Check out our dance video for Matariki (or Pleiades) that is becoming part of Touch Compass’ digital platform!

 

Completing the Dance Workshop with Stella Spyrou, the group created their own choreography using the educational tools of Touch Compass professional arts organization from New Zealand, on the constellation Matariki, known in our country as Pleiades. From this choreography a short video was created, which is being uploaded to the Touch Compass platform among other creations from around the world.

Enjoy it here in Full HD!

 

What is Matariki

Matariki is the Māori name for the star cluster also known in other cultures as Pleiades (Greece), Subaru (Japan), Kṛttikā (India), Karatgurk -or- Kungkaraqkalpa (Australia), Matari’i (Tahiti), Makahiki (Hawaii), Freya’s Hens (Scandinavia), Mao (China), IsiLimela (Africa), Motz/Wutx (Mayan Mexico), Qutu and Qolqa (Peru).

In Aotearoa New Zealand, Matariki heralds the start of the Māori new year when the cluster rises into the sky during the midwinter months of June-July.

Traditionally, the celebration of Matariki took place during the time of year when harvest and food stores had built up. Communities and whānau (family) gathered to share ceremonies, kōrero (talk), kai (food), and entertainment, looking forward to the new year ahead.

Matariki invites us to connect with our whānau and friends, to celebrate the harvest in our life, the generosity and abundance of nature.

 

Get a glimpse of our Matariki

During the shooting on the magnificent rooftop of the French Institute, video creator Veronica Dimitriou was with the team and recorded the making of this fantastic experience. We share with you the backstage of this wonderful filming!

 

What happened in our Matariki

Contact with the Touch Compass organization

In March 2023, we were contacted by Touch Compass, a leading performing arts organisation run by disability-led people in Aotearoa (New Zealand in Maori). The organisation put out a call for us to participate for free in their online and interactive experience Matariki: Ko koe ko au, ko au ko ko koe (I be you, you be me/ I am you, you are me).

Touch Compass has designed Matariki to support students’ learning and understanding of the stars of Matariki and to promote creativity, diversity and inclusion. This educational tool has been designed in a flexible way and lends itself to creative use by inclusive groups around the world, since it speaks an international language: that of constellations.

 

The inclusive group of liminal and our own Matariki

After its successful pilot programme in 2022, Touch Compass took the initiative to offer their Matariki: ko koe ko au, ko au ko ko ko koe (I be you, you be me) program to international participants.

Inspired by the constellations of the Pleiades and the concepts of perpetual flow, life and abundance, Stella Spyrou began to explore kinesthetically with the group of participants movement patterns and dance phrases in solos, duets or group pieces. Utilizing the group’s suggestions and remaining in dialogue with the educational tool itself coming from the other side of the planet, a unique choreography was created, connected to our own tradition and mythology around this constellation.
At the end of the group meetings, a rich material had been formed which the teacher used in the final composition.

 

 

The journey on an international platform

With Touch Compass’ open invitation to celebrate this star cluster in our own culture and always in the light of disability awareness, liminal brought together a group of people with and without disabilities, who worked together with great enthusiasm and joy to create the elements of this choreography.

With the support of the Ioannis S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation and the concession of the magnificent terrace of the French Institute of Athens, the group, under the guidance of Stella Spyrou, performed their choreography under the blue sky in full connection with the topic of Matariki. The cameramen recorded the process with cameras and drones to capture the union of the earth with the stars and the sense of an uninterrupted flow.

The resulting video is integrated into Touch Compass’ international platform, contributing to the dissemination of an initiative that promotes inclusion and creativity.

 

Credits

Choreography – Workshop facilitation: Στέλλα Σπύρου

Original music: Rania Aggeletou

Dancers: Katerina Avramopoulou, Konstantinos Adamopoulos, Amanda Vasileiadou, Fani Georgakopoulou, Maria Thrasyvoulidi, Eleni Kakouri, Marilena Koukouli, Paris Manikas, Filareti Papadopoulou, Demy Papathanasiou, Eleftheria Pouftsi, Panos Rodopoulos, Manolis Saridakis, Stavros Tsilikounas, Christos Christakopoulos

Direction, Editing, Direction of Photography – Color correction: Dimitra Triantafyllou, Nondas Michalopoulos
Drone: CINEHAWKS

Teaser video: Veronika Dimitriou

The choreography is based on the Matariki educational resource created by Touch Compass.

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You can support this project and Touch Compass’ ongoing efforts to provide creative expression opportunities for people with disabilities by making a donation to the organization. Contact [email protected] to obtain their donation account information.

 

We sincerely thank the Embassy of France in Greece – French Institute of Greece.

The project is supported by the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation.

A liminal production, 2023