Christos Shakallis

Christos was born in 1972 in Nicosia, Cyprus to a family of professional dancers and choreographers.

General Director of the Shakallis Dance School (1995-today) with numerous performances in local festivals, television presentations, and school performances in the wider area of Nicosia. At the same time, he introduced social dance activities on the island. He was a member of juries in television programs for the promotion of talent, and in state dance championships.

Official choreographer and dance teacher of higher academic institutions such as the University of Cyprus (1997-2009), Cyprus College-European University (1995-present), Intercollege-University of Nicosia (2000-2006) and The Cyprus Police Academy (2003-2006).

One of the brightest and most ongoing milestones in his career is the participation in the Folklore Club “I Adoulotoi Shakalli” representing Cyprus since 1975 in festivals around the world, such as,  the USA, Canada, South Africa and in many European countries. It was also presented in television shows both in Cyprus and abroad, on channels such as the BBC, Canadian TV, Spanish TV, and Greek media.

Πραγματικό παιδί του… χορού ο Χρίστος γεννήθηκε 1972 στη Λευκωσία της Κύπρου από επαγγελματίες χορευτές και μεγάλωσε σε χορευτικό περιβάλλον.

Γενικος  Διευθυντής της Σχολής Χορού Σιακαλλή (1995-σήμερα) με πλειάδα παραστάσεων σε τοπικά φεστιβάλ, τηλεοπτικές παρουσιάσεις, και σχολικές παραστάσεις, με παρατήματα στην ευρύτερη περιοχή Λευκωσίας. Παράλληλα θεσμοθέτησε κοινωνικές χορευτικές δραστηριότητες στο νησί. Αποτέλεσε μέλος κριτικών επιτροπών  σε τηλεοπτικά προγράμματα ανάδειξης ταλέντων, και σε κρατικά πρωταθλήματα χορού.

Επίσημος χορογράφος και χοροδιδάσκαλος ανώτατων ακαδημαϊκών ιδρυμάτων όπως το Πανεπιστήμιο Κύπρου (1997-2009), Cyprus College-European University (1995-σήμερα), Intercollege-University of Nicosia (2000-2006) και Αστυνομική Ακαδημία Κύπρου (2003-2006).

Ένα από τα λαμπρότερα και συνεχιζόμενα ορόσημα στην καριέρα του είναι η συμμετοχή στον  Λαογραφικό Όμιλο «Οι Αδούλωτοι Σιακαλλή» εκπροσωποντας την Κύπρο από το 1975 σε φεστιβάλ ανά το παγκόσμιο, όπως στις ΗΠΑ, τον Καναδά, τη Νότια Αφρική και σε πλειάδα Ευρωπαϊκών χωρών. Παρουσιάστηκε ακόμη σε τηλεοπτικές εκπομπές τόσο στην Κύπρο όσο και στο εξωτερικό, σε κανάλια όπως το BBC, το Canadian TV, το Spanish TV, και Ελλαδικά ΜΜΕ.

Elena Shakalli

Elena Shakalli was born in Athens on December 10, 1974. She took her first steps of dancing since she was three years old, coming from a family of dancers. Her parents opened the first dance school in 1977.

She has studied several types of dances, from Cypriot, Greek, Folk dances to Ballet, Modern dance, Latin, Flamenco, Contemporary, Jazz, Bellydance.

From a young age, but much more in the last 20 years, her dedication has been in Zeibekiko, which has danced, choreographed, taught in Cyprus, but also abroad. This adoration and love have been conveyed to her by her father, who has studied the type of dance, a reason that was probably essential to make her love this dance equally.

Many of her videos online (Youtube, social media) have from a few thousand to millions of views.

Since the age of 7, she choreographed more than 1000+ choreographies in many dance genres, hence, she is the artistic director of the Shakallis dance school.

“Dance with passion, expression and above all with a lot, a lot of work, if you want a complete result on stage” …”when you say that you climbed to the top then the downhill begins” …

Some of her beliefs around the art of dance.

