Dance

INK

Dimitris Papaioannou

German Premiere
World premiere of the first version: 22 September 2020 at the Teatro Carignano as part of the Torinodanza Festival

INK

INK. Trailer © Dimitris Papaioannou

These performances of “INK” mark the Berlin-debut of the internationally renowned and multiple award-winning Greek director and artist Dimitris Papaioannou. The piece is informed by the aesthetics of science fiction and horror, awakening hidden nightmares in our subconscious minds.

Please note:
The performance contains nudity.

The patter of continually flowing water, the flash of silver-metallic tarps limiting the space, two people wrestling each other… At times, this nightmarish place resembles a stranded ship, at others it calls to mind an abandoned spaceship in its orbit. “INK” is a story of desire. A tender and borderline sadistic relationship between two people. They fight each other and their confrontational game continually reverses until a new, different violence emerges from the pair. At the same time, the piece tells the history of our species: the evolution of living creatures from their amphibian form to their human phase and finally to divinity. Furthermore, “INK” challenges our reality. Are these two protagonists projections of ourselves? Or do we see alien beings moving through unknown dimensions? The work features numerous fictional references to paintings, aliens, science fiction and dark fantasy and clearly show Dimitris Papaioannou’s love for these art forms.

In 2004, the multiple award-winning choreographer and performer Dimitris Papaioannou conceived the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Olympic Games in Athens; in 2015 he created the Opening Ceremony of the first European Games in Baku. Papaioannou’s 25 productions range from mass spectacles with thousands of performers to intimate pieces. They have appeared in a wide variety of venues, from his famous underground squat theatre in Athens to the ancient theatre in Epidaurus and from Olympic stadiums to Théâtre de la Ville in Paris, Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, BAM in New York, and all around the globe. In 2018, Papaioannou created the piece “SINCE SHE”, becoming the first artist to create a new, full-length work for Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch. His second international co-production, “TRANSVERSE ORIENTATION”, premiered in June 2021 and was showcased in over 30 cities worldwide. His latest work “INK” marks Papaioannou’s return to the stage as a performer.

Artistic Team

Dimitris PapaioannouConcept, Direction, Sets, Costumes, Lighting

Dimitris PapaioannouDressed Man
Šuka HornNude Man

Kornilios SelamsisMusic
David BlouinSound Design
Lucien Laborderie, Stephanos DroussiotisLighting Design
Tina PapanikolaouCreative and Executive Producer, Assistant Director
Haris FragoulisAssociate Director
Pavlina Andriopoulou Rehearsal Director
Šuka HornPerformers’ Physical Training
Julian MommertPhotographs, Cinematographer

Music recorded by Teodor Currentzis and musicAeterna
The name of the play was given by Aggelos Mendis
The octopuses were created by Nectarios Dionysatos
Visual design associate – Evangelos Xenodochidis

Julian Mommert – International relations, communications manager, tour programmer
Manolis VitsaxakisTechnical director
David BlouinStage manager, sound engineer
Tzela ChristopoulouProps master, stage manager
Lucien LaborderieLighting programmer
Aggelos KatsoliasStage technician, rigger

2WORKS in collaboration with POLYPLANITY PRODUCTIONS – Executive production
Vicky Strataki – Executive production associate
Kali Kavvatha – Executive production assistant

The first version of “INK” was commissioned and co-produced by Torinodanza Festival / Teatro Stabile di Torino – Teatro Nazionale and Fondazione I Teatri / Festival Aperto Reggio Emilia in 2020.

The final version of the work and the international tour is co-produced by Biennale de la Danse de Lyon 2023, Sadler’s Wells London, Megaron – The Athens Concert Hall and supported by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports in 2023.

Dimitris Papaioannou is Artist in Residence at Megaron – The Athens Concert Hall.

Thanks from the production: We especially thank Teodor Currentzis for conducting the music of “INK” and offering it to us as a gift. Special thanks to Dimitris Korres for his continuous and genius technical support.