The ‘Zeibeikiko’ dance is something that will remain integral to Greek culture, throughout all generations, in Greece and abroad. While older generations are growing more concerned that young Greeks are losing their sentiment for tradition, when it comes to a Zeibekiko, they can be assured the young ones know how to get down.
Michael Mournehis is a 26-year-old, third-generation, Cypriot-Australian who, together with his sister, Georgia, started the Sydney Academy of Greek Dance & Culture.
Michael has been dancing for over 22 years, and started teaching children and adults around 8 years ago.
“I mostly love to teach the Zeibekiko and am very fond of traditional Cypriot dances due to my Cypriot heritage,” said Michael.A great Zeibekiko dancer is one who looks like they are dancing on clouds.
“A great Zeibekiko dancer is one who looks like they are dancing on clouds.”
Michael shared with us, his top tips for mastering a Zeibekiko.
“I would say that the most crucial part of the Zeibekiko is keeping in time with the dance. Too many people think the dance can be rushed and is meant to be a strong dance. I rather believe that a great Zeibekiko dancer is one who looks like they are dancing on clouds,” he said.
“I wouldn’t say there are any crucial steps to the Zeibekiko. What I will say, however, is that less is more. Some of the best dancers I have seen do not over-do the kicks and flicks (figoures).”
“When I teach I work on four or five plain steps that can be adopted and used in any freestyle moves. Having a basis of steps allows you to be creative later on, as you progress.”
“Dancing Zeibekiko is, in my opinion, one of the hardest dances to master. Many people think after a couple of lessons you can pick it up, but in my experience, it takes years of practice and knowledge to become a true master.”
Bondi’s famous ‘Sculptures by the Sea’ exhibition will have a Greek wave, this year, with award-winning Greek artist Danai Nikolaidi Kotsaki having one of her sculptures displayed.
Danai Nikolaidi Kotsaki, who graduated from the prestigious School of Fine Arts of Athens, is the recipient of the inaugural $20,000 Greek Artist Program for Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi, 2019.
The Greek Artist Program for Sculpture’s by the Sea was developed by The Hellenic Club Sydney and members of Sydney’s Greek Australian community, with support from the Mayor of Waverley, Ms Paula Masselos.
The program is also coordinated by the Consulate General of Greece in Sydney, with aims to “showcase Greek artistic talent and contribute to helping Greece’s standing in the global arts world.”
The recipient artist must be a student or graduate (within 10 years of completing their degree) of a University-level School of Fine Arts from Greece, in order to be eligible for the program.
Danai Nikolaidi-Kotsaki was born in Athens in 1992. She went to the Experimental Music High School and Lyceum of Pallini and studied sculpture at the School of Fine Arts of Athens with Professor George Lappas.
Danai says her work is “inspired by the concept of ‘the journey’ as both a fantasy and as lived experience, and exploring the point of separation between reality and fantasy.”
“I am also interested in exploring the idea of how our senses respond to movement and distance,” she says.
Her work primarily tackles physicality and interaction. The installations and sculptures she creates are movable, invested with her own compositions and sound environments, sometimes producing sound themselves through motion and performance. The main material of her work is metal, but she also uses a wide range of other expressive means and techniques.
“The foundation of my practice is a constant search for a new perception and understanding of vision, hearing, space and time. I aim to activate the sensory system and emotions of the public through my work,” says Danai.
“As a result my artworks are designed to become an interactive physical experience for the viewer.”
She is also passionate about including traditional and classical Greek themes throughout her art.
“Beyond my academic studies in sculpture, I have studied the expressive art forms in traditional Greek and classical music, contemporary dance and circus acrobatics. As a result I am particularly interested in local cultures and traditions,” Danai says.
Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi is the world’s largest annual free-to-the-public outdoor sculpture exhibition, which celebrates its 23rd anniversary this year, returning to the spectacular Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk from 24 October – 10 November 2019.
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has come a long way in his NBA career. After selling anything he can in the streets of Greece just so he can buy a pair of basketball shoes, he’s now the league’s reigning MVP and one of the best players in the world. Moreover, his brothers Thanasis and Kostas have also made it to the NBA.
Now, the Antetokounmpo brothers want to give some 100 children and coaches an opportunity to turn their lives around through their foundation, the AntetokounBros Academy.
According to a report, the AntetokounBros Academy aims to help boys and girls aged 12-16 and aspiring coaches aged 18-25 jumpstart their professional basketball careers. The said foundation will run for two years in Athens and will be funded by Nike, Giannis’ official sports apparel partner.
EuroHoops and other foundations will also work with the Antetokounmpos to make this academy successful.
“The time for action has come for AntetokounBros Academy and we can’t hide our joy and excitement. For the next two years, in collaboration with the Onassis Foundation, Eurohoops Organization and Nike, we will work hard to create development opportunities for underprivileged children – and this is only the start,” the Antetokounmpo brothers said in a joint statement.
“We are on the same page as our collaborators and we start this journey of social contribution with a shared vision. We will work together as a big family with no social or individual exclusion. We are certain that the creation of the AntetokounBros Academy will leave a positive footprint and offer essential help to families who need support; and let’s repeat – this is just the beginning!”
Giannis and Thanasis are both with the Bucks, while Kostas is with the Los Angeles Lakers. Meanwhile, their youngest playing brother, Alex is still in high school but is likely to be in the NBA in the near future.
The night his one-year-old daughter was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer, Jason Sotiris made her two promises.
The first, a trip to Disneyland.
The second, “Daddy is going to find a way to keep this invisible monster away.”
He delivered on his first promise the day young Angela was released from hospital.
“My wife is from France, so she has family over there she’s never met. To be able to take her to France with all her family waiting at the arrivals gate, and then to take her to Disneyland, was the most amazing day,” said Jason.
Angela and her brother on their trip to Disneyland Paris.
“Then to make good on my second promise, which I’m still in the process of, I want this to be the standard garment for someone in hospital.”
Jason is a full-time tradie who has sacrificed his spare time to create ‘Supertee’ – a medical garment fit for a superhero, for those little fighters taking on life-threatening battles in hospital.
“The idea came from my daughter and seeing how hard it was for her to go through her battle, and me desperately wanting to find a way to help,” said Jason.
“Parent’s feel like they can’t touch anything that is connecting their child to a machine, in case they stuff it up or cause further injury. I was trying to take her T-shirt off when she was throwing up, she had this array of tubes, lines, heart monitors etc..and you can’t do it without the help of the nurse.”
“I thought to myself, I need to do something to make her more comfortable. My original focus was just on her, like every parent, you’re just focusing on your child in that moment.”
When Jason’s daughter was cleared from hospital, unable to simply “let go” of what his family went through, his mission became helping other families who were going through the same thing.
“I couldn’t help but feel that I needed to do something, and that’s where this idea came from – ‘let’s see if we can challenge or disrupt the way people are perceived, and how they wear their t-shirts in hospital, in a way where they feel strong, and it gives some independence back to the parents where they don’t need the nurses helping them.’”
Jason pitched his idea to a lifelong friend, who he describes as “the most skeptical person in the world”, and with his support, the two of them put money towards creating Supertee.
“It can’t be reused – it’s an individual gift to that child. It’s even got space on the packaging for their name to be placed. Inside this pack, there is the comic book that tells the story of how it gets given to them. Only a nurse, parent or superhero can give it to them, so you need a sidekick. It has stickers to represent any battle they’ve overcome – if they have a needle there’s stickers there that say ‘brave’, ‘warrior’, ‘strong’, ‘fighter’.”
“There’s a bookmark for the parents, we don’t want to forget the parents in this. It says, ‘keep fighting’, this is a battle and we have to fight it every day. Just know there’s someone out there believing in you.”
