Boulevard Humaine – Insight into the Processes and Creative Collaboration

Thursday 09 Nov 2023

UK based Greek choreographer Zoi Dimitriou will be in the finishing stages of her new creation, Boulevard Humaine, a new dance work for three dancers. At the core and inspiration of the piece is the drum composition Okho by Greek composer Iannis Xenakis for three African drums.  

Xenakis’ seminal work, commissioned for the France Bicentennial will be seen together with new counterpoint compositions by English composer Sam Hayden. Dimitriou has developed a distinct movement & sound language that explores the particular structural elements of Okho, is inspired by principles of African dance aesthetics and explores notions of colonialist past through storytelling devices.  She has developed these elements collaboratively with performers Funmi Adewole and Natalia Baka. 

Zoi Dimitriou is a dance artist, choreographer and educator. Born in Athens, she graduated from the Greek State School of Dance with Honours, received the Onassis Foundation Scholarship to study at Trisha Brown in New York and in 2005 completed with distinction her MA in European Dance Theatre Practice at Trinity Laban in London. She launched her choreographic career in 2006, and her portfolio includes the works: Can You See Me? (2006), Dromi (2007), Limen (2007), Goddesses in Exile (2008), In The Process of… (2010), Little Creatures (2011), You May! (2012), The Chapter House (2014), Side Effects (2015), Peregrinus (2017) Vanishing Points (2018), Funky Turn and/or Legally Live (2021), among others. She has been awarded prestigious UK choreography awards; Robin Howard Foundation Award (2008), Bonnie Bird Choreography Fund Award (2009), CfC Award (2010), as well as participation in the European Network Aerowaves. Her works have been featured in venues and festivals such as: Fast Forward Festival 4/Onassis Cultural Centre, ROH2, Arnolfini, BE Festival, Lilyan Baylis, Teatri di Vita/Bologna, The Athens and Epidaurus Festival, The Kalamata International Dance Festival, Operaestate Festival Veneto, Scala di Milano, Europe in Motion Festival, Springloaded/The Place, among others. She is currently a Research Fellow at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London. Her research examines the nature of the image in live performance and explores the relationship between formal and/or aesthetic approaches into material and the perceptual engagement of the audience. She has an extensive background in education and leading workshops internationally at festivals and organisations such as Impulstanz Festival in Vienna, Independence Dance, Sasha Waltz Company and Guests in Berlin, National Dance Academy in Rome.