PARTY ANIMALS

Party Animals is the second of a series of new works in which Lia Haraki explores how our personal identity is unconsciously influenced by and built on shared conventional images and references. In Pretendance, a duet with Alexander Michael, they gave a humorous, self relativising view on their career as professional dancers. In Party Animals they open up their creative dialogue, inviting Ariana Marcoulides as a third performerand the audience to assist at a party.

–Guy Cools, June 2009

In the piece, the human being is seen as a social animal, using body language to communicate. I am looking at how gesture, movement and vocal sound acquire meaning and symbolic value through human expression and at the same time provide interesting choreographic material. As Desmond Morris mentions on human body language: “Our body language… has remained untouched by the advance of civilisation. To watch it, is to witness a fascinating human ballet of gestures and expressions, of postures and movements, an everyday ballet in which the performers need no training.”

–Morris. D. (2002). Peoplewatching: The Desmond Morris Guide to Body, Language. Random House: Vintage Publishing

Credits

Concept, Choreography, Direction: Lia Haraki

Dancers, Performers, Movement Collaborators: Alexander Michael, Arianna Marcoulides, Lia Haraki

Art Direction and Promotional Image: Polys Peslikas

Vocal Coach: Cathryn Robson

Sound Engineering: Yiannis Iona

Lighting Design: Sakis Birbilis

Photography: Evie Fylaktou

Co-production: Athens Epidaurus Festival / Pelma.Lia Haraki

Invited by: Klimentini Vounelaki

Supported by: Dance House Lemesos

Performances

Premiere: 1 July 2009, Athens Epidaurus Festival, Peiraios 260, Stage H, Athens, Greece

26 September 2009, Kypria International Festival, Larnaca Municipal Theatre, Larnaca, Cyprus

29 September 2009, Kypria International Festival, Rialto Theatre, Limassol, Cyprus

3-4 October 2009, Kypria International Festival, Strovolos Municipal Theatre, Nicosia, Cyprus

Press