Η ‘Ελενα Σιακαλλή γεννήθηκε στην Αθήνα στις 10 Δεκεμβρίου του 1974.

‘Εκανε τα πρώτα της χορευτικά βήματα από τα τρία της χρόνια, αφού προέρχεται από οικογένεια χορευτών. Οι γονείς την άνοιξαν τη πρώτη σχολή το 1977.

‘Εχει μελετήσει αρκετά και διαφορετικά είδη χορού, από Κυπριακούς, Ελληνικούς, Λαικούς χορούς μέχρι Μπαλέτο, Μοντέρνο χορό, Latin, Flamenco, Contemporary, Jazz, Bellydance.

Μεγάλη λατρεία από νεαρή ηλικία, αλλά πολύ περισσότερο τα τελευταία 20 χρόνια, έχει στο Ζεϊμπέκικο, το οποίο έχει χορέψει, χορογραφήσει, διδάξει στην Κύπρο, αλλά και στο εξωτερικό. Αυτή την λατρεία και αγάπη της την έχει μεταφέρει ο πατέρας της, ο οποίος έχει μελετήσει εις βάθος το είδος αυτού του χορού, λόγος που μάλλον ήταν βασικός για να την κάνει να αγαπήσει αυτό το χορό εξίσου το ίδιο.

Πολλά από τα βιντεάκια της στο διαδίκτυο έχουν από μερικές χιλιάδες μέχρι και εκατομμύρια προβολές.

Ιδιαίτερη επίσης αδυναμία έχει στην χορογραφία, έχοντας στο ενεργητικό της χορογραφήσει από την ηλικία των 7 χρόνων, περισσότερες από 1000+ χορογραφίες σε πολλά είδη χορού, εξού και είναι η καλλιτεχνική διευθύντρια της σχολής χορού Σιακαλλή.

“Χόρευε με πάθος, έκφραση και προπάντων με πολύ, πολύ δουλειά, αν θες ένα ολοκληρωμένο  αποτέλεσμα στη σκηνή” …”όταν πεις ότι ανέβηκες στην κορυφή τότε ξεκινά ο κατήφορος” …

Μερικά από τα πιστεύω της γύρω από την τέχνη του χορού..

Panagiotis Katsikis

Katsikis Panagiotis from Patras, Greece started dancing from the lyceum of Patras in Athens traditional Greek dances, attended dance lessons of hasapiko & zeibekiko to the great teachers Vangelis Silinos and George Provias who taught Anthony Quinn how to dance zorba. In 1986, he traveled to Australia where he taught Greek dances. In 1988, he opened his dance school in Patras where he maintains it until today and at the same time presented television and radio shows until 2019. He also presented and taught folk dances in Italy, Malta, Cyprus, Austria, Finland, Venice, Bratislava, Smyrna, and Istanbul. He has participated in television shows of Athenian television stations as well as in festivals of the Dora Stratos Theatre.

Κατσίκης Παναγιώτης  από την Πάτρα  ξεκίνησε τον χορό από το λύκειο Ελληνίδων Πατρών  Αθήνας παραδοσιακούς ελληνικούς χορούς  παρακολούθησε μαθηματα λαϊκών χορών χασάπικο ζεϊμπέκικο στους μεγάλους δασκάλους  τον Βαγγέλη Σειληνό και τον Γιώργο Προβιά ο οποίος δίδαξε τον Άντονι Κουίν  πως να χορέψει τον ζορμπά. Το 1986 ταξίδεψε στην Αυστραλία όπου δίδαξε ελληνικους χορούς. Tο 1988 άνοιξε την σχολή χορού στην Πάτρα όπου την διατηρεί μέχρι σήμερα και παράλληλα παρουσίαζε τηλεοπτικές και ραδιοφωνικές εκπομπές μέχρι το 2019. Επίσης παρουσίασε και δίδαξε λαϊκούς χορούς σε Ιταλία, Μάλτα, Κύπρο, Αυστρία, Φιλανδία, Βενετία, Μπρατισλάβα,  Σμύρνη,  και Κωνσταντινούπολη. Έχει συμμετάσχει σε τηλεοπτικές εκπομπές αθηναϊκών τηλεοπτικών σταθμών καθώς και σε φεστιβάλ του θεάτρου Δορα Στράτου.