The target market was initially people who wanted to buy gifts for children in hospital, that would bring them as much joy as a toy would.
“All of a sudden we started getting these random purchases from people we didn’t know, and we’d get in contact with them and ask who they wanted to send them to. They’d respond by saying, ‘just give it out on our behalf, we love what you’re doing,’” said Jason.
This is where the concept of sponsoring a ‘Supertee pack’ came from, where the pack is delivered to hospitals and dispersed to patients as a gift.
In addition to the garments and packaging goodies, Supertee also has volunteers who dress up as popular superheroes and present the children with their own superhero costume.
“If it was up to me, I’d make hospitals a mix of Disneyland and an amusement park,” said Jason.
Jason displaying Supertee’s products.
Jason’s “business model” is entirely based on helping others.
“It’s probably not the most sustainable one, but if you have food in the fridge, a warm bed at night, what’s your biggest concern at the moment? Would you consider helping someone that’s doing it a little more tough?” he said.
He has been in contact with charities, businesses and organisations all over the globe who may be interested in sponsoring Supertee garments that can be gifted to children fighting in hospital.
Jason’s ultimate goal is to contribute funding to cancer research.
So far, Jason’s project started from Westmead Hospital, where Angela was treated, and has sent him from Perth to Queensland to Newcastle, and he hopes, Greece and beyond.
“This is time I volunteer, away from my family, my work, my children’s future, because I feel it’s an obligation. My daughter was saved, and I can’t let go of what happened to her,” he said.
He has gained support from a number of organisations, including the Pan Lesvian Federation who organised a gala fundraiser for Supertee, after they heard Jason’s business pitch at a networking event.
“To be able to have the support of parents, especially when we all come from different backgrounds, races, cultures…nobody cares about that stuff because we’re seeing it through the eyes of the mother or father. We’re able to relate to each other from that perspective,” said Jason.
Families showing off the Supertee costume at the Pan Lesvian Federation’s Supertee fundraiser event.
The sincerity behind Jason’s business idea is one that applies to everyone who wants to help spread joy to people doing it tough in hospitals.
“I’m not guilting anyone, I don’t hassle anyone. I just get my word out, this is my mission, if you want to help by all means, join us,” he said.
“I would love people who feel the same way as I do to get involved. I’m a tradie, I’m not a business guru!”
His business idea stemmed from a promise made to his daughter that he has committed to, and feels obligated to share with as many people that have and will go through what his family did.
“It’s a tough thing that never leaves you. It stays with you for life.”
If you want to get involved in Jason’s mission, head to supertee.org.au to find out how to sponsor a Supertee pack for a little superhero fighting in hospital.
The Hellenic Initiative Australia announced today that they would be supporting a youth empowerment program called ‘The Tipping Point’, which connects students in remote or disadvantaged schools in Greece, with mentors from all around the world.
The Tipping Point program is an online, interactive classroom that connects highly-skilled professionals in Greece, and all over the world, with students in remote classrooms in Greece.
So far this year, three regional schools in Greece will be trialling The Tipping Point, including Krinides High School in Kavala, Fourfouras High School in Crete, and Vardas High School in Western Peleponnese.
The purpose of The Tipping Point is to encourage students to broaden their career choices and cultivate new innovations, collaborations and potential entrepreneurial projects in Greece.
In 2018, over 11 000 students in Greece took part in the program, with over 1000 mentors. The Tipping Point is targeted at schools in small, isolated regional towns, particularly in areas with high unemployment, high school dropout rates and areas with a lack of local opportunities.
The Hellenic Initiative has supported this program with intent to get more Australian mentors involved from all areas of expertise.
“This program uses technology to provide students from even the most remote regions of Greece the opportunity to be inspired and shape their own future by providing career guidance and mentorship from inspirational role models at a time when they are making their most critical career decisions,” said President of The Hellenic Initiative Australia, Mr Nicholas Pappas.
