The new choreographic work of Mariela Nestora / YELP danceco. focuses on breath as the
primary relationship of the body with the world.
Plants are -and have always been- our most important co-inhabitants on the planet. We are in a
reciprocal relationship: humans breathe in the oxygen plants exhale and plants breathe in the
carbon dioxide humans produce. How can we restore the ecological affinities that bind us in a
rapidly climate-changing world?
Dancers and musicians compose the ephemeral organism of this performance that can be
perceived as part of another larger ecosystem. The choreography explores the function of
breathing as a biological, psychological and spiritual node associating different species and
cultures. Breath of the world activates empathy and proposes the experience of a performance
as a gathering of different species.
The air we breathe is not a purely geological or mineral reality but rather the breath of other
living beings. In breath we depend on the lives of others.
Emanuele Coccia
CREDITS
Choreography: Mariela Nestora
Co-creation/ performance: Ioanna Toumpakari, Yannis Tsigris, Pagona Boulbasakou
Music / original composition: Anargyros Deniosos
Musicians: Renato Kousis, Leonidas Palamiotis
Costumes: Eleftheria Arapoglou-DIGITARIA
Dramaturgy collaboration: Mårten Spångberg, Elena Novakovits
Photos: Myrto Apostolidou
Poster design: Maria Elena Myrka
Press: Evangelia Skrobola
Production: KART productions, Mary Xanthopoulidou, Anastasia Kavallari
Produced within the framework of the programme 2023 of the institution “All of Greece
one Culture” of the Greek Ministry of Culture.
Information
Performances: 22,23 August 2023, 21:00
Venue: DION Ancient theatre
Duration: 50 minutes
Tickets: The event is offered free of charge by the Ministry of Culture, yet an entrance fee to the
archaeological site is payable wherever applicable. Pre-booking is mandatory. For more
information and pre-booking: digitalculture.gov.gr, nationalopera.gr
Reservations from 7th August: https://www.ticketservices.gr/event/oli-i-ellada-enas-politismos/
YELP danceco. /Mariela Nestora
Choreographer and researcher Mariela Nestora was born in Athens, Greece. Since 2001 she
has created more than 22 productions for the stage, site specific and public space, with the
support of the Greek Ministry of Culture, Athens and Epidaurus Festival, Onassis foundation,
Kalamata International Festival etc. YELP danceco. productions have been presented in
Maribor, Ljubljana, Zagreb, Kassel, Berlin, London, Brighton, Ipswich, Bologna, Bologna,
Montpellier, Brest, Bucharest, Parnu Aarhus, Brussels, Athens, Kavala, Patras, Thessaloniki,
Volos, Hydra, Heraklion, Chania and have been selected for platforms and festivals such as ITI,
Dance Platform, Athens Biennale, Plesna Isba, Municipal Theatre of Patras, Cultural Capital of
Patras, The Place Commissions, The Video Place, Videodance festival and MIRfestival.
Nestora studied artistic research Master’s program- ArtEZ,Netherlands, Feldenkrais method-
Professional Training Greece1, Contemporary dance and choreography – London Contemporary
Dance School, Biology- B.Sc. at Queen Mary and Westfield and Molecular Genetics- M.Sc. at
St.Mary’s Medical School, Imperial College. Her artistic research is situated in Post Humanism,
exploring choreography as a gathering and developing the methodology of molecular
choreography. As an independent artist (2011-2017) she participated in collectives: Green Park,
Kolektiva Omonia, Embros Theatre, Syndesmos Chorou and also instigated the Collective
Choreography Project CCP and from stage to page a platform and publication for the Greek
contemporary dance scene. She works as a choreographer, researcher, mentor, movement
director and as a teacher/practitioner of the Feldenkrais Method.