Links

The show of the internationally acclaimed, new Ballet Director of the GNO, Andonis Foniadakis, based upon the music of two leading Baroque music composers, Johann Sebastian Bach and Georg Friedrich Händel, inaugurates Kalamata’s Dance Festival, in the wake of the immense hit of its shows in Athens.
The choreography of LINKS makes up a landscape in which the elements of fantasy, subconscious and mysticism alternate and enter into a discourse with blunt realism, creating, thus, the ideal “habitat” into which the two composers encounter each other, who never met throughout their lives despite the fact that they were born in the same year – 1685 – and in neighbouring towns. The major success of the GNO Ballet participates into the official programme of the most important Dance Festival in Greece.

The show is in three parts: Selon Désir, which Foniadakis first introduced at the Geneva Ballet, Air and Links, both of which he especially choreographed for the ballet of the GNO. According to the choreographer: “The show is presented in the form of a modular performance. The first piece is part of the repertoire I had prepared with the Geneva Ballet, whilst the other two have been created for the ballet group of the Greek National Opera. The first one is en pointe and of a rather more classic character, for I wished to explore the potential of the group. Hence, Links, the third part, in effect comes to attach itself, revealing how emotions relate with the one piece and the other. This is a disproportional landscape in which, eventually, everything is interconnected (…) I am interested in this heterogeneity not only with regard to this particular evening, for there is nothing linear with a distinct beginning, middle and end - instead, there is fragmentation (although in the background there is always music and emotions), but also in relation to my work as a whole, which may surprise the audience that evening (during the show). It is a good opportunity for me to release myself from the bonds of a role that some may presume I hold. It is a chance to display qualities that all artists possess. It was a challenge for me as choreographer but also for the group, that was asked to defend three different pieces by the same choreographer within a very short period of time.”
Foniadakis worked together with composer and musicologist Julien Tarride in order to create a composition based upon Baroque music and its two leading representatives. The choreographer observes that “the pieces of Bach and Händel create by themselves a landscape that brings about a certain atmosphere and dramatic ambience. For instance, the first part of the performance, featuring Bach’s St Matthew Passion and St John Passion, is something by far more pompous and ambitious compared with the third piece that has a more sombre and melancholic character. The sound of music fills the space with a very specific emotion.”
As far as the performance’s title is concerned, LINKS, Foniadakis says: “The greatest link, the most important connecting bridge is my association and contact with the group; this perennial link between creator and interpreter. I would say that this specific creation is a constantly changing platform from the moment of its making until the moment the curtain rises, while at the same time there is also the type of movement according to which nothing is constant, for this is the sort of energy that is differently experienced every time and therefore every show will be different.”
Andonis Foniadakis is also responsible for the sets (Apotosoma) along with Sakis Birbilis, who is also behind the lights, while Tasso Sofroniou designed the costumes.

With the participation of the GNO’s Principal dancers, Soloists, Demi-Soloists and Corps de Ballet, as well as of the GNO Dance School students.

The Greek National Opera expresses its gratitude to GEA for its kind contribution with regard to the related rights of the music.

 

About the Choreographer

Andonis Foniadakis grew up in the city of Ierapetra, in the south part of the island of Crete, in Greece. He began his dance training with Niki Papadaki at the local dance school, in his hometown. From 1990 to 1992, he studied at the State Dance School of Athens and before his graduation he received the prestigious Maria Callas scholarship to continue his studies in Rudra Bejart Lausanne, in Switzerland until 1994.

As a dancer Andonis has collaborated with:
Bejart Ballet Lausanne (1994-1996) under the direction of Maurice Bejart,
Lyon Opera Ballet (1996-2002) under the direction of Yorgos Loukos,
Saburo Teshi- gawara / Karas Co. (2004) under the direction of Saburo Teshigawara,
as well as, with his own dance company “Apotosoma”.

During the years of his professional engagement with the above companies he has performed
choreographic works of:
Maguy Marin, Jiri Kilian, William Forsythe, Dominique Boivin, Nacho Duato, Mats Ek, Maurice Bejart, Ohad Naharin, Frederic Flamand, Bill T Jones, Herve Robbe, Tero Saarinen, Lionel Hoche, Joachim Schlomer, John Jasperse, Saburo Teshigawara etc.

As a freelance choreographer he has collaborated with:
Royal New Zealand Ballet, Sydney Dance Company, Aterbaletto, Luzern Ballet, CCN Ballet de Lorraine, Martha Graham Dance Company, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, Geneva Ballet, Lyon Opera Ballet, Ballet Jazz de Montreal, Bern Ballet, Ballet du Rhin, Maggio Danza, National Dance Company of Wales, Dansgroep Amsterdam, MDTIstanbul, Cia Sociedade Masculina Brazil, Bale da Cidade of Sao Paulo Brazil, Helsinki Dance Company Finland, National Ballet of Greece, National Theater of Northern Greece, Benjamin Millepied Dance Company USA, Washington Ballet, Bejart Ballet Lausanne, Ballet Junior Geneva, Hellenic Dance Company, CNSMD Lyon, Copenhagen International Dance

Foniadakis has been commissioned to choreograph for three operas.
Theatre de Champs Elysees Paris- Castor et Pollux by Rameau
Opera National du Rhin – Les boreades by Rameau
GRAME Lyon – Il canto de la pelle by Claudio Ambrosini

In 2014 he collaborates as a moving coordinator with Darren Aronosfky on his new film NOAH. As well in 2012 he received the Danza and Danza Award for the “Best Choroegrapher 2012” in Italy, for the creation Les Noces in Maggio Danza.

In addition to creating and performing, Andonis Foniadakis is teaching seminars based on his personal dance technique. He has been teaching in the State Dance School of Greece, DAN.C.CE studios and Baile de Barrio in Athens, DOCK11 in Berlin, CND and CNSMD in Lyon, Dansgroep Amsterdam, Henny Jurriens Studio Amsterdam, Kuopio Dance Festival, CCN Lorraine, Martha Graham Dance Studios, Broadway Dance Center.

In 2003, Foniadakis created his own dance company "Apotosoma", in Lyon, France and since then he has shown his work in France, Greece, Italy, Finland, Luxembourg, Germany, England, and USA.

Until today, he has presented 7 full evening works with his own company:

Sensitive Screens Skins Intervals
USE
Rite of Spring
All Things Are Quite Silent
Romeo and Juliet
Wisteria Maiden
Priority