I am a 29 year old dancer and choreographer coming from Athens, Greece. I have trained in Ballet, Graham, Cunningham, Release, and Contact Improvisation. I have been awarded a scholarship from the State Scholarship Foundation of Greece (IKY) to fund my postgraduate dance studies in England. I completed a Master in European Dance Theatre Practice at Laban, London and I am currently doing practice-based research at the University of Surrey leading to a PhD.

I am exploring the use of contraction as a choreographic tool as well as the concepts of distortion and intensification which contraction instigates. I am also an associate tutor at the University of Surrey, responsible for the module Independent Project which provides critical insight to the learning of dance techniques (Ballet, Contemporary, African, Kathak). My work is about the distorted body both in terms of dance language and style of movement and as a theme for creating works.

Monster

The work consists of a duet in close proximity and explores the distance between the two bodies as two and as one monster-like body (one body with 3 arms and 4 legs and other monster-like configurations to show that a body is a form constantly changing even in appearance). Contact, pauses and stillness are used for creating visual illusions and unpredictable rhythms. The piece stands in 3 dimensions although sometimes the monster is visible within two dimensions. In combination with distorted body shapes, rhythmic variation creates a grotesque but clear aesthetic.

Choreographer: Stefania Mylona

Dancers: Xenia Papazian, Danai Papazian