CounterPULSE's Performing Diaspora
Yannis Adoniou's KUNST-STOFF
With Catherine Clambaneva and Leonidas Kassapides

Residency: June-October 2009
Performances: Nov 19-22, 2009 - 8pm

Tickets: $15-25
CounterPULSE
1310 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
buy tickets online

Yannis Adoniou's KUNST-STOFF was among thirteen artists selected from a pool of over 60 applicants across California to represent one of the state's most exciting new voices at the intersection of traditional arts, contemporary performance and California's changing demographics. www.counterpulse.org. More about The Performing Diaspora.

Nov 19-22, 2009

"Rebetiko"

Choreography: Yannis Adoniou
Vocals and Music Direction: Catherine Clambaneva
Shadow Theater: Leonidas Kassapides

The Greek Rebetiko music from which this project takes it name is similar to tango, flamenco, the blues, and Fado as it was born out of sorrow, pain, desire, and yearnings of a people. Turkish Greek refugees seeking to adjust to a new life in a new country, far from home created Rebetiko not just as a style of music, but also a way of life, an attitude that constantly questions authority in creative ways. The solo dance of the 'rembetes', while based on traditional moves and technique strove always to break the old rules and evolve as a living art.

Collaborating Artists

Catherine Clambaneva

Catherine (Katerina) Clambaneva is a performing artist specializing in traditional Greek music. She maintains a very busy performance schedule participating in several groups including the Josquin Singers of B.A.C.H., the Kymata Band (a Greek folk music group) and various Latin ensembles. She is captivated by world music and is very interested in cultural fusion through musical expression. Katerina has a versatile voice, is a native speaker in Greek and English and is comfortable singing in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Slavic and more. Katerina was born in the Bay Area and raised in Athens, Greece. Her performances entertain, educate and inform the general public while preserving the musical traditions of the complex and evolved Greek culture. www.katerinaki.com

Leonidas Kassapides

Leonidas Kassapides holds a degree in Theater Arts from Berea College and has been a professional Greek Shadow Theater performer designer and writer since 1989. His grandfather of the same name was also a Karaghiozopektis (shadow theater master). He is dedicated to preserving this dying art for its cultural and artistic importance. Leonidas experiments with different sizes of projection screens and lights, making sure that the tradition of shadow theater keeps evolving while maintaining its primitiveness and low tech magic. He has been touring since 1989, performing and teaching workshops in theaters, museums, schools, and outdoor venues. www.kassapides.com