Performances Main Stage

18.07 & 19.07 | 22:00 | 55'

Kalamata Dance Megaron / Main Stage

DANCE ON ENSEMBLE | CHRISTOS PAPADOPOULOS

MELLOWING

About the performance

A body that is outwardly still and inwardly vibrating – what processes does the energy undergo before it breaks through? How does it change as the body matures?

In his production MELLOWING, Greek choreographer Christos Papadopoulos embarks on his inaugural collaboration with the dancers of the Dance On Ensemble. Incorporating their knowledge and experience into the creation, they explore moments of perception and intensities of the present that create a lively restlessness — a constant vibration in which the spectator is inevitably involved.

Christos Papadopoulos’ works are fueled by an intensely observant approach to movement and often unfold a vivid yet meditative power. His attention is focused on the minimal shifts of perception — the perpetual, often unnoticed and yet powerful movements that are ever-present in nature, in everyday life, in physical phenomena, and within political contexts.

In MELLOWING, this fascination is embodied through dance. To the minimalist sounds of Greek composer and musician Coti K., the ensemble moves across the stage in synchronized rhythmic steps. Within these reduced movements, subtle shifts create new formations, while brief individual impulses gently alter the dynamic. As the intensity builds, the movements become more expansive, breaking through the initial continuity and unfolding a hypnotic pull that continuously drives the piece forward.

The Dance On Ensemble was founded in 2015 by the Berlin-based cultural organization Bureau Ritter for professional dancers over 40. It continues to inspire internationally with a repertoire created in collaboration with renowned choreographers. The ensemble is built upon the extensive experience and physical knowledge that its dancers have developed throughout their careers.

 

With the support of the Goethe Institut

  • Choreography: Christos Papadopoulos
  • Artistic Director, Dance On Ensemble: Ty Boomershine
  • Dancers: Ty Boomershine, Javier Arozena, Alba Barral Fernández, Emma Lewis, Gesine Moog, Tim Persent, Jone San Martin, Marco Volta, Lia Witjes Poole
  • Choreographic Assistant: Georgios Kotsifakis
  • Music: Coti K.
  • Lighting Design: Eliza Alexandropoulou
  • Costume Design: Werkstattkollektiv
  • Technical Director & Touring Lighting Technician: Martin Beeretz
  • Touring Sound Technician: Mattef Kuhlmey
  • Production Directors: Valentina Boroni, Hélène Philippot
  • Production & Participation Coordinator: Anastasia Luck
  • International Distribution: Fauves – agency for the performing arts
  • Premiere: January 26, 2023 (Radialsystem, Berlin)
  • Production: DANCE ON / Bureau Ritter
  • Co-Production: ONASSIS STEGI, Athens, and Centre chorégraphique national de Rillieux-la-Pape / Direction: Yuval Pick, as part of the accueil-studio programme

 

Supported by the Hauptstadtkulturfonds and co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union as part of DANCE ON, PASS ON, DREAM ON.

DANCE ON is a project by Bureau Ritter gUG, funded by the German Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.

 

DANCE ON ENSEMBLE

The Dance On Ensemble was founded in 2015 by the Berlin-based cultural organisation Bureau Ritter as part of the DANCE ON initiative, which celebrates the artistic excellence of dancers aged 40+ and explores the relationship between dance and age — both on stage and in society.
Working with internationally renowned choreographers and directors including Rabih Mroué, Meg Stuart, Lucinda Childs, and Jan Martens, the Dance On Ensemble is building a repertoire of groundbreaking and challenging contemporary dance works. Its aim is to establish a solid foundation for a rich and ambitious future repertoire for dancers aged 40 and above.
A member of the Dance On Ensemble since the project’s inception, Ty Boomershine has served as its Artistic Director since 2019. Other members of the Ensemble include Javier Arozena, Alba Barral Fernández, Ziv Frenkel, Anna Herrmann, Christine Kono, Emma Lewis, Gesine Moog, Omagbitse Omagbemi, Miki Orihara, Tim Persent, Jone San Martin, Marco Volta, and Lia Witjes Poole — professional dancers aged between 43 and 71 who have performed in leading companies worldwide.

 

CHRISTOS PAPADOPOULOS

Christos Papadopoulos is a choreographer and performer. He studied at SNDO in Amsterdam, at the National Theatre of Greece Drama School, and Political Science in Athens. His works have been presented internationally (Aerowaves, Onassis Stegi, Sadler’s Wells, Théâtre de la Ville, among others). He has collaborated with Dimitris Papaioannou, Yorgos Lanthimos, and others. In 2025, he received the Rose International Dance Award.