Katerina Karatzia

Katerina Karatza, who comes from Asia Minor and East Thrace was born and raised in the city of Thessaloniki. She got her first dance stimuli from her family environment and until the age of 18 she specialised in various types of dances, such as “Latin” and European, “Oriental”, Greek traditional and folk dances with particular emphasis on Zeibekiko. Her training derives through the safeguarding of her teaching as well as through participation in various seminars with renowned teachers of the artistic field.

Her professional activity begins in 2009, with numerous performances in various festivals both in Greece and abroad, with appearances in TV shows and with participations in various competitions. Since 2017 she is a member of The Cid of Unesco and since 2021 she is officially a Federal Judge of Folk Dances from the Panhellenic Association of Dance Teachers. In recent years, following invitations from colleagues, she has been delivering seminars in zeibekiko dance, both in Greece and abroad.

Η Κατερίνα Καρατζά με καταγωγή από τη Μ. Ασία και την Αν. Θράκη γεννήθηκε και μεγάλωσε στην πόλη της Θεσσαλονίκης. Τα πρώτα της χορευτικά ερεθίσματα τα πήρε από το οικογενειακό της περιβάλλον ενώ μέχρι την ηλικία των 18 ετών εξειδικεύτηκε σε διάφορα είδη χορού, όπως στους «Latin» και στους ευρωπαϊκούς, στο «Oriental», στους ελληνικούς παραδοσιακούς  αλλά και στους λαϊκούς χορούς με ιδιαίτερη έμφαση στο Ζεϊμπέκικο. Η κατάρτιση της απορρέει μέσα από την κατοχύρωση της διδασκαλίας της όπως επίσης και με συμμετοχές σε διάφορα σεμινάρια με καταξιωμένους δασκάλους του καλλιτεχνικού χώρου.

Η επαγγελματική της δράση ξεκινά από το 2009, με πλήθος παραστάσεων σε διάφορα φεστιβάλ τόσο στην Ελλάδα όσο και στο εξωτερικό, με εμφανίσεις σε τηλεοπτικές εκπομπές αλλά και με συμμετοχές σε διάφορους διαγωνισμούς. Από το 2017 είναι μέλος του Cid της Unesco ενώ από το 2021 είναι και επίσημα Ομοσπονδιακός Κριτής Λαϊκών Χορών από τον Πανελλήνιο Σύλλογο Χοροδιδασκάλων. Τα τελευταία χρόνια έπειτα από προσκλήσεις συναδέλφων παραδίδει σεμινάρια στο ζεϊμπέκικο χορό, τόσο στην Ελλάδα όσο και στο εξωτερικό.

Stavros Kalamatianos

He began his professional dance career in 1987, as a dancer and dance teacher specialising in Greek and Ballroom dances. He collaborated as a Dancer with Greek traditional and folk dances at the Lyceums of Greek Women of Sparta, Kolonaki, Pikermi, Vari and with many dance clubs in Athens for 12 years, while at the same time he worked for a decade in Plaka. He has made more than 2000 presentations as a dancer.

Since 1988 and for 11 years he has been working as a dancer in television productions. In 1999, he worked as a consultant at dance schools and trained professional dance teachers and dance school owners. Sports dance coach since 2000. In 2001 he remodelled the material of Ballroom & Greek folk and traditional dances for the Gene Kelly G.B. dance schools, creating a new category of Rebetiko dances, from the position of General Dance Director.

He has choreographed more than 50 theatrical and dance performances. In 2013 he teaches dance lessons to deaf fellow human beings and since then he has been using dance as a therapeutic tool in autoimmune diseases and syndromes. Author of the book “Instinct Dance” and co-author of the professionally certified book “Dance Teacher of Multicultural Dances”.

