‘Circle of Art’ is a new project by Kalamata Drama that, together with the annual Kalamata Drama International Summer School (KaDISS), makes a cultural contribution to the local area and to the region. ‘Circle of Art’ is a programme of educational and cultural events, engaging students and professionals within the performing arts to take a truly focused, perhaps alternative, view of their craft and, through encounter, reassess and examine their craft and develop new techniques and broader outlook.
All the webinars and events were held in Kalamata, attended by a limited number of participants and students, completely free of charge.
‘Circle of Art 2021’ is exclusively funded by the Bareva Foundation in Liechtenstein (which has also supported KaDISS 2021)

The first webinar was a creative conversation between KaDISS Course Leader and Director Andrew Visnevski and the Fashion and Costume Designer, Nathalie Bries. It was streamed live on Monday, 24th May, at 20.00 hours (local time).
The webinar is available to watch on YouTube, on this link:

In the second webinar, KaDISS Course Leader and Director, Andrew Visnevski led a conversation with the award-winning scenographer, artist and eminent teacher, prof. Paweł Dobrzycki. This was streamed live on Monday, 28th June at 20.00 hours (local time).
The conversation is available to watch on YouTube on this link:

Artistic Director Andrew Visnevski’s guest for the third webinar in the series was Irini Moundraki, Head of Drama, Library, Archive and International Collaborations Departments of the National Theatre of Greece.
The webinar was broadcast on Monday, 25th October, at 19.00 (local time).
The broadcast was scheduled to take place in collaboration with the Public Library of Kalamata, in the Cultural Centre of the city, within the architecturally outstanding space of the Library, but due to the unpredictable conditions of the pandemic this was not possible.
Nevertheless, the scheduled broadcast took place and followed the successful course of the two previous webinars.
The encounter is available to watch on You Tube on the following link:

The aim of the workshop was to develop, through Gabrielle Moleta’s specific process of Transformation and Imaginative Improvisation, the foundations for a new piece of physical theatre, as well as providing tools and material enabling each participant individually to take the work further. Through the rich process of Transformation that required total investment of body and imagination, the students discovered how prolonged focus on one animal in its environment enriches the actor’s process.
Gabrielle Moleta introduced exercises which physically prepare the body and imaginatively tune the inner landscape in order to work in animal and then towards human form. On the fourth and last day of the Bear Workshop, the work developed on the main stage of the Municipal Theatre of Kalamata, transferred to the inspiring space of the Public Library of Kalamata, where it was attended by a small invited audience.
A welcome addition to the workshop was the collaboration with the scholar and singer of Byzantine music, Ilias Kolliniatis and also the musician and singer Sofia Irini Giannopoulou, both members of the Maria Callas Alumni Association of the Music School of Kalamata. They led the daily vocal warm-up and created unique soundscapes that complement the workshop experience.
The final day of the Bear Workshop was filmed live and, as other items of the ‘Circle of Art’ 2021 programme, is available for viewing.
To watch the Bear Workshop day 4 on You Tube, please follow the link: