ABOUT THE AMALGAMA DANCE COMPANY OF MARIA GORGIA

The Amalgama dance company was founded by Maria Gorgia in 1996 in London, participating in the International Festival “Resolutions” (The Place Theatre, London 1997). In Greece, it began operating in November 1998. The group has created 26 choreographies and 24 productions, which have been presented in England, Greece, New York, Germany, Italy, Croatia, and Cyprus. In 2004 the group took part, following a commission for the work “The Feats of the Pentathlon,” in the Athletes’ Welcoming Ceremonies (ATHENS 2004 organization).

Amalgama aims to create contemporary works based on dialogue with other art forms, maintaining a distinctly human- centered character. With a strong focus on social and aesthetic inquiry—concerning the role of art in today’s social reality and the boundaries between form and ideology—the group has presented works, among other participations, at the Athens Greek Festival (June 2012), the Theatri di Vita Festival in Bologna (July 2012), the Dimitria Festival in Thessaloniki (October 2012), the Kalamata Dance Festival (July 2016), the Theatro Nohma Pomodoro Festival (April 2018), Dock 11 in Berlin (November 2019), and Theatro Nohma Pomodoro – The Naked Festival (June–July 2021).

Amalgama began to develop a strong socio-political dimension in its works after its first four to five years, during which it focused mainly on movement language, art for art’s sake, and abstraction. From 2003 and for about six to seven years, it created works exploring social constructs and gender identities in Western society and in Greece. From 2011 to 2014, it created a series of works with a historical-political axis, dealing with the history of Greece from the establishment of the first independent Greek state to the present day. From 2015 to today, the group creates and focuses on works that reflect on the relationship between narcissistic society and the individual, the Nuclear Family and its dysfunctions, as well as the existential anxieties of human beings.

Amalgama today is a hybrid company, with a strong avant-garde element present from its inception. It is deeply rooted in the art of dance and the body, yet it also moves along the boundaries of theater and performance art. The group has also explored and experimented with audience interaction and participation. It strongly encourages the creative contribution of dancers and all collaborators involved in each performance. During the years 2000–2001, 2002–2003, 2003–2004, 2005–2006, 2006–2007, 2007–2008, 2008–2009, 2016–2020, and 2021–2025, Amalgama has been funded by the Greek Ministry of Culture.