BIO
Sofia Kakouri born in 1986, she grew up in Heraklion of Crete where she started to dance at her age of 3. She awarded two prizes for the contemporary dance category by the National Contest: Terpsixoris Erga. She graduated from the Hellenic State School of Dance KSOT in 2010. Based in Brussels/Belgium since 2012, she works as freelance performance artiste, dance-choreography and sound maker.
She's exploring and developing her personal approach of dancing and performing.
Research on the inter-relationships and the combination of body movement and sound, she’s playing pocket-trumpet, vocals and objects. She’s making experimental - improvisation performances, researches, events and workshops in collaboration with musiciens, multimedia artists and collectives.
Curent projects & work experience:
Performance making with Peter Jacquemyn:
Since 2013 Belgium, Germany, Italy, Greece, Nederlands, Poland, Portugal
Regularly, performing and experimenting on/through diverse practices, spaces, forms, graphic scores and castellations. Ongoing process. Several projects such as: "You move I move We meet", "Broken Bells", "Here We Are - Love&Struggle", Bass&Voices", "String Things and More" at diverse events and festivals, exhibitions, art centres, galeries, museums, scenes, such as:
04.10.18: Trio with Geraldo Si - S.M.A.K contemporary art center of Gent
14-18.11.18/19-22.11.21/24-27.11.22: ROOM Service - Kunsthaus-Rhenania, Köln
10.05.19/12.10.19/03.12.22: Duo for Nuits BeauTas Festival - Le Lac, Grand Hospice Brussels
15.06.19/10.08.19/03.06.20/21.08.22: Crude Saturday/ solo video project/ 1st&3rd Anniversary of TiC TaC Art center Brussels
26-8.09.19: Choreographer assistante and performers for Davis Freeman show "It all comes out at night" and Duo perf. "Broken Bells" - Germinal Festival, Cão Danado, at Famalicao, Portugal
20.09.19: "Music&Dance" project 5dancers&5 musiciens such as: Gunda Gottschalk, Patrick Hagen, Ute Völker, Felix Bürkle, Kenji Takagi, Jean Laurent Sasportes - Ört, Peter Kowald Gesellschaft Wuppertal
08.12.19: Suoni Senza Confine, collaboration with Lelio Gianneto and his collective Curva Minore for the 2nd edition of Bam, Biennale Archipelago Mediterraneo - Selinunte, Sicily, It
30.08.20: Duo for the 11°Rallye 04Jazz au fil de l'eau, festival - Liege
17.10.20/21.04.22/19.11.22: "Triple Fish" for the XIV Międzynarodowy, Gombrowiczowski Festival - Theatre Powszechny, Poland / for the exhibition of P.J. with Pierre Michel Zaleski - Chauteau Jolimont, Bxl / for Resonare festival - PLOEF, Brussels
17.01.19/17.09.21/29.10.22: BASS&VOICES - Quintet, working with the graphic scores of P.J. - Cypres gallery, Leuven/Linéair art gallery, Dilbeek/Liberale Kring, Ninove
13.08.22: performing for JazzBlazzt, Free Music Fiëst 2.0, IMPRO Festival - Limburg
29-31.07.22: Performances and workshop "Tools for Actions" for FreeFlowFest '22, SHARE Impro - Graven, It
25.03.23: Performance Quartet with Frank van de Ven and Emilie de Vlam, Zonneklopper, Bxl
10.05.23: Duo "Here We Are" at - TOUR&Taxis, Bxl
16,17,18.05.23: Improvisation Performance guests for Tanz/Raum/Musik,Ima Koko Watashi( Now,Here,Where am I) 今ここ私,2023 Chikako Kaido, Tetsu Saitoh, Lê Quan Ninh, Gunda Gottschalk, Yoann Jouneau, Kristin Schuster, Antonio Stella. Wuppertal, BXL, Liege
Performance making with: with WORP_cross media improvising collective/ Sichtlaut
Since 2018, Belgium, Nederland, Germany:
is a cross-media improvising collective, combining musicians, visual artists and dancers. Through each performance, they explore the borders of the different media involved. Sound receives a body. Movement creates traces. Form becomes sound. A game of feedback arises, dissolving the contours between instruments, players and material.
