,” Sigrid Stigsdatter Mathiassen (Netherlands), “Choreomaniacs,” Simona Deaconescu (Romania), “Deep Fake,” Gergo D. Farkas (Hungary), “Call Alice,” Temporary Collective (Ondrová, Tejnorová & coll.) (Czech Republic), “STUDY 4, FANDANGO AND OTHER CADENCES,” Aina Alegre (France/Spain), “Never Twenty One,” Compagnie Vivons! (France) and “Open Drift,” Philippe Kratz (Italy).
Watch here the detailed program
Aerowaves is co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.
The entrance to all Spring Forward performances is free.
It is necessary to reserve seats from Monday 18 April through viva.gr.
Note: Some of Gran Bolero’s professional Spanish dancers appear naked.
The show is suitable for people over 15 years old.
A few words about the Children Support Centre of Elefsis
The Children Support Centre of Elefsis is an Open Center for Child and Family Protection. It was founded in 1964 by the Elder of Elefsina and professor of theology Georgios Pyrounakis. It is a non-profit association and relies heavily on voluntary donation. The center provides psychosocial support to children and families with problems of adaptation and integration into the social environment from Greece, Albania, Russia, India, Turkey, etc.
How you can help
During Spring Forward:
A) Donation to the contribution box to Eleourgiki
B) Donation to the contribution box or via POS to the Old Oil Mill.
More information: 2023eleusis.eu & kentroagapis.gr
