From July 17 to 26, the 32nd Kalamata International Dance Festival returns with a rich programme dedicated to the power of dance to inspire, connect and open new paths in times of uncertainty. Under the artistic direction of Jenny Argyriou for the second consecutive year, the Festival brings together leading voices from the international and Greek contemporary dance scene, presenting performances, collaborations, public-space events and initiatives centred on inclusion.
The Festival opens with internationally acclaimed French choreographer Yoann Bourgeois and He Who Falls, while the programme also features Marlene Monteiro Freitas, Kalle Nio & Fernando Melo, Jefta van Dinther, Leïla Ka, and the Ballet of the Greek National Opera, which closes the Festival with George Koumendakis’ new work So Many Times, So Close to Be, inspired by the poetry of C. P. Cavafy. This year’s edition welcomes 12 international artists, five of whom appear in Greece for the first time, alongside 12 Greek choreographers.
Expanding beyond the stages of the Kalamata Dance Megaron, the Festival presents performances in public spaces across Kalamata, in eight locations across the Peloponnese and, once again, at the archaeological site of Ancient Messene, where the audience will be invited to take part in a shared dance experience. Inclusion and international collaboration remain central to this year’s programme, including the SYSTEMA – For the Greek Performing Arts partnership with the Athens Epidaurus Festival and the National Theatre of Greece, which supports the international visibility of Greek artists.
The parallel programme includes screenings, talks, educational activities and the exhibition Zouzou Nikoloudi: Methodology as Practice, opening on July 17 at the Kalamata Dance Megaron. Dedicated to one of the most important figures in modern Greek dance, the exhibition draws on archival material from the Benaki Museum, connecting the history of Greek dance with contemporary artistic practice.
