BOSTON – The first International Greek Dance Conference in Boston, the ‘Kefi Dance Conference’, included dance workshops led by master instructors from Greece who presented the authentic styles of the dances of their region.
The instructors included: Kostas Mitsis – Metsovo;
Mary Markaki and her son Kostas Serdenes – Crete;
Zaxaroula Xatzikonstantinou and Antonis Ntallaris – Nisiros, Kos, Tilos; and Nikos Zournatzidis – Pontos.
The weekend kicked off with a visit by the instructors to the Consul General of Greece in Boston, and a welcome reception followed at the Newton Marriott for the participants.
Dancers from North Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts in the United States, Calgary and Montreal in Canada attended the workshops at the Waltham Woods Conference Center and the evening festivities.
Saturday night’s ‘glendi’ at the Cathedral Center in Brookline, MA resulted in a packed house, featuring musical performances by Kostas Mitsis on vocals, Antonis Ntallaris playing lyra with the band Diesi from Montreal, and DJ music by the Salonika Boys.
Guests enjoyed Traditional Greek music from all over the Hellenic world: Epirus, Pontos, Crete, the Dodecanese islands along with songs from Central and Southern Greece played by the band and the DJ.
Α Gala commemorating the Kefi conference and the Folk Dance Ministry’s 35th Anniversary since it’s founding in 1989 was held at the Newton Marriott. His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios presided over the event and offered the opening prayer, and the Consul General of Greece Symeon Tegos was representated both nights, with Vice consul Mirella Koukoutsi making glowing remarks about the group’s efforts during her speech at the Gala. Co-Director Evaggelia Kostopoulos emceed the evening and Director Dr. John Pappas thanked the organizing committee, and lauded the instructors from Greece for being a significant part of the inaugural event. He talked about the history of the group, and spoke of the wonderful connections made with dancers from all over the U.S. and Canada, with the common thread being dance and our rich culture and heritage. Co-Director Maria Liakopoulos thanked the attendees and the instructors for an unforgettable weekend when introducing her younger dancer’s performance.
Dance performances from the Hellenic Dancers of New Jersey, the younger and older levels of the Metropolis Dance Group, were also enjoyed by the guests of the Gala. After dinner, Kostas Mitsis, Antonis Dallaris, and Diesi kept the rest of the night lively playing traditional music from all over Greece.
