ABOUT | U(R)TOPIAS ACADEMY OF CHOREOGRAPHY
-
ABOUT | U(R)TOPIAS ACADEMY OF CHOREOGRAPHY -
ABOUT U(R)TOPIAS ACADEMY OF CHOREOGRAPHY
In the framework of the Moving Europe program of Eleusis 2023 - European Capital of Culture, Aerites Dance Company launches the first Academy of Choreography in Greece, the U(R)TOPIAS Academy of Choreography.
/ THE IDEA
The lack of possibility of a deeper study of choreographic practice in Greece, the need for artists to spend more time in research and the desire to create and experiment freely without necessarily arriving at results, was the trigger to create a program that combines the artistic and educational part, in a form of an Academy of knowledge and creative experience.
With this in mind, the main goal of U(R)TOPIAS Academy of Choreography is the collaboration with young professional choreographers interested in cultivating their skills in the field of composition and choreography. Each choreographer is invited to come up with a personal ideal and present it as a work of art. The aim is to showcase the emblematic sites of Eleusis through the site-specific works of the choreographers, creating a new map of the city of Eleusis.
Through their participation in the Academy, the artists will be able to develop their compositional skills and shape their own creative approaches, under the guidance of distinguished creators and professionals, art historians, theorists as well as producers.
/ THE THEME OF U(R)TOPIAS AS THE COMMON “PLACE” OF THE PROJECT
The European Capital of Culture can be a great opportunity to rethink Europe as a utopia. What happens if we treat Europe as a region “without place” (from the Greek: ου=not + τόπος=place)? That is, as a place where there is no discrimination or inequality? This turn can be crucial for Europe and could once again create a common utopia for European citizens. The academy is here to reopen the dialogue about this utopia.
The Academy’s name is inspired by the word “Utopia,” which is defined as the ideal place to live. The term was coined from ancient Greek, where “οὐ” stands for “not” and “τόπος” stands for place. Joined, the two words compose “utopia,” i.e., the place that doesn’t exist. The Academy of Choreography is here to redefine this place, with the main goal of establishing today’s utopia, through the knowledge of the past. Utopia transforms to U(R)TOPIAS, self-defining its existence through the Anglo-Saxon prefix “ur,” which means ancient, primitive, original and lending this name to the entire project. As a new manifesto, U(R)TOPIAS is presented in Eleusis, a city with a rich history and heritage, introducing the art of choreography to the public.
