grdance.org

The Dora Stratou Greek Dances Theatre runs a dance school with classes for beginners, advanced dancers, and children, plus seminars and lectures for experienced dancers, teacher training in dance education, and courses and seminars taught in English. It also offers specialized instruction in traditional embroidery, rebetiko dances, and dance therapy. The school sits within a larger institution founded in 1953 and described as a living museum of Greek dance, so instruction is tied to a working theatre company and a museum collection rather than standing alone as a studio.

Who the programs are for

The school organizes its teaching around three main learner groups, with additional tracks for people who already dance at a high level or teach dance themselves.

• Beginners – entry-level classes in Greek dance.
• Advanced dancers – continued training for experienced participants.
• Children – separate classes for younger learners.
• Experienced dancers – seminars and lectures that go beyond regular class instruction.
• Dance teachers – in-service training (teacher education) in dance teaching.
• English speakers – courses and seminars delivered in English.

Specialized courses sit alongside these: traditional embroidery, rebetiko dances, and dance therapy.

Seminars, lectures, and teacher training

Beyond weekly classes, the organization runs seminars and lectures aimed at experienced dancers, and a teacher-training program for dance educators. These are the routes to take if your goal is depth — repertoire, context, or teaching method — rather than first exposure to Greek dance. Because the theatre also carries out research programs in the ethnography, history, and sociology of dance, with international collaborations, and hosts a study group on ancient Greek orchestics, seminar content can draw on that research activity.

Courses and seminars in English

Courses and seminars are offered in English, which matters if you are visiting Athens or based there without Greek. If your Greek is limited, confirm the language of the specific class or seminar you want before enrolling, since the English offering is described for courses and seminars rather than stated for every class level.

What surrounds the classes

Several features of the institution shape what studying there is like:

• A garden theatre of 860 seats with daily performances on Filopappou Hill.
• A company of 75 dancers, musicians, and singers.
• A collection of 2,000 museum costumes, jewelry, embroideries, and other folk-art objects — and these are worn in performances.
• A library and archive of recordings, films, photographs, and records.
• Publications: more than 53 records, 15 cassettes, 7 videocassettes, 30 books in various languages, 8 CD-ROMs, and 5 DVDs.
• Costume services: making or renting copies of the authentic costumes in the collection.
• An educational visits program for primary schools.

For anyone learning Greek dance, the practical benefit is proximity to performance: the same organization that teaches also stages daily shows using its own costume collection, so students are inside a working tradition rather than only a classroom.

How to decide whether it fits

The institution is a public-benefit organization funded by the Ministry of Culture and the Greek National Tourism Organization, under the auspices of the Municipality of Athens. It also organizes the World Congress on Dance Research and the Anapali and Emmeleia festivals, and cooperates with the International Dance Council CID of UNESCO. Its Greek dance portal, the "Pandect of Greek Dance," is at dance-pandect.gr.

Practical notes before you enroll

• Level placement: the school distinguishes beginners, advanced dancers, and children, so state your level when asking about a class rather than assuming a single open class.
• Language: English-language courses and seminars exist, but the description does not say every class is bilingual — verify for the specific session.
• Scheduling: performances are daily, which suggests a busy venue; ask directly about class days and times.
• Fees and registration: the available material does not state prices or enrollment procedures, so these need to be confirmed with the organization.

The most reliable next step is to contact the theatre directly with your level, language, and preferred style (general Greek dance, rebetiko, embroidery, or dance therapy) and ask which current class or seminar matches.

The Dora Stratou Greek Dances Theatre (grdance.org) is a nonprofit organization that has operated as a "living museum" of Greek dance since 1953, funded by the Ministry of Culture and the Greek National Tourism Organization (EOT) under the auspices of the Municipality of Athens. You can participate in or access its activities in five main ways: attending daily performances at its 860-seat open-air garden theatre on Philopappos Hill, enrolling in dance classes or seminars (including English-language options), booking educational visits for primary schools, using its museum, library, and research resources, and engaging with its international network through UNESCO's International Dance Council (CID). The sections below explain each path and what it involves.

Attend a Performance at the Open-Air Theatre

The theatre hosts daily performances at its 860-seat garden theatre (Κηποθέατρο) on Philopappos Hill. The performances draw on a collection of about 2,000 museum costumes, jewelry, embroideries, and other folk art objects that are actually worn during the shows, and they are staged by a company of 75 dancers, musicians, and singers.

• What to expect: A live program of Greek dances performed in authentic or replica costumes from the collection.
• Where: The garden theatre on Philopappos Hill, under the auspices of the Municipality of Athens.
• When: Daily performances, according to the organization's own description.

The source material does not list specific showtimes, ticket prices, or booking platforms, so check the website directly for the current schedule and admission details before planning your visit.