26.01.18: sound//vision at International Film Festival - WORM, Rotterdam
14.10.18: Love, Brussels
20.10.18: Open Studio - BatimentA Leuven
28.11.18: Show Research #7 - Terrarium, Brussels
23.08.19: BAC ATELIER KU Leuven
7.10.22: Umbraphonics - AN Electro-acoustic Performance Format for Mediating Musical, BAC ART LAB KU Leuven
4.11.22: Sichtlaut -TicTac art center, Brussels
5.03.23: PRACINHA/PLaygroundBerlin & SichtLautBelgium - Acker Stadt Palace, Berlin
Performance making with Lazara Rossel Albear and T.A.E.O.B is a collective of improvisers living and working in Brussels, Since 2015: they have formed many different constellations over the course of different projects. The group is made up of individuals who each have their own particularity. They concentrate their research on technique and develop a great talent for instantaneous composition and performative action. What they propose is a convergence of the performative arts, the visual arts, noise and contemporary music, creating sensitive and resonant sound spaces in the process:
8.11.15: Duo "Pockets" with Lazara Rossel Albear on Son Libérés Festival - Quincaillerie des temps présent, Brussels
19.12.15: Duo "Pockets" and Winter Damage - Haekem, Brussels
20.05.17 + 15.09.19: Big ensemble for the Journées du Patrimoine "Un lieu pour l'art" - Ateliers Mommen, Brussels
21.06.17: Big ensemble - PLOEF, Brussels
07.01.18: Big ensemble for the exhibition of Rita McBride "Something stronger than me" - WIELS contemporary art center, Brussels
20.01.19: Big ensemble with Audrey Lauro (alto sax, voice), Sofia Kakouri (performance, pocket trumpet), Pierre Michel Zaleski (vocal performance), Jan Pillaert (tuba), Lazara Rosell Albear (drums, pocket trumpet), Guillaume Maupin (vocal interpretation), Peter Jacquemyn (contrebass), Irina Lavrinovic (performance), Marijs Boulogne (Costumes), Jan Dekeyser (Set design & Lights), Johan Vandermaelen (Sound recording) for KANAL-BRUT - centre Pompidou, Brussels
19.10.19: Big ensemble for the 10 years of PLOEF! - Brussels
07.07.21: Duo "Pockets" - TROUBLE Festival, studio Thor, Brussels
26.08.21: Trio with Lazara R.A. and Audrey Lauro - SUMMER BUMMER Festival at de Studio, Antwerp
12.05.22: Duo "Pockets" - Zonneklopper, Brussels
01.12.22: Big ensemble - PLOEF, Brussels
Performances with Dance Kapot
Since 2022, Dans Kapot transforms the concert into rebellion, play and celebration. The musicians of Don Kapot collaborate with dancers led by Alexandros El Greco, combining these two components, dance and music. They create a stage experience that invites the audience to take an active part. It's punk, meaning rebellious, young and rather unsophisticated. It's funk, meaning full of groove, extroverted and flamboyant. Shows:
7, 14.07/ 19, 25, 28.08 for "OPEN Streets22" festival in Brussels
Creation 2023/24 with the support of JAZZ LAB, KAAP, ULTIMA VEZ, W.E.R.F.Records, Culture centrum Zaventem: "A small world" WORK IN PROGRESS DATES:
19/11/2023 - JAZZ BRUGGE (Concertgebouw, Brugge)
26/11/2023 - BRAND! (Kunstencentrum NONA, Mechelen)
PREMIERE DATE:
27/4/2023 - CC de Werf (Aalst)
Other Work experience:
06-07.2016 + '18: TREFFEN TOTAL,
research on collaborations between 26 Artistes such us Rita Natalio, Jenny Beyer, Urisna Tossi, Pavlos Kountouriotis, Jin Young Park among others. Open studios & Performances. Research on Humanimals Dance Dialogues, Residency in K3 Tanzplan - Hamburg/Ge
06.17: TOTAL 2017,
research with Jin Young Park, Nuno Luca, Tobias Gronau, Pavlos Kountouriotis with publique performance <Fragments of experience> and open workshops - Humanimals Dance Dialogues, Residency in Seoul Dance center, Seoul/S.Korea
20.07.17: Nam June Paik art center,
[Opening Performance] SUDDEN THEATER: Our Bright Future-Cybernetic Fantasy, Seoul/S.Korea
8-10.10.16: FreeFlowFest2016,
performances with 20 international artists and music improvisers such us: Carlo Mascolo, Carlo Zingaro “itinerant of improvised music”,Abdul Moimeme, Sylvia Corda
+masterclass for local dancers "Humanimals Dance Dialogues"by Sofia with presentation on the fest, Irsina/Italy
24.07 – 12.09.2015: Hawila Project,
international Eco –living with 30 artists&scientistes, in a cargo-boat as a platform for artistic experiences&researches.
