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  • 13403356 1122826034463670 8802296741372129548 o
    Born in Athens in 1964, Dimitris Papaioannou gained early recognition as a painter and comics artist, before his focus shifted to the performing arts, as director, choreographer, performer, and designer of sets, costumes, make up, and lighting.

    He was a student of the iconic Greek painter Yannis Tsarouchis before studying at the Athens School of Fine Arts.

    He formed Edafos Dance Theatre, in 1986 as an initial vehicle for his original stage productions, hybrids of physical theatre, experimental dance, and performance art.

    Originating in the underground scene, the company challenged perceptions and gained an expanding number of dedicated followers. MEDEA (1993) marked the company’s transition to big theatres and is considered its iconic work. The Edafos company spanned 17 years, to 2002, and set its indelible stamp on the arts scene in Greece.

    Papaioannou became widely known in 2004, as the creator of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Games.

    Restarting in 2006, with his production ‘2’, he found himself in the odd position of creating avant-garde works in major theatres in Athens that enjoyed record-breaking long runs, with over 100.000 tickets sold.

    In 2009, he began using this platform to create theatrical experiments on a large scale: NOWHERE (2009) for the inauguration of the renovated Greek National Theatre and INSIDE (2011) for the Pallas Theater.

    In 2012, stripping down his work to bare essentials, he created PRIMAL MATTER for the Athens Festival, with him back on stage after a ten-year absence.

    On the same quest for simplicity, he created STILL LIFE in 2014, the first work that toured extensively in Europe, South America, Asia, and Australia.

    In 2015, he created the Opening Ceremony for the Baku 2015 First European Games.

    Papaioannou’s 25 productions range from mass spectacles with thousands of performers to intimate pieces and have appeared in a wide variety of venues, from his famous underground squat theater in Athens, to the ancient theatre in Epidaurus, and from Olympic stadiums to Théâtre de la Ville – Paris, and Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza.

    In 2017, he created THE GREAT TAMER, his first international co-commissioned work with ten co-producers, including the Festival d’Avignon. THE GREAT TAMER made an international tour until 2019.

    In 2018, Dimitris became the first artist to create a new, full-length work for Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch. SINCE SHE premiered on 12 May 2018 in Germany.

    In 2020, Dimitris premiered INK. The 55min duet performed by Šuka Horn and Dimitris Papaioannou premiered at the Torinodanza Festival and has been invited to the 75th Festival d’Avignon in 2021.

    His latest work TRANSVERSE ORIENTATION (2021), originally scheduled to premiere at ONASSIS SETGI in Athens, premiered on 2 June 2021 at the Biennale de la Danse de Lyon in France, and will tour to more than 30 cities in 2021 + 2022. 


    • 1/4
      MOMENTS FROM WORKS (1987-2012)
    • 2/4
      EXTRACTS 2001-2012
    • 3/4
      SHORT PROMO REEL
    • 4/4
      FULL PROMO REEL
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    • DP NOTE
    • WORKS
    • HISTORY
    It was August 1986. I was a student at the Athens School of Fine Arts, and had already been introduced to the Erick Hawkins dance technique. I was performing as a dancer by that time, and had been given the opportunity to experiment as a costume, set, and make-up designer. I had just returned from New York, having been invited by Ellen Stewart of La MaMa E.T.C. There, I was given an intense introduction to the Butoh technique, and was severely exposed to the avant-garde theatre of the times. I was back in Athens only to pack my things and rent a small flat to use for storage, in order to return to New York and undertake a project, which I was to choreograph and perform. The day I got the call cancelling these plans, Angeliki Stellatou came to visit me. We jumped out onto the roof terrace, and I introduced her to what I had learned in New York. Though we didn’t know it at the time, this was to be the first EDAFOS DANCE THEATRE rehearsal. We presented our first piece, THE MOUNTAIN (1987), in Mary Tsouti’s studio alongside other works choreographed by her students. We then decided to perform the piece at the Athens School of Fine Art, and so we had to think up a name for ourselves. As a joke, my fellow student Zafos Xagoraris proposed the name “OMADA EDAFOUS” – and that’s how our group came to be named. We were then selected to represent Greece at the 2nd Biennial of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean, in Barcelona; I created our second piece, THE RAINCOAT (1987), for the occasion.

