Director’s cut: why it took 12 years to make ‘NOWHERE’ – film of Greek choreographer’s innovative show
- Dimitris Papaioannou features clips from his 2009 dance-theatre production in film to be shown on Friday and Saturday at Hong Kong’s New Vision Arts Festival
- Recording of central scene in imaginative show, which examines life’s sorrows and human possibilities, went viral online with more than 2.5 million views
A film recording of the central scene of Greek director and choreographer Dimitris Papaioannou’s imaginative 2009 dance-theatre production, NOWHERE, went viral after being posted on social media in June 2014 – attracting more than 2.5 million views.
That particular scene from the thought-provoking show examining themes such as life’s sorrows and human possibilities – featuring performers as they navigate their way past onstage spatial challenges, including slowly moving, carefully choreographed, cascading lines of light rigs and gantries – was dedicated to the memory of Pina Bausch, a globally renowned German contemporary dance choreographer, who had just died aged 68.
The film shows the full version of the performance, but from different perspectives. The editing itself is a new dance partner in the dance piece: maybe the most important dance partner
The Athens-born Papaioannou, originally a painter and comics artist before switching to the performing arts, who is also known as a performer and designer of stage sets, lighting, costumes and make-up, had filmed the scene while recording all 79 performances of the two overlapping 2009 shows staged daily in his home city.
The full film, NOWHERE (Director’s Cut), which Papaioannou created by editing together clips from the original stage performances, is being screened for Hong Kong audiences for the first time as part of the city’s New Vision Arts Festival 2021 at Hong Kong City Hall, in Central, this Friday and Saturday.
Papaioannou, best known for creating the opening and closing ceremonies at the 2004 Athens Olympics, says editing the footage felt similar to bringing an extra participant into the creative experience.
