Dimitris Papaioannou

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Dimitris Papaioannou (born Athens, 1964) is a Greek avant-garde choreographer, director, dancer and artist who conceived and directed the 2004 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony and its closing counterpart. The opening ceremony drew considerable acclaim from the international media. [1]

Papaioannou studied at the Athens School of Fine Arts, where he was trained by the Greek artist Giannis Tsarouchis. He later studied dance and trained with the La Mamma Experimental Theater Company in New York and the choreographer Erick Hawkins. His explorations of dance, theatre and improvisation have also led him to an interest in Japanese modern dance disciplines.

In 1986 he founded his experimental Omada Edafous Dance Theatre troupe, with his duets with the dancer Angeliki Stellatou becoming a trademark and securing performances at Biennales in Spain and Italy. The more classical and minimalist setting of 1993's well-received Medea foreshadowed Papaioannou's conception of the Olympic ceremony. Other significant works by Papaioannou include : "Domatio I", which he choreographed in 1988, "To Teleftaio Tragoudi"(the Last Song) in 1990, "Enos Leptou Sighi"(a Moment of Silence) in 1995, 1997's "Dracula", set as a performance only in white and characterized as a transition from light to darkness, "Tragoudi '99" (Song '99) in 1999, and "Ghia Panda"(For Ever), in 2001. His most recent work was presented in the winter of 2006, entitled "2". Papaioannou has also worked with the iconic Greek actress and star of Zorba the Greek, Irene Papas and more recently directed the staging of Bellini's opera La Sonnambula.