Mystery 55 Another Mystery

2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture presents, on 13 and 14 November, a choreographic walk entitled Another Mystery (Un Autre Mystère) conceived and choreographed by the great French choreographer Julie Desprairies, with the participation of five Greek and French dancers, as well as residents and local cultural associations of Elefsina. An in-situ work in the contrasting landscapes of Elefsina, in its dance and music traditions, in a revealing two-kilometer route on the inactive railway lines that cross the city from east to west.

Elefsina is world famous for the Lesser and the Greater Mysteries that took place in antiquity, the worship of the goddess of agriculture, Demeter, and her daughter, Persephone, as well as the sacrifices, offerings and hymns, which were included in the mystical processions at the Holy Road. In the framework of the 2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture, the leading French choreographer Julie Desprairies and her team, Compagnie des Prairies came in contact with the industrial history of the city, as part of two artistic residencies, and return to Elefsina to create a choreographic walk entitled Another Mystery (Un Autre Mystère) with the participation of residents and local cultural associations. “Another Mystery” highlights the different communities that compose the cultural and artistic wealth of Elefsina until today.

Highlighting the rich music and dance tradition that has developed within the community, Julie Desprairies will create an integrated mapping of the dances of Elefsina and explore the role of dance in relation to modern botany and urban design. Carving a new path in the inactive railway lines of the city, the perfromance will chart its own course in texts, dances and songs, which this time will not celebrate a goddess, but will honor the citizens of Elefsina. The mystical forms and objects revealed in the Mysteries will be replaced by everyday talks and objects that shape today’s city, asking structural questions: What would happen if the choreographic art had an associations function? Could a work of art create perspective for the city? Could citizen consultation be achieved through dance?

With more than 30 in-situ works to her career in Europe, Brazil and the Middle East, from dance performances, installations and dance videos to choreographed parties and exhibitions, Julie Desprairies has been creating choreographies in the public space for over 20 years. Specializing in the creation of performances by the inhabitants for the inhabitants, using many different artistic practices, the works of the French choreographer are distinguished by a fundamental idea: the city is her stage and the inhabitants are the performers.

Director’s Note

“I have imagined a choreographic project that involves a large number of inhabitants. On one hand, I will conceive and implement the project with them. I want to revisit the development of the inactive railway lines. Local dancers, citizens, cooks and volunteers will participate (with a crew of professional dancers from France and Greece) in the creation of an in-situ, choreographic walk. Our stage will be two kilometers or railways. I propose to choose this route to cross the landscapes of Elefsina, to discover a singular view of the city and its different hidden treasures, from local gardening to tradition in dance from all the Mediterranean sea. Un Autre Mystère will be the opportunity to draw up an inventory of the dances, songs and music that are practised in Elefsina. The writing of the dance movements, as well as the dramaturgy of the wandering, have been elaborated from archives and iconographic or textual resources collected during two long time residencies in the city”.