Workshops w/ Rafaela Sahyoun & Maria Papadopoulou at “Rest in Motion” Summer Dance program | Lefkada island, Greece
September 4-11 – Rest in Motion Cycle 4
The Body The Player The Journey with Rafaela Sahyoun
The Listening Skin with Maria Papadopoulou
This immersive cycle invites us to delve into the interconnected layers of movement, perception, and touch. Improvisation, sensory mapping, and playful choreographic structures create a space for discovery, exchange, and embodied presence. Hands-on practices, improvisation, and choreographic scores guide us toward a shared space of interdependence and sensitivity, where movement emerges from deep listening to both self and others. Together, these workshops offer a meaningful journey into the fluid interplay between body, environment, and collective experience.
What to expect
Engage with the body’s rhythms through movement, sensation, and connection.
Investigate the skin as both a boundary and a meeting point for touch and connection.
Explore improvisation and sensory exploration to uncover relationships to space and others.
Deepen awareness of contact through listening and sensitivity in an environment of trust and consent.
Tune into the evolving landscape of the body through embodied listening.
Delve into the interconnected layers of movement, perception, and touch through playful choreographic structures.
Develop trust and communication through hands-on practices and touch.
Explore sensory stimuli, contact, and tactile dialogue Use tools like kinesthetic instructions, experiential anatomy, and instant composition to explore tactility, interdependence, and embodied presence.
And…
Heart Circles: Participate in reflective and heartfelt group sharing sessions.
Enjoy three delicious and nourishing vegetarian meals daily.
Stay in a serene natural environment that supports self-regulation and slow-paced living.
Share space with a vibrant, like-minded community.
Beach trip on free day!
About the Facilitator
Maria Papadopoulou engages in various fields related to the body, teaching, and therapy. She is a graduate of the Greek State School of Dance, the Department of Education and Preschool Education of the University of Athens, and holds a master’s degree in “Education and Human Rights” from the same university. As a dancer, she has collaborated with contemporary choreographers and teaches contemporary dance and improvisation to both children and adults. At the same time, she focuses on analyzing pedagogical practices and teaches pedagogy at a professional dance school, presenting her work at conferences and educational forums. Maria has trained in Thailand and Europe in Thai massage, Chi Nei Tsang, and craniosacral therapy, while she is currently training in the SME (Somatic Movement Education) program of Body-Mind Centering® in Athens. Since 2021, she has been directing the organization “InDancEdu,” which implements movement and dance educational programs in both formal and non-formal education, with an emphasis on inclusion within a differentiated pedagogical approach. Her work combines theory and practice, art and therapy, with the goal of empowerment and social inclusion through movement and creative expression.
Rafaela Sahyoun is a Latin American artist from São Paulo, working as a dancer, choreographer, and educator. She spirals through these roles within the relational landscapes of performative practices in context-driven co-elaborations. In Brazil and abroad, she is strongly inclined toward hybrid art practices within the multicultural social fabric. As an educator, she has developed an in-depth pedagogical framework of dance-oriented practices that continuously unfold through research and extensive facilitation. Her work spans dance undergraduate and postgraduate education, professional dance and theater companies, cultural centers, and other artistic platforms. In addition to teaching, she was invited to curate the pedagogical program for the 2025 Out of the Toolbox – Dance Workshops Summer Festival in Ghent, Belgium. As a choreographer, she is creating a new work for the renowned Balé da Cidade de São Paulo, set to premiere in May 2025, following Fôlego—now part of the company’s touring repertory. Her active repertory includes CRUSH (2024), which premiered at ARGE Kultur (AT) and Cine Teatro Alba (PT), and NINGUÉMMESOLTA (Don’t Lose Me), last staged in Romania at Unfinished Festival. For the past five years, she has annually created choreographic works for PERA School of Performing Arts in Cyprus, with her latest work being The Trouble is Wildly Wet (2024). She graduated from SEAD (Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance, AT) and has been working as a performer since 2012.
Where: Paleohori art space, Neohori, Lefkada, Ionian islands, Greece
When: September 4 – 11, 2025
Curious to learn more?
Find all info about this cycle and how to sign up
https://paleohori.com/4th-cycle-september-4-11-2025/
Find more info about Rest in Motion summer dance program
https://paleohori.com/events-posts/rest-in-motion-summer-dance-program-lefkada-island-greece/
PS. Early bird offer applies by March 29th!