The Hellenic Centre of the International Theatre Institute, in collaboration and with the support of the Hellenic National Centre of Theatre and Dance of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism organizes from 27 through November 30, 2009 the Athens System, a dance and theatre platform whose objective is to function as a channel of communication between the Greek and International Dance-Theatre community. In its third edition, Athens System has chosen a number of theatre and dance performances realized in the 2008-2009 period which will be re-staged for the invited international representatives and directors of theatre companies and theatre festivals with the hope to facilitate their export and subsequent participation in various international festivals.

Based on the applications submitted (by October 30, 2009) to the Hellenic Centre of the International Theatre Institute for the participation in Athens System 2009, and taking into consideration the most unfortunate fact that practical reasons prevent both the national stages as well as most professional companies (subsidized and non-subsidized) to put back together again most of their productions of  last season, the Special Committee has chosen the performances to participate in Athens System 2009 on the grounds of their dramaturgical, aesthetic and performative merits, the originality of their overall concept and its stage execution as well as their representative variety. 

Our wish is that the practical problems which thus far have prevented many Theatre and Dance Companies to participate in Athens System, will eventually be overcome so that we have a  far richer range of representation of Greece’s theatre potential and possibilities.  Also, our wish is that through this initiative Greek Theatre and Dance will find the place we believe they deserve in the international theatre scene.

Special Critic Committee of Athens System 2009

President
1. Savas Patsalidis, Professor of American and European theatre history and theory at Aristotle University and theatre critic 
Vice-President
2. Dimitris Kamarotos, Musicologist, composer
General Secretary
3. Matina Kaltaki, theatrologist, theatre critic/journalist

Members
4. Maria Efstathiadi, Writer, translator
5. Grigoris Ioannidis, lecturer at the Department of Theatre Studies, at the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, theatre critic
6. Dionisis Kavathas, Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Aesthetics of Media, Panteion University Athens
7. Eleni Petassi, theatre critic
8. Christos Polymenakos, Performative writer, performer, dance editor
9. Manos Stefanidis, Historian and art critic, lecturer at the Department of Theatre Studies, at the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens
10. Nteni Tsekoura-Euthimiou, Dance instructor - Choreographer

Students from the Departments of Theatre Studies from the Greek Universities Christina Zikou, Iasonas Kokkinakis, Yiorgos Kritharas, Melina Markaki, Leda Bouzoukou

The performances which will be presented in Athens System 2009 from 27th to 30th of November 2009 are the following (alphabetically):

THEATRE
Alexander the Great and the Damned Dragon, Municipal and Regional Theatre of North Aegean
Killing Games, Askisi Theatre Company
La Poupe, Sfendoni Theatre Company
Life of Saints, Theseum Ensemble Theatre Company
Rottweiler, Nama Theatre Company
ScarMface, Splish-Splash Theatre Company
Silence, Vasistas Theatre Company
Zorba, the true story, National Theatre of Greece

DANCE
Amen, X-it Dance Company
Das (ist) ein…, YELP danceco.
Dromi, Zoi Dimitriou Dance Company
Lang, adLibdances Dance Company
The Son, Oktana Dance Company