    Then Angeliki received a scholarship to study in New York and left, and I got involved with Stavros Zalmas. I introduced Stavros to the physical language that I had been experimenting with, and we began to rehearse. I also asked my friend Vangelis Papadakis, a construction worker at the time, to participate in the piece – ROOM I (1988) – that was gradually emerging. We presented it at Elefsina together with THE MOUNTAIN (Angeliki had by then returned from New York). The response was very encouraging. We were again selected to perform at the Biennial of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean, this time in Bologna, and so I created ROOM II (1988), including Angeliki in the cast. We got very good reviews in Bologna, and we performed the two pieces together for one night only in Athens, to great success.

    Soon after that Nikos Alexiou approached me and proposed that I create a piece for his art installation of seven basins filled with water – I was interested, but by then I had already decided to leave Greece. I had sought out Robert Wilson and asked him if he would allow me to attend his rehearsals as an unpaid trainee assistant, and he had invited me to Hamburg for the creation of The Black Rider – The Casting of the Magic Bullets (1990). I found myself witnessing Robert Wilson, Tom Waits and William S. Burroughs collaborating to create this piece, seeing not only that but also how an enormous production was put together and executed. I was then invited by Wilson to act as the stand-in for the lights in his production of Orlando (1989) in Berlin. So I went to Berlin and, while there, the Wall fell and I fell in love for the third time in my life; it was my lover in Berlin who introduced me to the Four Last Songs (Vier letzte Lieder, 1948) of Richard Strauss. Dazed and overwhelmed, I returned to Athens only to be immediately invited to take part in a Mary Tsouti project at the MIT University in Boston, where I stayed for two months. At daybreak on one of my last days there, while listening again to Strauss’ Four Last Songs, I envisioned THE LAST SONG OF RICHARD STRAUSS (1990).

    When I returned to Athens to create THE LAST SONG, I was a different man. I was in shock. Robert Wilson’s universe triggered an explosion inside me – it was a revelation. The way I understood theatrical space and action was completely altered. The effects of my intense experiences started streaming into my work in the wake of the personal, artistic and historic tornado that swept me up in Berlin. Creating THE LAST SONG OF RICHARD STRAUSS took no more than two weeks, and proved to be the first big hit of what we were just beginning to realise was a group. It was then that Grigoris Lagos, a fellow student of mine at the Athens School of Fine Art, suggested we start performing in the fine arts squat we used to call the Artists’ Building (42 Tritis Septemvriou St., on the corner of Polytechniou St.). Angeliki, Stavros, Nikos Alexiou and myself transformed four big rooms in the building into an alternative, underground theatre. We first presented THE LAST SONG there, before taking it on a small tour around Greece (the piece was only 22 minutes long). I then created two more pieces (THE SONG OF THE TREE, THE SONG OF NARCISSUS AND ECHO), including Stavros and Vangelis Papadakis in the cast; I produced all three works in collaboration with Nikos Alexiou, and this new trilogy, THE SONGS (1991), premièred in our new theatre. The audience turn-out was shocking. We were amazed by how successful and trendy we had become within Athenian art society. This was the true departure point of EDAFOS DANCE THEATRE, and THE SONGS acted as the first manifesto of our artistic and ethical approach to live spectacle. It was definitely a hybrid, definitely weird, rather charming, and for the time, very original.

    For all the wrong, but nevertheless important reasons, I had been drawn away from painting towards dance. By intensely exercising my body, I was able to balance my overflowing emotional and intellectual approaches to life. My need for collaboration was far more satisfied by dance than by painting. The intensity and immediacy of the communication an artist has with their audience when dancing seemed to suit me better. As a comics artist, I had acquired an audience with whom I could communicate, whom I thought I could influence; I had not been isolated within the galleries and private collections to which painters are doomed. But it was only with EDAFOS DANCE THEATRE, within the world of live art, that I discovered the best means with which to express myself as an artist. I had found my territory. As a painter, this was the place to create images; as a comics artist, this was where to tell my tales; and as a performer, this was the context in which to present myself. Furthermore, as I was to discover over time, this was the territory in which to inspire people, exercising my skills as a team leader. And so I did, for 17 years, retaining EDAFOS DANCE THEATRE as the ultimate refuge of my best unborn ideas, as the haven in which I was least willing to compromise my ideals, and as the cradle of the maximum amount of faith and love that I could inspire and circulate amongst a group of people. It was perhaps my ultimate therapy, my own microcosm.