Enroll in Dance Classes or Seminars

The Dora Stratou School offers instruction across a range of levels and interests:

• Regular classes for beginners, advanced dancers, and children.
• Seminars and lectures aimed at experienced dancers.
• Teacher training (επιμόρφωση δασκάλων χορού) for dance instructors.
• Specialized courses in traditional embroidery, rebetiko dances, and dance therapy.
• English-language classes and seminars are available, which makes the school accessible to non-Greek speakers.

If you are unsure which level fits you, the beginner track is the natural entry point; experienced dancers can move directly into the advanced classes or seminars. Because the source does not specify enrollment periods, fees, or registration steps, contact the school through the website to confirm current offerings.

Book an Educational Visit for a Primary School

The theatre runs an educational visit program designed for primary schools (δημοτικά σχολεία). This is a structured way for school groups to experience Greek dance and folk culture rather than attending a standard public performance. To arrange one, approach the organization directly through grdance.org and specify that you are requesting the school visit program.

Use the Museum, Library, and Research Resources

Beyond performances and classes, the organization maintains research and archival resources that are open to interested researchers and the public:

The organization also builds or rents replicas of costumes from its authentic collection — relevant if you need period-accurate folk dress for a production, research, or event.

Engage Through Conferences, Festivals, and International Collaboration

The theatre organizes the World Congress on Dance Research and the festivals Anapali (Αναπάλη) and Emmeleia (Εμμέλεια). It also collaborates with the International Dance Council (CID) of UNESCO, described as the highest organization for all forms of dance (www.cid-portal.org). If your interest is academic or institutional — presenting research, partnering on a project, or connecting with the international dance community — these channels are the most direct route.

Quick Guide: Which Path Fits You?

• Tourist or first-time visitor: Attend a daily performance at the Philopappos Hill theatre.
• Aspiring dancer: Enroll in a class at the school (beginners welcome; English options available).
• Experienced dancer or teacher: Join a seminar, lecture, or the teacher-training program.
• Teacher or school organizer: Request the primary school educational visit program.
• Researcher or scholar: Use the library, archive, and research programs, and explore the Pandektis portal.
• Institution or festival organizer: Reach out via the World Congress on Dance Research, the Anapali and Emmeleia festivals, or the CID/UNESCO network.

Because the source material does not include current prices, registration deadlines, or contact forms, verify all practical details — schedules, fees, and application procedures — directly on grdance.org before committing.

grdance.org is the official website of the Dora Stratou Greek Dances Theatre (Θέατρο Ελληνικών Χορών "Δόρα Στράτου"), a nonprofit cultural organization in Athens dedicated to Greek traditional dance, music, and costume. It describes itself as "the living museum of Greek dance" and has operated since 1953. If you are looking for information on Greek folk dance performances in Athens, dance classes, or a large collection of traditional costumes, this is the organization's own site.

What the organization is

• Name: Dora Stratou Greek Dances Theatre
• Founded: 1953
• Legal status: Nonprofit organization (κοινωφελής οργανισμός)
• Funding: Subsidized by the Ministry of Culture and the Greek National Tourism Organization (EOT)
• Auspices: Under the auspices of the Municipality of Athens
• Self-description: "The living museum of Greek dance"

Main activities

The site presents the organization as several connected operations rather than a single theatre:

Location and venue

The theatre is an 860-seat open-air garden theatre (Κηποθέατρο) on Philopappos Hill in Athens, with daily performances according to the site. This is the venue to check if you want to attend a live show.

Related resources

The organization also points to two external resources:

• "Pandektis of Greek Dance" portal: www.dance-pandect.gr
• International Dance Council (CID) of UNESCO: www.cid-portal.org — described as the highest organization for all forms of dance, with which the theatre collaborates

Who this site is useful for

• Visitors to Athens looking for a traditional Greek dance performance
• People wanting to learn Greek dance, from beginners to experienced dancers, including English-language classes
• Researchers and students interested in Greek dance ethnography, history, or the archive
• Schools arranging educational visits
• Anyone needing traditional costume replicas for performance or study

The site itself does not state ticket prices, class fees, or booking requirements in the material available, so those details would need to be confirmed directly with the organization.

The Dora Stratou Greek Dances Theatre (grdance.org) runs daily performances at an 860-seat garden theatre on Filopappou Hill in Athens, staged by a company of 75 dancers, musicians, and singers. Performances draw on a collection of 2,000 museum costumes, jewellery, embroideries, and folk-art objects that are actually worn on stage. Beyond the nightly shows, the organisation offers school education programmes, festivals, conferences, and a parallel programme of dance, embroidery, and dance-therapy courses.

