MINTATI Returns: Tradition, Movement, and the Power of Community

The much-discussed performance MINTATI, first presented in 2024 as part of the Athens Epidaurus Festival, returns for two exclusive shows on September 6 and 7 at PEIRAIOS 260. A unique opportunity for those who missed it last year, as well as for those who wish to relive the experience.

Conceived and choreographed by Jenny Argyriou, MINTATI draws inspiration from the collective dynamics of traditional dances while engaging with contemporary choreographic practices, posing questions about new forms of expression and ritual that can bring us together. At its core lies the notion of community, memory, and co-creation.

The word “Mintati” – known in Epirus but also as “xelasi” in the Peloponnese, “argatia” in Pontus, “alaxia” in Ikaria, and “ampasada” in the Cyclades – refers to the collective labor of community members toward the completion of a common project. These practices, deeply rooted in daily life, relied on mutual assistance and solidarity – two values that today seem to be fading.

Embracing this spirit of shared effort, dancers and musicians shape the performance space, creating a living archive of sounds and movements—memories of dances emerging from the depths of time and meeting the present – gradually unfolding the concentric circles of a collective celebration.