    It seemed natural at the time, but quite extraordinary now, that in spite of the absolute absence of financial resources, so many artists from different spheres worked so hard, invested so much, invented their métier and shaped their professionalism on the job, were kept united for so many years, and managed to create a situation, to spark an idea, that changed the very landscape of live art in Athens. This spirit fuelled EDAFOS DANCE THEATRE: this same spirit (and, in fact, this same group of people) was the driving force behind the creation of the OLYMPIC CEREMONIES. It matters not that EDAFOS officially disbanded before 2004. People came and went, there was drama aplenty, there were misunderstandings and couplings. I kept the balance by radiating love and avoiding conflict, which in some cases proved to be disastrous, mainly for my emotional peace. After our production of MEDEA (1993), the exponential growth of EDAFOS DANCE THEATRE’S success and the influx of commissions sharpened the group’s skills, turning us into artistic production commandos of sorts. I was gradually trapped artistically and emotionally within what I had created, and a little before the production of HUMAN THIRST (1999) I felt a crisis coming on, affecting Angeliki and myself in different ways; it engulfed us in 2000, and led to an irreparable crack in our relationship. I created FOR EVER (2001), and she left the group. This was a change, and, after 17 years, it was the end of EDAFOS DANCE THEATRE.
    EDAFOS DANCE THEATRE was founded in 1986 by Dimitris Papaioannou and Angeliki Stellatou. Disbanded in 2002, the company produced a total of 17 works conceived, directed, choreographed and produced by Dimitris Papaioannou, giving 340 performances over its 16 years.

    EDAFOS DANCE THEATRE Collaborations

    Music – Sound Design:

    Pavlos Avouris (Sound Design - MEDEA, MOONS - LE SPECTRE DE LA ROSE, THE SONGS)
    Kostas Bokas  (Music - THE MOUNTAIN)
    Kostas Bokos - Studio 19 (Sound Design - THE BROTHERS GRIMM FAIRY TALES, DRACULA, FOR EVER, HUMAN THIRST, THE STORM)
    Michalis Embeoglou (Sound Design - ROOM Ι, ROOM ΙΙ)
    Manos Hadjidakis (Music - A MOMENT'S SILENCE)
    Dimitris Iatropoulos (Sound Design - THE LAST SONG OF RICHARD STRAUSS, ROOM Ι, ROOM ΙΙ)
    Dimitris Karageorgos (Music - THE RAINCOAT)
    Vassilis Koundouris - Studio 19 (Sound Design - THE BROTHERS GRIMM FAIRY TALES, DRACULA, FOR EVER, HUMAN THIRST, THE STORM)
    Yorgos Koumendakis (Music - THE BROTHERS GRIMM FAIRY TALES, DRACULA, FOR EVER, IPHIGENEIA AT THE BRIDGE OF ARTA, A MOMENT'S SILENCE, MOONS–SAPPHO, THE STORM, SOUND DESIGN - MOONS - SAPPHO)
    Konstantinos Vita - K.BHTA (Music - FOR EVER)
    Iannis Xenakis (Music - XENAKIS' ORESTEIA - THE AESCHYLUS SUITE)

    Sets – Costumes:

    Nikos Alexiou (Set Design - THE LAST SONG OF RICHARD STRAUSS, MEDEA, THE SONGS)
    Michalis Papandonakis (Assistant Set Designer - A MOMENT'S SILENCE)
    Nina Pappa (Set Design - THE MOUNTAIN)
    Lili Pezanou (Set and Costume Design - DRACULA, HUMAN THIRST, A MOMENT'S SILENCE, THE STORM, XENAKIS' ORESTEIA - THE AESCHYLUS SUITE; Set Design - FOR EVER)
    Socratis Socratous (Set and Costume Design - THE BROTHERS GRIMM FAIRY TALES)
    Zafos Xagoraris (Set Design - THE RAINCOAT)
    Yiannos Xenis (Costume Design - MONUMENT)

    Lighting Design:

    Eleftheria Deko (Lighting Design - FOR EVER)
    Emmanuel Koutsourelis (Lighting Design - ROOM Ι, ROOM ΙΙ)
    Yioula Kranioti (Lighting Design - MOONS)
    Vassiliki Laktaridou (Lighting Design - MEDEA, MONUMENT)
    Panayiotis Manoussis (Lighting Design - MEDEA)
    Linos Meitanis  (Assistant Lighting Designer - DRACULA, A MOMENT'S SILENCE, THE STORM, XENAKIS' ORESTEIA - THE AESCHYLUS SUITE)
    Alekos Yiannaros (Lighting Design - DRACULA, HUMAN THIRST, A MOMENT'S SILENCE, THE STORM, XENAKIS' ORESTEIA - THE AESCHYLUS SUITE)