The main performance programme

• Daily shows at the garden theatre. The theatre seats 860 and operates on Filopappou Hill, with performances described as running every day.
• A full company on stage. 75 dancers, musicians, and singers make up the performing group, so the programme covers dance, live music, and song together rather than dance alone.
• Authentic costumes in use. The 2,000-piece collection of museum costumes, jewellery, and embroideries is not display-only — the pieces are worn in the performances, which is what the organisation means by calling itself a "living museum of Greek dance" since 1953.

Festivals and conferences

The theatre organises the World Congress for Dance Research, along with the festivals Anapali and Emmeleia. These sit alongside the regular performance schedule rather than replacing it, so a visitor planning around a specific date should check whether a festival or congress is running at the same time.

Educational visits for primary schools

There is a dedicated programme of educational visits for primary schools (δημοτικά σχολεία). This is a separate track from the public evening performances, aimed at school groups rather than individual visitors.

Courses, seminars, and special classes

The school side of the organisation runs:

• Dance lessons for beginners, advanced students, and children
• Seminars and lectures for experienced dancers
• Teacher training for dance teachers
• Lessons and seminars conducted in English
• Special courses in traditional embroidery, rebetiko dances, and dance therapy

Research, archive, and publications

Alongside performances, the theatre maintains research programmes in the ethnography, history, and sociology of dance with international collaborations, plus a study group on ancient Greek orchestics (ὄρχησις). It holds a library and an archive of recordings, films, photographs, and records.

Its publishing output includes more than 53 records, 15 cassettes, 7 video cassettes, 30 books in various languages, 8 CD-ROMs, and 5 DVDs. It also makes or rents copies of the authentic costumes in its collection, and runs the portal "Pandektis of Greek Dance" at dance-pandect.gr. The organisation collaborates with the International Dance Council (CID) of UNESCO.

How to decide what to attend

Practical notes

The organisation is a public-benefit body funded by the Ministry of Culture and the Greek National Tourism Organisation (EOT), under the auspices of the Municipality of Athens. The site does not state ticket prices, booking methods, or performance start times in the material available here, so confirm those directly before planning a visit.

The Dora Stratou Greek Dances Theatre (grdance.org) holds a collection of about 2,000 museum pieces — costumes, jewellery, embroideries and other folk-art objects — and many of them are actually worn in performances rather than kept behind glass. Alongside the collection, the organisation runs research programmes in the ethnography, history and sociology of dance, maintains a library and audiovisual archive, and publishes records, books and other material. This is the place to look if you want to study Greek dance and folk costume rather than just watch a show.

The museum collection

The collection is described as a living museum of Greek dance, active since 1953. Its roughly 2,000 items include:

• Traditional costumes
• Jewellery
• Embroideries
• Other objects of folk art

The distinctive point is that these pieces are worn in the theatre's performances. The organisation also makes or rents copies of the authentic costumes in its collection — useful if you need a costume for a production, a school event or research purposes rather than a museum visit.

Research programmes and scholarly activity

The theatre's research work covers:

• Ethnography, history and sociology of dance, carried out with international collaborations
• A study group on ancient Greek orchestics (dance)
• Organisation of the World Congress on Dance Research
• Organisation of the festivals Anapali and Emmelia

It also cooperates with the International Dance Council (CID) of UNESCO, described on the site as the umbrella organisation for all forms of dance.

Library and archive

The library and archive hold recordings, films, photographs and records. This is the main documentary resource for anyone tracing how a particular dance or costume has been performed and documented over time.

Publications

The site lists the following published output:

Related resources and access points

• Pandektis of Greek Dance — a portal at dance-pandect.gr
• CID / UNESCO — cid-portal.org
• Special courses — traditional embroidery, rebetiko dances and dance therapy are offered alongside the school's regular classes
• Educational visits — a programme for primary schools
• School of dance — classes for beginners, advanced dancers and children, plus seminars and lectures for experienced dancers, and teacher training; classes and seminars are also available in English

The organisation is a non-profit body funded by the Ministry of Culture and the Greek National Tourism Organisation (EOT), under the auspices of the Municipality of Athens. Performances take place at an 860-seat garden theatre on Filopappou Hill, with daily shows in season, by a company of 75 dancers, musicians and singers.

How to use these resources

If your goal is research or study rather than attendance:

1. Identify what you need — costume reference, archival footage, a publication, or contact with a research programme.
2. Start with the publications list if you need published documentation; the archive if you need recordings, films or photographs.
3. For costume work, ask about making or renting copies of collection pieces rather than requesting access to originals.
4. For academic collaboration, the international research programmes and the World Congress on Dance Research are the relevant entry points.

One practical caveat: the site does not state opening hours, access conditions or fees for the library, archive or collection, so those need to be confirmed directly before planning a visit or a research trip.