First "Humanimals dance dialogues" workshop proposal, “Jam sessions in Sea Minor”,POETIC VIDEOs with Alina Constantin, Live Art Installation Sufi Science aboard Hawila in collaboration with Pipaluk and the Indian dancers and sufi music in urban spaces with Abhilash Ningappa, Deepak Kurki Shivaswamy among others, Copenhagen/Denmark
1.11-6.12.2014 + 11.2018: Dead Dance Zone
Dancer for the multimédia project by Yolanda Gutierrez &projects on [K] Kampnagel and MARKK museum, Hamburg/Ge
Education -Qualification:
2010: Graduated from the State School of Dance - KSOT in Athens/Gr:(Classic ballet/ M.Graham/ Release/ Partnering/Choreography/ Rhythmic (Dalcroze)/ Cunningham
2018: RUH Yoga teacher -200H
Bangalore -India
Awards:
Second prize for the group choreography by the school of Clairy Gouvianaki for contemporary dance category for the National Greek contest of Τερψυχώρης Έργα/ Heraklion, 2002.
First prize for the Solo choreography by the school of Clairy Gouvianaki for contemporary dance category for the Cretan contest of Τερψυχώρης Έργα/Heraklion,2003.
Award for the Solo choreography: Ilusions, interpreted by Natali Mandila, at KSOT – Open studio#7, Athens, 2010
Further education, Master-Classes - Workshops:
Meg Stuart &Mark Tomkins: at TicTac Art center 1-5 March 2021
Iva Bittova: at TicTacArt center Aug 2020
Horacio Macuacua: at TicTacArt center Feb 2020
Edivaldo Ernesto: at TicTacArt center Jan 2020
Genovieve Holvoet &…
Trumpet Master classe with Laurent Blondieu, at TrompetMania June 2018
Marie-Sophie Talbot: Voice workshop, Sysmo,music studio StGilles/2018
Sunmudo: Korean meditative martial art, 1-8 Aug 2017 Golgulsha temple/south-Korea
Katsugen with Ai Suzuki: since 2017, Bxl
2014 – 2017: Musical Improvisation, Music formation, Pocket-Trumpet studies in the Academy of Etterbeek beside Michel Massot, in Bxl/Be
David Zambrano: “Passing Through” week master class et performance Early birds, studio Belgica aux LODGE, 14-18 Mars ’16, + at Dancentrum Jette 2015 Bxl/Be
Sten Rudstrom: “Performance Tactics 2” week master class et performance- “WhiteWallsGrayFloorBlackCurtain”, Mime Centrum, 22-29 Aug ’15, Berlin/Ge
Frank Van de Ven: Body Meets Imagination in Cartago Delenda Est studio, 2014, Bxl
Linda Kapetanea & Jozef Frucek: Fighting Monkey, at Ultima Vez studio, 2014, Bxl + partnering and contemporary dance at K.S.O.T. 2006-2010 Athens/GR
Inaki Azpillaga, Muriel Herault, David Lorenc: Vandekeybus vocabulary, 2013, Bxl
Juliana Neves: Les Ballets C de la B vocabulary, Studio S3, Gent
Peter Jasko: Rhythm class, Garage 29
Gyohei Zaitsu: Butoh dance at Ateliers Mommen,2012,Bxl
Abel&Junko Coelho: Butoh Dance au Byrh “Weaves project” 2012, Bxl
Tai Chi chouan: depuis 2016, Bxl
Contact Improvisation since 2008:
Jams, performances and workshops with Alain Montembran, Ralf Jaroschinski, Anne Dolores de Marcelis, Tommy Russo, Stephanie Auberville, Andreas Andronikidis2013- 2016: Improvisations vocals ateliers with Jean Michel van Schouwburg, the Cosmophonics and the Inaudibles collective, Bxl/Be
Skills & Hobbies:
Dance, Improvisation, martial-arts, action theatre, aerials, somatic practices
Sound making: Pocket-trompet, Vocals, Percussions, Objects
Creativity
Collective awareness/intelligence, Teamwork
Adaptability
Yoga and movement instructor
Dancing in Adventurous travel's, exploring life and wild nature
Swimming, Biking, Drawing, Walking, Cooking, Tracking, Climbing, Horse-Back Riding
Collective Living, Organising events, workshops and JAM’s
"HUMANIMALS DANCE DIALOGUES": it's a research workshop based on the dialogue between movement and sound, interior and exterior, individual entity and collective, composition and improvisation. It's an open form of dance, where everybody explores its own body movement and voice, in combination with the group, the space and the time. Through specific warm- up exercises - scores - and collective experiences we practice and explore improvisation...
This workshop has been proposed in research projects and events such as:
Hawila project 2015 +2016 / Treffen Total'16+'18 / Total 2017/ 123 BokallRoyal 2016 / LAMAB 2018 / Soma dance studio 2019/ FreeFlowFest2016 + 2022 "TOOLS for ACTIONS".