    Make-up Design:

    Angelos Mendis (Make - up Design - THE BROTHERS GRIMM FAIRY TALES, DRACULA, HUMAN THIRST, MEDEA, A MOMENT'S SILENCE, MONUMENT, THE STORM, XENAKIS' ORESTEIA - THE AESCHYLUS SUITE)

    Technical Direction:

    Tassos Papaioannou (Technical Director - DRACULA, FOR EVER, HUMAN THIRST)

    Direction – Choreography:

    Fotis Nikolaou (Assistant Choreographer - FOR EVER)
    Tina Papanikolaou (Assistant Director - all EDAFOS DANCE THEATRE productions since 1993)
    Angeliki Stellatou (Assistant Choreographer - DRACULA, MEDEA, THE STORM; Assistant Director - A MOMENT'S SILENCE)


    The works OF EDAFOS DANCE THEATRE were performed by:

    Tassos Alexiadis, Christos Aliferis, Petros Bazos, Dimitris Bakalis, Christos Beloyiannis, Dimitris Bourazanis, Angela Brouskou, Yiannis Dalianis, Yiannis Demis, Yiannis Diamantopoulos, Valia Dimitrakaki, Doros Dimosthenous, Nikos Dragonas, Tzeni Drivala, Kostas Gravos, Maro Grigoriou, Nikos Hadzis, Kostas Ioannatos, Andonis Iordanou, Nikos Kalogerakis, Andreas Karakotas, Yorgos Kardakos, Gitsa Karella, Dimitris Kassiaris, Mata Katsuli, Nikos Kodros, Panayiotis Kotronaros, Andonis Koutroumbis, Nikolas Kyparissos, Grigoris Lagos, Eleftheria Lagoudaki, Panayiotis Lambrou, Michalis Langouvardos, Olia Lazaridou, Pigi Marangopoulou-Seirli, Yorghos Matskaris, Angelos Mendis, Stathis Mermingis, Thomas Michailidis, Panayiotis Michas, Vassilis Mitsiou, Hamilton Monteiro, Michalis Nalbandis, Alexandros Niangos, Stefanos Nikolaidis, Fotis Nikolaou, Zouzou Nikoloudi (special guest appearance), Zoe Paneriti, Vangelis Papadakis, Kostis Papadakis, Michalis Papadopoulos, Katerina Papageorgiou, Dimitris Papaioannou, Tassos Papaioannou, Elisabeth Papakonstantinou, Tina Papanikolaou, Michalis Papantonakis, Yiannos Perlengas, Fotini Pitta, Yiannis Potamoussis, Takis Poulopoulos, Mata Sakka, Xenia Sevastou, Stavroula Siamou, Thanassis Solomos, Dimitris Sotiriou, Fotis Spyros, Angeliki Stellatou, Yorgos Tavoularis, Nikos Tazartes, Yiannis Theocharopoulos, Aris Theodoropoulos, Elena Topalidou, Dimos Tsingakos, Kostas Tsivelekas, Yiannis Tsoupas, Yorgos Voutyropoulos, Dinos Xanthopoulos, Olga Yeroyiannaki, Yiannis Yiaples, Paul Zachariadis, Stavros Zalmas, Alfredos Zinis


    EDAFOS DANCE THEATRE production photographers:

    Daniel Anast, Alexis Bistikas, Salvatore Dicorato, Xenofon Dimitropoulos, Nikos Dragonas, Yiannis Kanellopoulos, Nikos Katsoularis, Panos Kokkinias, Alexandros Niangos, Leonidas Papadopoulos, Dimitris Papaioannou, Tina Papanikolaou, Lili Pezanou, Platon Rivellis, Daphne Rokou, Andreas Schinas, Socratis Socratous, Lila Sotiriou, Marilena Stafylidou, Stefanos, Dina Tsichli, M. Tsimberopoulos, N. Yiannikopoulos


    Co-productions:

    Athens Megaron Concert Hall (THE STORM)
    Kalamata International Dance Festival (FOR EVER)
    Patras Municipal Regional Theatre (HUMAN THIRST)
    The production Dracula was produced in collaboration with the Greek National Theatre.