“Australian professionals from all fields can join the global Tipping Point mentor community and share their knowledge and experience with high school students around Greece,” Mr Pappas said.
Mentors can participate in the program by submitting a 100-second video answering a range of questions via a mobile app, and scheduling 20-30min live video sessions in the classroom.
Tipping point welcomes mentors from all fields of expertise, particularly people with experience in entrepreneurship, economics and business, medicine, law and agriculture.
Anyone interested in mentoring students can register online or contact: info@thehellenicinitiative.com.au for further information
On Wednesday October 9th, 6 Greek companies sat together to discuss their prospects for luxury tourism in Greece, and how they can increase productivity with Australian tourists looking for luxury escapes in Greece.
The Trade Commissioner of Greece for Australia and New Zealand, Ms Katia Gzikiza, said “concerning Australian arrivals to Greece, until 2016, these numbers were stable between 120-180 000 people. In 2017, they almost doubled to over 324 000. We thought this was a spike from the usual trend, but this was repeated the next year, and the data we currently have for the year 2019 shows that this trend has continued.”
She continued to note that Australian tourists are the largest per capita spenders in Greece, at 1200 euros per person, per trip. This figure is more than double the average spending per capita in Greece.
“This year we’ve increased from 1-2 products from Greece, to 7. We’re hoping this trend will continue,” said Event Director of Luxperience, Ms Michelle Papas.
Michelle Pappas and Trade Commissioner, Katia Gkikiza.
The six Greek companies exhibiting their products on Wednesday were Argo Travel Group, Fly Me To The Moon Travel, Luxury Greece DMC & Travel, Myconian Collection, NJC Athens Plaza, and Santo Maris Oia.
A large majority of these companies focus their luxury products in Greece’s ‘flagship’ destinations – Athens, Santorini and Mykonos. While most are aware that these flagship destinations are known as Greece’s largest tourist destinations, they all believe that there is still a market for more luxury products and services in these areas.
“Our company invests in a higher quality product in Santorini. We believe that the quality is not currently up to standards yet, so better quality products means better places in Santorini than other locations,” said Nikos Sfakianakis, the exhibitor for Santo Maris Oia & Santo Maris Oia Luxury Suites & Spa.
Mr Louis Seguier, the exhibitor for Myconian Collection, also spoke about the continuing demand for luxury products, in an already populated Mykonos.
“Greece is Greece, and Mykonos is Mykonos. In a way, Mykonos stands on its own. Mykonos has its own market. What many people don’t know is that Mykonos does attract people who seek 5-star accommodation and service,” he said.
“These aren’t necessarily people who party hard, they are families and people who want to experience Mykonos in a different way. Of course, some people want to party, that’s why some of the hotels are designed for a younger crowd. Other hotels are more secluded for people who want to be away from the crowds.”
Shrugging off anti-US demonstrations on a visit Saturday to Athens, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Greece can be a pillar of stability in a troubled region.
Pompeo is in Greece to underline support for a NATO ally and reinforce cooperation, signing an amendment to a mutual defence cooperation agreement, sources for both governments said.
“This is a dynamic region, with lots going on, lots of change taking place and we are very confident that together, we can work to ensure that Greece can be a pillar for stability in this region,” said Pompeo, hailing a relationship that “has truly never been stronger.”
Thousands of demonstrators outside the Greek parliament begged to differ, some brandishing a huge banner reading “Pompeo go home.”
His visit comes amid Greek concerns to which Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis alluded — Turkish drilling off EU member Cyprus.
The discovery of huge gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean has triggered a race to tap the region’s resources and sparked a dispute between Turkey and Cyprus.
“The United States has a special interest in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Cyprus only asks for the obvious, the implementation of international law.
“I expect the positive contribution of the United States, which will eventually lead to the creation of a more constructive and productive environment in the region,” Mitsotakis added.
