Vimata Eleftherias - Steps of Freedom

 
 

A collaborative mission

Our mission is to celebrate and strengthen the vibrant Greek American community by honoring our heritage, fostering unity, and showcasing the rich cultural traditions of Greece. In collaboration with the Greek Independence Day Parade, we aim to provide an inclusive and festive space where individuals of all ages can experience the beauty of Hellenic folk dance, music, and customs. Through this event, we seek to preserve and share the timeless traditions of Greece, while creating meaningful connections among Greek Americans and the broader community, ensuring that our legacy thrives for generations to come.

The Hellenic Dance Weekend will occur March 20, 21, 22. This is part of a series of events leading up to the Greek Independence Day Parade which will take place on Sunday, April 26.

Featured Instructor and Performer: Kostas Mitsis

Kostas Mitsis is a prominent Greek folk singer and dancer, known for preserving and performing traditional Greek music and dance, Kostas is deeply connected to Epirus, specifically from the villages of Preveza, where he lived until 2006. He grew up in a rural environment with traditional music and dance being part of his daily life. He studied Agriculture at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and pursued postgraduate studies in environmental protection at the University of Ioannina. He speaks Greek, English and German. He has been involved in traditional singing since 2002 and covers a wider repertoire from all over Greece. He has collaborated and continues to collaborate with some of the top musicians and performers from Greece. He has appeared in performances at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Athens Concert Hall, the Thessaloniki Concert Hall and the Dora Stratou Theater, while singing at parties, weddings, festivals, concerts and events of dance groups in Greece and abroad. For the last 15 years, he has been touring every year in Europe, America and Canada.

In a recent appearance with Energy Talks, he was asked to describe the significance of regional dance within culture and shared that dance is not just the movement it is a shared language and provides context to the social life of the region represented. He finds joy in not only the preservation of traditional folk music and customs, but brings love into everything that he does.

We invite you to join our workshop to feel inspired by our guest instructor and to spread the love our shared culture within your own communities.

Learn more about Kostas Mitsis by listening to his appearance on the Syrtos Podcast or watch his recent performances posted on his YouTube channel.

Schedule of Events

Friday, March 20 7:00PM: Welcome Dinner & Exhibitions
Stathakion Cultural Center

Saturday, March 21 10:00am - 4:00pm: Workshops
Stathakion Cultural Center

Saturday, March 21 7:00pm: GAFS Annual Dance
Stathakion Cultural Center
Featuring : Kostas Mitsis (voice), Dimitris Manioudakis (clarinet), Yiannis Mandas (Cretan lyra), Yiannis Themelis (laouto), Nick Sofos (violin), Dimitris Stefanidis (Pontic lyra), Vasilis Koutsoubaris (drum), Christophoros Rantos (keys).

Sunday, March 22, 1:30pm: Feature Exhibition
Athens Square Park
The exhibition will be free and open to the public to view. Workshop participants will collaborate to perform a final exhibition. Selected groups will perform regional suites.

Next steps: Registration

  1. Fill out the Registration Form for each individual [Click here to Register].

  2. Pay for the weekend or individual sessions via Paypal to @gafsny [you can pay for multiple people].
    Pay by Feb 19 for 20% discount.

  3. Reserve your room at Voco Hotel in Astoria [by IHG] via our room block, if you’re joining us from out of town. [Click here for Booking Link]. Book your room by Feb 19 to secure discounted pricing.

  4. Join the WhatsApp group and start connecting with the attendees!

Selected Exhibitions

Are you or your group interested in exhibiting your dances in one of our events? We are looking for 4-6 groups to present a short suite of dances on Friday, March 20 or Sunday March 22. Ideally we would like to see two groups work together to present a suite. Contact greekamericanfolkloresociety@gmail.com

Exhibition Opportunity 1: Friday, March 20 7:00pm [two to four groups]

Exhibition Opportunity 2: Sunday, March 22 1:30pm [all participants, present material learned in Workshop]

Exhibition Opportunity 3: Sunday, March 22 2:00pm [two to four groups]