Opa! Traditional Greek dance and music will be a featured stop in a continuous two-hour performance concurrent with Granville's Christmas Candlelight Walking Tour on Saturday, Dec. 1, from 7 to 9 p.m. Visiting World Dance Assistant Professor Maria Voutsina will lead performers through a three-part series featuring dances and traditional costumes from mainland Greece, the Greek Islands and popular contemporary culture. Ten Denison students will be joined in this holiday celebration by the Junior Dancers from the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Columbus.

Voutsina comes from Kefalonia, Greece, where she has been a teacher and choreographer of many traditional Greek dance groups. She has planned festivals all over Greece and is part of a company that has traveled internationally to perform. Because Voutsina is also a nationally recognized folklorist, the performance will integrate information and photos of Greek civilization and culture into the dances.

As part of the Dance Department's World Dance Program, Voutsina has been working with seniors Hannah Brautigam (St. Marys, Ohio), Chandra Leenheer (Norwood, Colo.), Laura Montejo (Chicago) and Vehida Spiodic (Chicago); junior Chengeng Zeng (Nanning Guangxi, China) and sophomores Dylan Beach (Cleveland), Jonathan Karadimas (Highland, Ohio), Emily Macko (Lyndhurst, Ohio), Heather Robertson (Edgerton, Ohio) and Alison Waldman (Penfield, N.Y.) to create this event. Guests are invited to come and go throughout the performance as they participate in the Candlelight Walking Tour. No reservations are needed; open seating. For more information, call (740) 587-6712.

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Calendar Listing:

CALENDAR LISTING: Denison University, Granville -- Greek Dance featuring Visiting World Dance Professor, Maria Voutsina, performing traditional Greek dance with students; 7-9 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 1, Doane Dance Performance Space (231 West College St.). Free and open to the public. Call (740) 587-6712 for information.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

Name

Barbara Stambaugh

Position Title

Director, Media Relations

Primary Email

stambaughb@denison.edu

Business Phone

(740) 587-8575