    Commissions:

    Argos Festival (THE BROTHERS GRIMM FAIRY TALES)
    Athens Megaron Concert Hall (IPHIGENIA AT THE BRIDGE OF ARTA)
    Cultural Centre of the City of Athens (MEDEA)
    Ioannis and Efterpi Topalis Foundation of the University of Patras (THE LAST SONG OF RICHARD STRAUSS)
    Kalamata International Dance Festival (MONUMENT)
    National Theatre of Northern Greece (XENAKIS' ORESTEIA - THE AESCHYLUS SUITE)


    Performances

    EDAFOS DANCE THEATRE appeared at the following Greek Festivals:

    1990
    1st Festival of Contemporary Dance and Expression, Firka Theatre (Hania, Crete) -THE LAST SONG OF RICHARD STRAUSS

    1994
    Athens Festival, Argos Ancient Theatre (Argos) - MEDEA

    1995
    Epidaurus Festival, Ancient Epidaurus Theatre (Epidavros) - XENAKIS' ORESTEIA – THE AESCHYLUS SUITE

    1996
    2nd Kalamata International Dance Festival, Kalamata Castle Amphitheatre (Kalamata) – MEDEA
    4th Festival of Contemporary Dance and Expression, East Moat Theatre (Hania, Crete) - MEDEA
    1st International Conference on Musical Theatre (Ancient Dimitriada, Volos)  - MEDEA
    Argos Festival (Argos) - THE BROTHERS GRIMM FAIRY TALES
    Patras International Festival, Patras Ancient Odeon (Patras) - THE BROTHERS GRIMM FAIRY TALES

    1997
    Thessaloniki Spring Theatre Festival (Thessaloniki) - THE BROTHERS GRIMM FAIRY TALES
    3rd Kalamata International Dance Festival, Port Authority Warehouse (Kalamata) - MONUMENT

    1998
    4th Kalamata International Dance Festival, Kalamata Castle Amphitheatre (Kalamata) - THE BROTHERS GRIMM FAIRY TALES
    12th Rethymnon Renaissance Festival (Rethymnon, Crete) - THE BROTHERS GRIMM FAIRY TALES

    1999
    5th Kalamata International Dance Festival, Kalamata Castle Amphitheatre (Kalamata) - HUMAN THIRST

    2000
    VideoDance 2000, Ivi Theatre (Athens) - MONUMENT AND SONG OF '99 (part of HUMAN THIRST)

    2001
    Sani Festival (Halkidiki) - HUMAN THIRST
    7th Kalamata International Dance Festival, Kalamata Castle Amphitheatre (Kalamata) - FOR EVER

    EDAFOS DANCE THEATRE appeared at the following Greek venues:

    1987
    Liberal Arts Centre (Athens) - THE MOUNTAIN
    Halki - THE MOUNTAIN, THE RAINCOAT
    Athens School of Fine Art - THE MOUNTAIN, THE RAINCOAT

    1988
    Old Elefsina Soap Factory (Elefsina) - THE MOUNTAIN, ROOM I
    "Ergostassio" (Athens) - ROOM I, ROOM II

    1990
    University of Patras (Patras) - THE LAST SONG OF RICHARD STRAUSS
    Anemotheatro Theatre (Mykonos) - THE LAST SONG OF RICHARD STRAUSS
    Andreas Theodorakis Workshop (Rethymnon, Crete) - THE LAST SONG OF RICHARD STRAUSS

    1991
    Artists' Building (Athens) - THE SONGS
    Petra Theatre (Petroupoli, Athens) - THE SONGS

    1992
    Artists' Building (Athens) - MOONS

    1993
    Alexandroupoli - THE SONGS
    Komotini - THE SONGS
    Ioannina - THE SONGS
    Katerini - THE SONGS

    1994
    Kotopouli-Rex Theatre (Athens) - MEDEA
    Ipsikaminos Theatre (Patras) - MEDEA

    1995
    Athens Megaron Concert Hall, Dimitris Mitropoulos Hall (Athens) - IPHIGENIA AT THE BRIDGE OF ARTA
    Old Greek Public Power Corporation (DEI) Power Station (Neo Faliro, Athens) - A MOMENT'S SILENCE

    1996
    Ferres - MEDEA
    Komotini - MEDEA
    Melina Mercouri Amphitheatre (Veria) - MEDEA
    Dassous Theatre (Thessaloniki) - MEDEA
    Melina Mercouri Vrachon Theatre (Athens) - MEDEA
    Goethe Institute (Athens) - THE BROTHERS GRIMM FAIRY TALES
    Katia Dandoulaki Theatre (Athens) - THE BROTHERS GRIMM FAIRY TALES

