Dance in the Human Library

“Living books” share stories about Disability and Dance

Poster of the Human Library event. On the left, a blurred photo of a man appears to emerge from a bookshelf, as if he is part of it and speaking from within. On the right, on a dark green background, the information reads: Human Library, Living books share their stories about Art and Disability, National Library of Greece Book Castle, SNFCC. At the bottom right, the liminal logo.

The Human Library opens its doors once again, inviting us to a session dedicated to Dance and its power to connect, express and transform. This marks the third event of the interactive series implemented by liminal in collaboration with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC), once again creating a space to share experiences and foster dialogue around art and accessibility.

On Saturday, November 22, 2025, at the Book Castle on the ground floor of the NLG at SNFCC, at 12:00, “living books” will share their stories at the intersection of disability and dance, where the body speaks through movement and rhythm creates a shared space for connection.

What to expect

In an open and inclusive environment, dancers and choreographers, with and without disabilities, will share their journeys, experiences, and perspectives on the art of dance.

Dancers with disabilities will share how dance serves as a means of personal expression, freedom, and self-determination. Meanwhile, professionals who incorporate accessibility practices into their artistic work will showcase methods and examples that push the boundaries of dance and foster inclusive participation for all.

In a large hall with a white marble floor and wooden panels on the walls, chairs are arranged in four circles. The attendees have turned their bodies toward one side of the room, where two standing women are speaking.

Dance for all bodies!

The event aims to spark meaningful dialogue, challenge stereotypes, and highlight the many ways diversity inspires creativity, leading to a new artistic reality where every body has a space to dance.

ℹ️ The event will be accompanied by simultaneous interpretation in Greek Sign Language.

Learn more about the Human Library and its events here.

Speakers

Maria Ioannidou

Maria Ioannidou is a psychologist, psychotherapist, dancer, and dance therapy trainee living with cerebral palsy. From infancy, she was taught that her movement was a flaw that would prevent her from thriving. However, at the age of four, she first encountered dance and discovered that movement could bring her joy, pleasure, and connection. For thirty years, she was discouraged from dancing by people who believed dance was not suited to a body with a mobility impairment. Everything changed in early 2020, when she found the courage and support to follow her heart and dance once again. Since then, she has dedicated herself to listening to the truth expressed through her body and sharing it with those who wish to witness it.

Manolis Saridakis & Medie Megas

Manolis Saridakis is the first choreographer in Greece with a learning disability and autism. Medie Megas is a choreographer/dramaturg, teacher, and Saridakis’ collaborator for the past 12 years. Together, they will talk about their artistic collaboration that led to the performance “Do Robots Have Emotions?”. Why is this collaboration so significant and groundbreaking? Why did Saridakis choose to create a work about robots and emotions? What was Mega’s role in the creative process?

Demy Papathanasiou

Demy Papathanasiou, a disabled (crip) dancer, choreographer, and mechanical engineer, shares how she discovered dance later in life. Despite her mobility disability, she embraced dance as a form of expression and found a new creative path, showcasing the strength and freedom that dance can provide.

Ismini Slijper

Ismini Slijper is a dancer, choreographer, and cultural professional, living and working between Greece, Belgium, and the Netherlands. She is a person with a visual impairment and is deeply fascinated by how movement can foster connection, both between people and with oneself. Accessibility has become a central principle in her choreographic work, grounded in the belief that radical care and equality can enrich not only the world of dance, but the wider world as well.

Useful information

Date: Saturday, November 22, 2025
Time: 12:00
Duration: 2 hours
Location: Book Castle, NLG’s ground floor, SNFCC
Cost: Free admission with pre-registration at [email protected] with the email subject “Human Library”, or by phone at 216 8091000.

Production: liminal

All areas of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center are accessible to people with disabilities. For more information, click here.

The event is made possible thanks to the donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).

SNF logo in blue and light blue colors