Co-artistic directors Christine Gouzelis & Paul Blackman established the Athens (Greece) based company JUKSTA (aka) Jukstapoz in early 2010.
The choreographic duo creates multilayered atmospheres and other-worldly mise en scenè, to make work that balances both chaos and harmony upon a body of symbolist, fable-like beauty. The constant aesthetic inquiry into sensory experiences, both intimate and shared, results from deconstructing narratives and juxtaposition of associated ideas, characters and concepts placed side by side compared and contrasted.
As the recipient of multiple international commissions, the co-directors have choreographed and collaborated at various, theatres, institutions, festivals and companies worldwide, among others - Götenburgs Operans Danskompani, Teatro Alla Scala, Sadlers Wells, Salzburg Festspiele, Wiener Staatsoper, Onassis Cultural Centre Athens, Athens Epidaurus Festival, Tasdance Australia, Kalamata International Dance Festival. The team's continued vision is engagement with a highly versatile range of platforms from contemporary dance, ballet, opera, theatre, music, fashion, film and involvement with educational and pedagogical training.
Jukstapoz continuously strives to establish lasting foundations that uphold its vision and commitment to collaborative practices. Mutually respectful, trust-based engagements continue to be invaluable for every creative outcome the company engages with.
Photo@JonathanHung
PHOTO
PLATFORMS
Götenburgs Operans Danskompani . Teatro Alla Scala . Salzburg Festspiele . NeedCompany . Venice Biennale . Wiener Staatsoper. Sadlers Wells . Onassis Cultural Centre Athens . NTM - National Theater Mannheim . Athens Epidaurus Festival . Kalamata International Dance Festival . Theater in der Jozefstadt. Arc for Dance . Theater Kiel . TicTac Art Centre . Creative Producer Indiindi . Mecklenburgisches Staatstheater . Tasdance Australia . Greek Ministry of Culture . New York Battery Dance Festival . Salzburg Landestheater . 53rd Dimitria Festival Thessaloniki . Klangforum . The New Dance Festival Beijing . Sziget Festival . Jasmin Vardimon (JV2) . Linz Tanzhafenfestival . AN-TRE Program. Beijing Academy of Dance . Gate8 Workshops . Spider Festival . Too Far East. B12 . Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance . Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts . National School of Dance Greece . West Australian Academy of Performing Arts . Iceland University of the Arts . Fontys Dance Academy . Dot504 Company Prague . Beijing BNU Dance Festival . The Place London . Festival Deltebre Dansa . Singapore M1Dance Festival . IMEROS Organisation Cultural Development . Ravnedans Festival . Dan.c.ce Cultural Centre . Greenwich Dance . 203Y Dance Theatre China . Dance New Amsterdam . Strut Dance Australia . LaborGras Studio Berlin . Jette Studio Brussels . Spanski Borci Dance Festival . Disney Hong Kong .
As dance professionals, we have each moved fluidly through numerous cultural and educational contexts engaging with and 'deploying' a range of dance and physical theatre constructs, modelling them towards each specific setting and duration, with the capacity and willingness to connect with our participants.
We both value inclusiveness, diversity and access and have cultivated these values in a range of professional settings, for example; numerous acclaimed dance institutions, international outreach workshops, seminars/workshops for dance festivals or international organisations, working with the Elderly 65+, non-professional dance workshops, residencies in remote communities such as actively fostering indigenous Australian access.
Venice Biennale
Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance
Sadlers Wells
National School of Dance Athens
Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts
Ravnedans Festival
Fontys Dance Academy
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
Dan.c.ce Cultural Centre
203Y Dance Theatre China
Greenwich Dance
Hubbard Street Chicago
Beijing BNU Dance Festival
Jette Studio Brussels
LaborGras Studio Berlin
Dance New Amsterdam
Iceland Academy of the Arts
Dancing to Connect℠ - Battery Dance Co
Strut Dance Australia
Disney Hong Kong
The New Dance Festival Beijing
Linz Tanzhafen Festival
Beijing Academy of Dance
& among others...
SHOCK THE BODY
Our ongoing curiosity and attraction to explosive frequencies – fragile tension – attack & retreat – states of emergency, states of zero, are only some of the themes in the context of our workshops. Contrasting between a delicate and powerful approach, we explore imaginative exits and entrances of the body and its various layers, everything in between the vertical and horizontal are used, producing a physically demanding and intricate vocabulary within a playful state of battle, that 'shocks the body'.
CHOREOGRAPHIC WORKSHOPS
Choreographic workshops and creations are also part of our seminars in which we work alongside young or semi-professionals in creating new and bold collaborative works. Students learn to engage within the creative process and are able to investigate their own artistic choices. Research, reflect and implement through participation, resulting in a unique and forming experience.
We constantly reinvent and strive to share the highest level of professionalism combined with a generous commitment to all our participants. We have delivered over 15 years worth of student interactions, guided coaching, team building, mentoring, through a creative exchange for the next generation of emerging dance artists.
FACULTY MEMBERS
FACULTY -
Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance - SEAD ( 10 years )
The Greek National School Of Dance - KSOT ( 7 years )
Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts - HKAPA ( 2 years )