    1997
    Athens Municipal Theatre - THE BROTHERS GRIMM FAIRY TALES
    Veria Municipal Theatre (Veria) - THE BROTHERS GRIMM FAIRY TALES
    Kotopouli-Rex Theatre (Athens) - DRACULA
    Athens Megaron Concert Hall, Dimitris Mitropoulos Hall - THE STORM
    Ilissia Theatre (Athens) - THE STORM

    1999
    Hora Theatre (Athens) - HUMAN THIRST
    Patras Ancient Theatre (Patras) - HUMAN THIRST

    2000
    Hora Theatre (Athens) - HUMAN THIRST
    Papagou Municipal Theatre (Athens) - MEDEA
    Nikos Kazantzakis Theatre (Heraklion, Crete) - MEDEA

    2001
    Ivi Theatre (Athens) - FOR EVER

    2002
    Papagou Municipal Theatre (Athens) - FOR EVER

    EDAFOS DANCE THEATRE appeared at the following international Festivals:

    1987
    3rd Biennial of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean (Barcelona, Spain) – THE MOUNTAIN, THE RAINCOAT

    1988
    4th Biennial of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean (Bologna, Italy) - ROOM I, ROOM II

    1992
    ΕΧΡΟ ’92 (Seville, Spain) - THE SONGS
    6th Biennial of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean (Valencia, Spain) - THE SONGS

    1993
    Santarcangelo Festival (Santarcangelo, Italy) - THE SONGS

    1998
    EXPO ’98, Anfiteatro na Doca (Lisbon, Portugal) - MEDEA
    8th Lyon Dance Biennial (Lyon, France) - MEDEA
    Theatre Days Festival 1, Nicosia Municipal Theatre (Nicosia, Cyprus) - MEDEA
    Theatre Days Festival 1, Pattichio Amphitheatre (Larnaca, Cyprus) - MEDEA

    1999
    12th Cannes International Dance Festival (Cannes, France) - HUMAN THIRST
    Theatre Days Festival 2, Nicosia Municipal Theatre (Nicosia, Cyprus) - MEDEA
    Theatre Days Festival 2, Rialto Theatre (Limassol, Cyprus) - MEDEA

    2000
    12th Istanbul International Theatre Festival, Atatürk Cultural Centre, Grand Hall (Turkey) - MEDEA
    Jerusalem Festival – DancEuropa, Gerard Bechar Theatre (Jerusalem, Israel) - MEDEA
    DancEuropa, Suzanne Dellal Center (Tel Aviv, Israel) - MEDEA
    San Marino Festival - MEDEA


    EDAFOS DANCE THEATRE appeared at the following international venues:

    1993
    Koninklijke Nederlandse Schouwburg (Antwerp - Cultural Capital of Europe 1993, Belgium) - MEDEA

    1998
    Riverside Studios (London, United Kingdom) - MEDEA
    Pattichio Municipal  Theatre (Limassol, Cyprus) - MEDEA

    1999
    Anderson Center for the Arts, Concert Theater, Binghampton University (New York) - MEDEA
    Performing Arts Center, Albany University (New York) - MEDEA
    The Performing Arts Center, Purchase College (New York) - MEDEA

    2001
    Riverside Studios (London, United Kingdom) - HUMAN THIRST


    EDAFOS DANCE THEATRE took part in the following operas:

    THE RETURN OF HELEN (An Athens Megaron Concert Hall production, 1999)
    LA SONNAMBULA (An Athens Megaron Concert Hall production, 2000)


    EDAFOS DANCE THEATRE won the following awards:

    MEDEA (1993)
    "Best Choreography" at the Greek National Awards for Dance

    HUMAN THIRST (1999)
    "Best Production" and "Best Female Performance" (Angeliki Stellatou) at the Greek National Awards for Dance

    FOR EVER (2001)
    "Best Production" at the Greek National Awards for Dance


    EDAFOS DANCE THEATRE Sponsors

    Regular Sponsors:

    Greek Ministry of Culture (1992-2001)
    John F. Costopoulos Foundation (1991-2001)

    Sponsors:

    Cultural Centre of the City of Athens
    Greek General Secretariat of Youth (“Nea Genia”)
    Greek National Theatre
    Greek National Youth Foundation
    Greek Public Power Corporation (DEI)
    National Bank of Greece

    INTRACOM Group
    Marinopoulos Group
    MEGA Channel

    Artisti Italiani
    ISTOS Publications
    Korres Natural Products
    LEXICON
    Music and Musicians
    NIKOTIAN House
    Tassos Meletopoulos


  • 2022
    Dimitris Papaioannou has been nominated for "Best New Dance Production" at the 2022 Olivier Awards for his work Transverse Orientation.

