© Dimosthenis Karavgoustis
Artist statement
I am a Greek dancer and choreographer. I began dancing at the age of 15. I was trained in ballet, contemporary dance, acrobatics, and street styles, and then specialized in waving and tutting. Strongly influenced by the Hip Hop culture, I now combine these techniques with elements of other dance styles, trying to enrich the aesthetic potential of dance. In 2012, I met Nicholas James Birakos known as Wave-O-Matic. It turned to be a significant experience for my artistic development. I learned from him special waving techniques, but also how to build a personal relationship with my dancing body. Affected by this experience, I created my own language of dance, which mixed the edgy tutting movements with the fluent waving movements. My own choreography works contain narrative components which are related to my sensitive and mental experiences, so that my dance involves a kind of sentimental introversion.
My professional career as a dancer began in 2013, as a member of the legendary dance company Flying Steps performing at the “RedBull Flying Illusion” show, which toured around Europe (for 5 years). Besides being awarded as champion at several international dance battles (Free Spirit Festival 2016-Düsseldorf, The dance fight 2016-Los Angeles), I also took part in the jury of dance competitions (Funkin Stylez 2017, Germany; WOD 2018, Spain; Open your mind 2019, Holland, etc). Although being known for my precise popping techniques, I am never satisfied with dancing following standardized rules: this is how I discovered my interest in the artistic aspects of urban dance. In 2019 I choreographed and performed with Junior Bosila Banya aka “Bboy Junior” a duet called “Addiction”, which transformed different kinds of physical and psychological addictions in abstract movements. “Addiction” has been invited by festivals such as Suresnes City danses Connexion (Paris) and Breaking Convention (London), etc. During the same year I embodied the role of ‘Muse Caliope’ at “Apollon Musagète” (choreographed by Kadir Amigo Memis, premiere Potsdam Musikfestspiele). Therein, I worked with contemporary, dervish, ballet, and other urban dancers, triggering new interpretations of corporal expression.
In 2021 I started working with the dance company Wang Ramirez. The production „Youme” (choreographed by Honji Wang, premiered in Italy and toured in France) was an intermedial dialogue between myself, the flamenco dancer Sara Jiménez Andrés and the cellist Elsa Guiet, which displayed in unpredictable, feisty and poetic moments.
I am currently working on my own project, “Fragile”. Connecting a group of artists – Maria Fragkouli, singer; Sofia Eliza Bouratsis, curator and Clozee, music producer – in order to share and reflect about our personal experiences about Pain. How do physical and mental pain make us fragile? And how do we live with them? Giving an insight to this emotional world of complete chaos and collapse, this project aims to encourage and inspire – through an artistic process of resilience –a wider audience about a sensitive subject that concerns the most of us.