His great timeless love for Zeibekiko leads him to the constant evolution of Zeibekiko of 9/8 and to the creation of the system of Zeibekiko of 2/4.

Ξεκίνησε την επαγγελματική χορευτική του καριέρα το 1987, ως χορευτής και δάσκαλος χορού με ειδικότητα στους Ελληνικούς και Ballroom χορούς. Συνεργάστηκε ως Χορευτής με Ελληνικούς παραδοσιακούς και λαϊκούς χορούς στα Λύκεια Ελληνίδων Σπάρτης, Κολωνακίου, Πικερμίου, Βάρης και με πολλούς χορευτικούς συλλόγους των Αθηνών για 12 χρόνια, ενώ παράλληλα εργάστηκε για μια δεκαετία στην Πλάκα. Έχει στο ενεργητικό του περισσότερες από 2000 παρουσιάσεις ως χορευτής.

Από το 1988 και για 11 χρόνια εργάζεται ως χορευτής σε τηλεοπτικές παραγωγές. Το 1999 εργάζεται ως σύμβουλος σχολών χορού σε χορευτικό και οργανωτικό επίπεδο εκπαιδεύοντας επαγγελματίες δασκάλους χορού και ιδιοκτήτες σχολών χορού. Προπονητής αθλητικού χορού από το 2000. Το 2001 αναδιαμόρφωσε την ύλη των Ballroom & Ελληνικών λαϊκών και παραδοσιακών χορών για τις σχολές χορού Gene Kelly G.B. δημιουργώντας μια νέα κατηγορία αυτή των Ρεμπέτικων χορών, από την θέση του General Dance Director.

Έχει χορογραφήσει περισσότερες από 50 θεατρικές και χορευτικές παραστάσεις. Το 2013 κάνει μαθήματα χορού σε κωφούς συνανθρώπους μας και έκτοτε χρησιμοποιεί τον χορό ως θεραπευτικό μέσο σε αυτοάνοσα νοσήματα και σύνδρομα. Συγγραφέας του βιβλίου «Χορού Ένστικτο» και συν-συγγραφέας του βιβλίου επαγγελματικής πιστοποίησης «Χοροδιδάσκαλος Πολυπολιτισμικών χορών».

Η μεγάλη διαχρονική του αγάπη για τον Ζεϊμπέκικο τον οδηγεί στην διαρκή εξέλιξη του Ζεϊμπέκικου των 9/8 και στην δημιουργία του συστήματος του Ζεϊμπέκικου των 2/4.

Christos Katounas

Christos S. Katounas was born and raised in the city of Larissa and from a very young age showed his love for the arts and more specifically for dance. At the age of 16, after his 10-year amateur involvement with traditional dances in local dance clubs, such as (Association of Samaritans, KE.L. E, Gkisaki, etc.), he began to teach Greek Traditional dances to primary school children at the Cultural Clubs of the Municipality of Larissa.

In September 2008, he decided to take the next professional step in his career and found his own dance school, called “BURN THE FLOOR”. Furthermore, he participated  in television events of Greece, along with his students and specifically in “Greece Got Talent” in 2018 in SKAI, where he received with his team rave reviews, in the Christmas show “Stin Igeia mas re paidia”, in 2015 in ALPHA, with Spyros Papadopoulos and in regional tv stations of Thessaly,  presenting his diverse artistic work.

Ο Χρήστος Σ. Κατούνας γεννήθηκε και μεγάλωσε στην πόλη της Λάρισας και από πολύ μικρή ηλικία έδειξε την αγάπη του για τις τέχνες και πιο συγκεκριμένα για τον χορό. Στα 16 του, μετά από την 10ετή ερασιτεχνική ενασχόληση του με τους Παραδοσιακούς χορούς σε τοπικούς χορευτικούς συλλόγους, όπως (Σύλλογο Σαμαριναίων, ΚΕ.Λ.Ε, Γκισάκη κ.α), ξεκίνησε να διδάσκει Ελληνικούς Παραδοσιακούς χορούς σε παιδιά Δημοτικού, στις Λέσχες Πολιτισμού του Δήμου Λαρισαίων.

Τον Σεπτέμβρη του 2008, αποφάσισε να κάνει το επόμενο επαγγελματικό βήμα στην καριέρα του και να ιδρύσει την δική του σχολή χορού, με την ονομασία “BURN THE FLOOR”. Σημαντική είναι δε και η συμμετοχή του, στα τηλεοπτικά δρώμενα της χώρας μας, μαζί με τους μαθητές του και συγκεκριμένα στο «Ελλάδα έχεις Ταλέντο» το 2018 στον ΣΚΑΙ, όπου κατέλαβε με την ομάδα του διθυραμβικές κριτικές, στην Χριστουγεννιάτικη εκπομπή «Στην υγειά μας ρε παιδιά», το 2015 στον ΑLPHA, με τον Σπύρο Παπαδόπουλο και σε περιφερειακούς τηλεοπτικούς σταθμούς της Θεσσαλίας, παρουσιάζοντας το πολυποίκιλο καλλιτεχνικό του έργο.

Kaan Temizel

He was born in Tuzla as the third generation representative of a family that immigrated from Greece to Turkey.

During this time, Temizel, who has been interested in Greek dances for a long time, started dancing. He decided to further his dance knowledge, which soon turned into a passion. He took lessons from many local and foreign instructors who are experts in their fields. Having taken his first lessons from Göksu Özçıkel and Birol Süren in Turkey, Temizel took lessons from trainers such as Christos Shakallis, Elena Shakalli, Panagiotis Katsikis, who are the most important names in these dances in the world.

In this process, he started to give lessons due to the conditions that happened by chance. Temizel Sirtaki (Hasapiko), has been giving lessons on Zeibekiko and various island dances for 10 years. Temizel has tens of thousands of students in Istanbul, Izmir, Muğla, Ankara, Aydın and Bursa.

Temizel has successfully represented her country many times in Greece, China, Italy, Bulgaria, North of Macedonia and Cyprus with his dance performances and prepared choreographies.

He is the organizer of the International Greek Dances Congress, which was held for the first time in the world in 2018. This congress is repeated every year.

He is owner of biggest Greek Dances Group in Turkey (Kakapedia).

Dimitris Karamallis

Dimitris Karamanlis was born in 1972 and grew up in Thessaloniki. He is a teacher of Greek dances, as well as latin and Argentine tango. He taught in most schools of Thessaloniki and gives seminars mainly Zeibekiko but also other dances in many cities in Greece and abroad as well as in Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Cyprus…. etc…

Choreographer specializing in Zeibekiko unites rebetiko with modern Zeibekiko, making presentations with his team in theaters and other major events Owner of Dance Academy Alehandro and Zeibekiko Academy of Thessaloniki

Codrin & Ioana Rotaru

Codrin Rotaru-Diaconescu is the instructor of the Greek dance ensemble Efthymos from the Hellenic Union of Romania, Brasov branch and is certified by the International Dance Council – UNESCO. In 2011, he became level III advanced sports dance qualification coach. He has a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiotherapy and Special Motricity since 2012. He owns and manages an amateur sports dance school – Codrin Dance Studio, where he works also as a sports dance coach, Zumba instructor and Greek dances teacher. He attended many seminars for always evolving in the field – in the country and also abroad, and he is continuously trying to improve everything he teaches.

Ioana Victoria Rotaru-Diaconescu is the artistic guide (with more than 12 years of experience in the field) in the ensemble of traditional Greek dances – Efthymos, of the Hellenic Community of Brașov, a subsidiary of the Hellenic Union of Romania. From the age of 5, she began to dance in an ensemble of Romanian folk dances and participated in various national and international festivals (Bulgaria, Belgium, Greece). In 2016 she became an instructor of Romanian folk dances at the Codrin Dance Studio and in 2018 she became a Strong by Zumba instructor.

Nikos Karaolis

Niko Karaolis was born on 16th Sept 1975 in Bulgaria to Greek and Bulgarian parents, both dancers. From very little he devotes himself to his kin’s tradition, studies the fine points of the Greek folklore and learns Zeibekiko from his father and his three uncles, all of whom gifted dancers. When he is only 3 years old he begins touring in Bulgaria and across the world alongside his parents and their dancing troupe – among best ones in the country at the time. That’s when his solo performances on the stage initiate, one of which – with Bulgaria’s National Folklore Ensemble “Philip Koutev”, when Niko is just 5 years of age. During the following dance season his solo on the international festival in Dijon, France, brings his troupe the prestigious award “The Golden Necklace”, obtained among 40 other ensembles from all over the world. Niko’s childhood and youth pass between dance rehearsals and basketball training, but despite raising to the professional basketball league, his passion and love for Greek dances take over and he devotes himself fully to them. He completes his choreographic training, frequents regularly dance seminars in Greece, and becomes an assistant choreographer and leader of a dance ensemble to DOME – an organization by Greeks, established in Bulgaria. In 2012 he founds his own school for Bulgarian and Greek dances in Sofia, called “Balkanci”, which gains admirable success. The dancing and teaching talent is shared also by his two sisters. Niko Karaolis has wide and profound knowledge of Greek folk dances from all ethnographical regions of Greece, as well as the typical dances Hasapiko and Zeibekiko. Keeping the family and national tradition alive, today he continues to travel the world with his students and spread the magic of the Greek dance!

Fotini Karaoli - Bulgaria

Fotini Karaoli was born in Sofia, Bulgaria, on March 24, 1973. She took her first dance steps as a young child since both her parents were professional dancers. She grew up in ballrooms and from a young age she constantly participates in various performances, competitions, TV shows and festivals.

She taught dancing in many places, such as Bulgaria, Greece, China, Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey and for the first-time last year in Cyprus for the first Cyprus Zorba Festival.

She has also taught in primary schools, and next to her dad in many bands, as well as in the Greek club in Sofia.

For the last 10 years she has been very happy to deliver her enthusiasm and joy from dancing, together with her brother and dad, having the only dance school in Bulgaria with Greek traditional dances and zeibekiko, “Balkantsoi”.

Giorgos Drakopoulos - Greece

Drakopoulos George was born in Piraeus, Pasalimani and grew up in Keratsini, with roots in Mani, where he remains as a resident of Keratsini to this day. He studied at the 2nd High School and graduated from the 2nd General High School of Keratsini. Additionally, he studied and graduated for 2 years at 1 T.E.L. DRAPETSONAS, in the field of mechanical engineering, specializing in electronics and automation. From his early years he attended Traditional dances in various clubs, until growing up. He went for 6 years and attended the material courses of the Piraeus Association of Piraeus and then he went and finished the material courses in the 3 mandatory years (2003 – 2006), of the Theater ” DORA STRATOU”. A Theater well-known for its durability in the field of Greek Municipal Tradition. Then he attended many Local seminars, by local teachers of the Tradition, from many parts of Greece.

Violeta Spaskova - UK

Alexandros Mousoulos - Cyprus

Born in Nicosia in 2002, originally from occupied Karavas and Lefkoniko, he is now only 21 years old, a self-taught dancer in zeibekiko, a shining star who rose to international stage presenting unique skills expressing with his dance the unadulterated and pure emotional content of pain, sorrow, passion as forged over the long history of Greek civilization,  causing shivers of emotion and admiration through the striking blend of harmony between music and movement.

While studying as a university student, he opened restaurant that promotes zeibekiko and Greek culture in Nicosia and was also professionally involved in dance where he presented his dancing talent in zeibekiko with participations in international dance festivals in Athens, Istanbul, Izmir, and London. In his professional career in zeibekiko, he received personal congratulations from the President of the Republic of Cyprus, the fighters of EOKA as well as from an audience full of personalities at the Nicosia Municipal Theatre. He also teaches online in Egypt, Germany, London and Australia and was presented in TV shows in Cyprus and Greece, helping with his unique talent, to occupy zeibekiko the first place, as a recognised ancient dance of the Greek soul.