7/Search Code

Presentation

Conceived by Konstantios Rigos during the pandemic outreach and the lockdown period in Greece, when people were instructed to use codes to leave their houses, 7/Search code is exploring the relationship between the human and the environment in times of crisis.OKTANA’s dancers and performers travel to seven pivotal – symbolic places in Greece, to work for the creation of 7 different performances inspired by the region’s history and local community. Each piece’s subject matter draws from the location visited by the artistic team. Each place acts as the nucleus of the performance, triggering the creative process. The performance is created and completed in each destination, filmed in natural spaces and in some cases in interaction with the people living locally.

The intention is to explore the distinct planes of existence that determine the actuality and life of people and to give "answers" regarding the kind of negotiations we all have to enter with ourselves because of them. The dancers use ethnography and visual anthropology as methodologies for the research approach to the identities and the circumstances they will face in the field. Both of their own identities, as tangible agents of memory of their own artistic course, as well as of the people / communities / places they will approach for investigation and artistic creation. Potential research and hosting places for the performances are indicatively listed below: Delphi (Phocis), Agios Nikolaos (Crete), Messolongi (Aitoloakarnania) etc.This is a research ongoing project started in April 2022 that is scheduled to concluded at the end of 2022. The documentary produced will travel to Film and Dance Festivals internationally and will be screened and live-streamed in April 2023. The screening will take place in an open space that will be confirmed while streaming will be available through the OKTANA Dancetheatre and its partners platforms. It would be a pleasure if Fedora hosted the streaming as well.

Artistic Team

The core artistic team of the OKTANA Dancetheatre, representing both the established and emerging Dance scene in Greece, are participating in the development and the implementation of the production team 7 / Code Search. Dancers and performers recognized nationally and internationally such as Elena Topalidou, Nancy Stmatopoulou, Markela Manoliadis, Giannis Nikolaidis, Tassos Karachalios, Giannis Michos and Alexandros Vardaxoglou are the main cast of the project acting both as researchers and performers. Visual anthropologist Silas Michalakas, with extensive experience in research on intangible cultural heritage, advises the team and is representing the Ethnofest partner. The emerging musician Thodoris Reglis (Ted Reglis), known for his scores for films and theatrical plays and video games, is writing the original pieces of music of the project. Giorgos Segredakis, a well-known Greek costume designer working on sustainable fashion on theatre and audiovisual productions, is on board for the creation of the project’s costumes with a zero-waste approach. The artistic team is led by Konstantinos Rigos, the OKTANA Dancetheatre Founder, who is also leading the Greek National Opera Ballet as the Artistic Director. Since 2019, he is the President of the Board of Directors of the Greek National School of Dance.

Co-producing Partners