Turkey has had troops stationed in Cyprus since 1974 when it invaded and occupied its northern third after a coup sponsored by the military junta then ruling Greece.
As well as holding talks with Mitsotakis, who took office in July, Pompeo was also meeting Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias and Defence Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos.
Pompeo refused to address questions from reporters on allegations that President Donald Trump pressured Ukraine for political favours, a claim which has launched an impeachment investigation.
Eighteen individuals, including prominent shipowners, are facing charges as a wide-ranging investigation gets underway Greece’s two major ports, Piraeus and Thessaloniki, linked to cartel operations in the ports.
Authorities have suspend six pilots and the harbour master of Thessaloniki as well as the chief pilot in Piraeus.
Greek media has reported four tug company owners are allegedly involved. None of the accused has been identified by name and as the investigation was rocking the ports there was no official statement form the Greek police. Greek authorities have sent pilots from Piraeus to ensure smooth operations in Thessaloniki after local pilots were detained for questioning.
According to reports in Thessaloniki, Greece’s gateway to the Balkans, the alleged ring’s members were forcing shipping companies to pay money under the table to expedite ships’ approach. They also allegedly colluded to make ships unnecessarily employ tug boats to enter the port.
Wider media reports indicate the probe began after complaints by a Thessaloniki tug company, which competitors forced out of business. Pilots acting with tug owners and port officers are said to have been fixing prices and abusing safety rules to maximise employment time.
“No matter how this specific case will conclude, the way in which port navigation is conducted in our country needs to be reviewed,” the ThPA was cited as saying in a statement.
The affair was uncovered by a new internal affairs unit within Greek police, and though Thessaloniki is primarily a containership terminal, local reports indicate the investigation focuses on small gas carriers approaching the nearby refinery of Hellenic Petroleum.
Meanwhile, pilots in the Cosco-controlled Piraeus port are said to have had their laptops and other records investigated. The chief pilot of Piraeus has been suspended over a charge he violated article 169 of Greece’s criminal code, the Shipping Ministry said. That article lays down a six-month jail term for disobedience to officials seeking legal assistance.
The investigation surfaced as the state sell-off fund Taiped is moving ahead on the future utilisation of another 10 regional ports, after appointing new administrations to the port authorities of Volos, Kavala, Igoumenitsa, Corfu and Alexandroupoli.
Greek authorities say a Syrian toddler has drowned at a beach in southern Greece after the boy wandered away from his parents and exited a migrant camp.
The Ministry of Citizen Protection, which oversees Greek police, says that the boy was 2 ½ years old. The boy drowned Sunday afternoon after leaving the camp in the city of Andravida in the western Peloponnese region.
Greece is aiming for higher investment and tax cuts to assist with economic growth in 2020 as the country recovers from a decade-long debt crisis.
Greece has revealed an ambitious budget for next year that assumes growth will accelerate to 2.8 per cent from a projected 2.0 per cent this year, driven by higher investment inflows and cuts in corporate and personal income tax.
Theodoros Skylakakis, deputy finance minister, said on Monday the centre-right government was also committed to achieving a 3.5 per cent primary budget surplus next year — before making debt repayments — as agreed with Greece’s international creditors.
The finance ministry plans to boost revenues by raising the percentage of electronic payments required to earn tax breaks and at the same time increase annual taxes on luxury second homes outside big cities.
Investment is projected to rise 13.4 per cent in 2020 compared with an 8.8 per cent increase this year. Private consumption would rise by 1.8 per cent against 0.6 per cent in 2019, according to the budget.
Greece also said on Monday it had hired several international investment banks to reopen its March 2029 debt issue, as it looks to take advantage of a sharp fall in its borrowing costs.
Greece, once the focus of the eurozone debt crisis, returned to the international bond market this year and saw its borrowing costs hit record lows as eurozone government bonds surged.
Greek 10-year government bonds yielded 1.442 per cent on Monday afternoon, down from more than 3 per cent in March.