    2021
    Dimitris Papaioannou received the UBU Award for INK in the category of "Best foreign show presented in Italy" in 2020-2021.

    2020
    Dimitris Papaioannou has received the Danza & Danza Award 2019 'Contemporary Production' for his creation of "Since she" with the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch. This prize was equally shared with William Forsythe for “A Quiet Evening of Dance”.

    2019
    Dimitris Papaioannou has been nominated for the Olivier Awards 2019 for his 'Outstanding Achievement in Dance' with his choreography of THE GREAT TAMER. The work was presented at the Sadlers Wells Theatre, as part of the 40th anniversary festival edition of Dance Umbrella (2018).

    2018
    Dimitris Papaioannou was honored by the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture with the «Golden Age prize – a seal of Tzar Simeon The Great» and a diploma for his achievements in the field of culture.

    Dimitris receives the award "Jovan Cirilov – for one step further" from Serbia's Prime Minister, Ana Brnabić in Belgrade

    2017
    Dimitris Papaioannoureceived the Special Prize of the XVI edition of the Europe Theatre Prize in Rome on December 17th, 2017. He was the first Greek artist to be awarded in the 30 years history of the awards.
    "The President of the Jury and Europe Theatre Prize, in line with the Council, have decided to confer a Special Prize to Dimitris Papaioannou. A well-deserved prize for this director and visual artist, candidate since 2007, whose fame and prestige have reached the highest edges of European theatre in recent years. Such contributions are so important for us to consider this Special Prize urgent, deserved and proper."

    Dimitris Papaioannou received two nominations by TANZ magazine.
    PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR for "The Great Tamer by Dimitris Papaioannou, for the poignant bravery of displaying immaterial movements into concrete emotions." - Tiago Bartolomeu Costa, Lisbon, Público
    CHOREOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR: "Dimitris Papaioannou in Still Life in Montpellier: A stunning stage event of operatic magnitude, remaining true to Art Pauvre concepts" - Ora Brafman, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem Post

    Dimitris Papaioannou wins the "International Applause Joan German Schroeder" prize by FAD Barcelona for the show THE GREAT TAMER at the Grec Festival 2017. 

    Dimitris Papaioannou's work The Great Tamer was nominated for the UBU Award for "Best foreign show presented in Italy" in 2017. 


    2015
    ORIGINS, the Opening Ceremony of the First European Games - Baku 2015, conveived, visualised and directed by Dimitris Papaioannou has been nominated for six Emmy Awards, for direction, production design, music, lighting, costumes, and sound.
    Dimitris Papaioannou has been personally nominated for two Emmy Awards in the categories "Outstanding Directing Special Class" and "Outstanding Art Direction / Set Decoration / Scenic Design".

    Νamed "Choreographer of the Year 2015" by the Italian Danza&Danza magazine, following presentations of STILL LIFE in Milan and Cagliari, and PRIMAL MATTER in Vicenza in 2015.

    2007    
    Named "Best Director" at the Athinorama People's Choice Theatre Awards for the production 2

    Received the title “Homo Hellenicus” from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

    2005
    Received the Golden Cross of the Order of Honour, awarded by the President of the Hellenic Republic for outstanding artistic achievement: OPENING AND CLOSING CEREMONIES - ATHENS 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES

    2001
    FOR EVER named "Best Production" at the Greek National Awards for Dance

    1999
    HUMAN THIRST named "Best Production" at the Greek National Awards for Dance

    1994
    MEDEA named "Best Choreography" at the Greek National Awards for Dance

    1990
    Awarded First Prize in a competition organised by RTM (Régie des Transports de Marseille) at the 4th Biennial of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean, Marseille for the comic UN BON PLAN
  • 1995 to date
    Member of the Honorary Committee of the Kalamata International Dance Festival


    1994 to 1995
    Member of the Executive Committee of the National Theatre of Northern Greece


    1994 to 1995
    Taught movement at the School of Drama of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki