Dance teachers from Crete on tour in Oceania

With great joy and satisfaction, as part of its activities for 2023, the Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand; announces the tour in Oceania of two experienced and pioneering dance teachers from Crete, and specifically from the Prefecture of Chania, Sifis Viglakis and Eleftheria Manioudaki.

Sifis Viglakis and Eleftheria Manioudaki are members of the Folk Association of Chania “Viglatores” and have been invited by the Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand for a series of seminars to teach traditional Cretan Dances to the Greek Youth of Australia and New Zealand.

As pointed out in the relevant announcement of the Federation, the pandemic has created several assimilation problems in almost all Cretan Associations in Australia, where children have lost interest after almost 18 months of closed Associations. Realising, therefore, this anguish, the President and the Members of the Committee of the Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand considered it an obligation to help all the Associations – Members of the Federation to make efforts to bring back the youth to the dance classes of the Associations, while with the presence of the dance teachers they expect to revive the interest of the children after the pandemic.

“It is important to continue the good work accomplished during the meeting of the 41st Cretan Conference recently held in Melbourne”, it is noted, “after more than 250 young men and women with seven dance groups in total attended, who danced at all the events of the Conference, and gave the impression that Crete is alive and growing and has a bright future here in the Fifth Continent”.

The program of the tour of the two dance teachers is as follows: Wellington, New Zealand from Thursday 9th February to Sunday 12th February, Sydney, New South Wales from Monday 13th February to Friday 17th February, Brisbane, Queensland from Saturday 18 February to Tuesday 21 February, Melbourne, Victoria from Wednesday 22 February to Monday 27 February, Hobart, Tasmania from Tuesday 28th February to Friday 3rd March, Canberra – Australian Capital Territory from Saturday 4th March to Monday 6th March and Darwin, Northern Territory from Tuesday 7 March to Saturday 11 March.

The Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand encourages all young people of Greek origin in Australia to register for the dance seminars that will be held and to actively participate. Having Cretan origin is not a prerequisite for anyone to participate. Special seminars will be held for Dance Teachers who want to learn to teach either in schools or in a private setting.

The President of the Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand, Mr. Tony Tsourdalakis, and the Board of Directors express their warm thanks to the Regional Governor of Crete, Mr. Stavros Arnaoutakis and the entire Regional Council for the immediate support of the program making this tour a reality.

For more information, interested parties can contact the Federation by e-mail: [email protected] or its President: [email protected].

Sifis Viglakis – Short Biography

Sifis Viglakis was born on 10 October  1981 in the village of Sykolia Galata in the Prefecture of Chania. He finished High School in 1999 and later studied Greek Culture and Byzantine Music at the Hellenic Open University. Since 2007 he has been working as a Police Officer in the Chania Directorate, while in 2009 he founded the Folk Association of Chania “Viglatores” with over 200 members and with branches in Alikianos, Kalamaki, Platanias, Chania, Mournies, Akrotiri and Neo Chorio Apokoronou.  Since its foundation, the Association has made trips to Germany, America and Oceania.

Eleftheria Manioudaki – Short Biography

Eleftheria Manioudaki was born on 1 July 1998 in the village of Vatolakos in the Prefecture of Chania. She finished high school in 2016 and later studied in the Pedagogical department at the University of Crete. From 2021, She has been teaching special courses to primary school students. Since 2009 she has been a member of the Folk Association of Chania “Viglatores”. In 2013 she travelled with the Association to Germany, in 2014 to Cyprus, in 2019 to America and in 2023 to Australia and New Zealand.