As part of its collaboration with Ethnofest, the Laboratory of Ethnomusicology and Cultural Anthropology of the Department of Music Studies at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens selects two films to be screened online and organizes an open online discussion.
What does the camera “see” when it “observes” dancing bodies? This discussion examines the interplay between the cinematic gaze and the ethnographic study of dance practices,
exploring how the camera can capture, interpret, and convey experiences of the body, community, and identity, with movement as the focal point. Centered on the films Kefi: The Story of FDF, the Greek Orthodox Folk Dance Festival (2020) and An Element of Hope (2025), screened in the EthnoFest online program, directors Patti Testerman, Natalia Koutsougera, and
Giorgos Danopoulos engage in dialogue with the team from the Laboratory of Ethnomusicology and Cultural Anthropology (NKUA), sharing insights from their long-term work on the film representation of diverse dance forms, cultural groups, and performative contexts. Members of the research project #DanceMuse from the Laboratory of Language, Folklore, and Culture (University of Ioannina) also take part in the conversation.
LINK TO THE OPEN DISCUSSION:
Topic: DANCE AND THE ETHNOGRAPHIC CAMERA Open Online Discussion
Time: Dec 2, 2025 18:00 Athens
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84601531766?pwd=5K0Dz9bkFYmkbNSZHz9v1l8UXDX6Dj.1
Meeting ID: 846 0153 1766
Passcode: 026568