By recording and filming the groups of villagers who were invited to perform in the Theater, important archives have been initially constituted. It has been supplemented by recordings, photographs and notes taken during visits to other villages. These films and recordings are used today to verify that dancing and music in the performances do not deviate from the original. A library of 10,000 books and articles, as well as a vast collection of records and field recordings of folk music, continuously updated, ensure that a researcher can find, gathered in one building, a unique wealth of resources. Part of the archive can be accessed at the Greek Dance Pandect portal www.dance-pandect.gr
A Study Group on ancient Greek dance functions independently within the Theater, offering courses, workshops and exhibitions. More than 60 research programs have been carried out, using ethnographic or sociological methodology, under the guidance of Prof. Alkis Raftis. They include several doctoral and postgraduate thesis, as well as numerous diploma dissertations by students of various universities; in addition, many other students and researchers come to ask for resources or advice. Dance group leaders frequently call in to inquire on various matters. In this way the Theater is the focal point and crossroads of everyone involved in Greek dance.
Research projects of the “Greek Dances Theatre” under supervision of Dr. Alkis Raftis
1. Marigoula Kritsioti (librarian): “Dance in Karpathos”. Ethnographic Research. Three articles and one LP record have been published. A book is under preparation.
2. Anna Panagiotopoulou-Zikou (Diploma of Physical Education, dance instructor in the Athens University Physical Education Department): “The phenomenon of dance in the province of Dorida. Choreogenesis and choreography of the neo-hellenic dance”. Doctoral thesis in the University of Athens Physical Education Department, approved in 1992.
3. Yannis Zikos (Diploma in Physical Education, dance instructor in the Athens University Physical Education Department). “The dance phenomenon in the province of Voio, Kozani. Pedagogical importance and cultural power of the neo-hellenic dance”. Doctoral thesis in the University of Athens Physical Education Department, approved in 1992.
4. Aliki Lambrou (folklorist): “Dance in Skyros”. Research aiming to the writing of a book. One article has been published.
5. Constantina Amarantou (Undergratuate of Physical Education): “Dances and songs, manners and customs in Sinassos, Cappadocia”. Diploma disssertation. University of Thrace, Physical Education Department, approved in 1991.
6. Christos Broufas (folklorist, decorator): “Song, attire and dance amongst the Vlachs”. Field research. One book has been published.
7. Stella Vergi (linguist, assistant Professor in the University of Thessalonica): “Dance as a semeiotic system”. The book “Language and rhythm” has been published.
8. Smaragdha Svarna (mathematician): “Dance and music among the pythagorian philosophers”. Bibliographical research.
9. Nikos Zagouras (Associate Professor in the University of Patras): “The connection between the ancient and the folk music”. Two articles have been issued.
10. Anna Cirigliano (choreographer): “The Greek dances”. Diploma dissertation in the National Dance Academy of Rome, approved in 1990. One paper has been presented in congress. Research is being continued under the topic: “Information on the dances of the Dodecanese Islands in Italian archives”.
11. Regina Kapetanaki (choreographer, stage director): “The dramatic aspects of folk dance”. Research aiming to the writing of a book.
12. Philippos Philippou (Diploma of Physical Education, dance instructor in the University of Thrace): “The traditional dance as a social phenomenon in Orma, Aridea region”. Dissertation for the postgraduate diploma (D.E.A.) in Ethnoloky in the School of Social Sciences, Paris. It was approved in 1993.
13. Dimitris Goulimaris (Diploma in Physical Education): “Aspects of the dance phenomenon in the areas of Malgara and Kessani, Eastern Thrace”. Dissertation for the postgraduate diploma of Ethnology in the Free University of Brussels, Belgium. It was approved in 1993.
14. Nikoletta Vertsioti (undergraduate in civil engineering): “Dance and space. The architectural shaping of the place of dancing”. Diploma dissertation in the Civil Engineering Department of the Polytechnic School of the University of Patras. It was approved in 1990.
15. Caterina Stavrou (philologist): “The traditional dances of Aghiassos, Lesbos, and their relation to society”. Dissertation for the postgraduate diploma D.E.A. of Ethnology in the School of Social Sciences, Paris. It was approved in 1990.
16. Marie-Helene Delavaud-Roux (choreographer, archaelogist): “Study on dancing during the Greek Antiquity”. Doctoral thesis in the Aix-Marseille University, France. It was approved in 1991. Articles and two books have been published and papers have been presented in congresses. A report and choreographies have also been presented.
17. Elisabet Hanley (Professor in the Dance Section of Penn State Univeristy, U.S.A.): “Alterations on the folk dances during their presentation on stage”. Research project during sabbatical leave in Athens, in 1993.
18. Christine Glauser (sociology undergraduate): “Sociological study on the Greek folk dance groups in Germany”, Undergraduate paper for the Department of History in the University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
19. Agn*s-Mabille (sociology undergraduate): “Dancing the Greek way in Athens of 1988”. Dissertation for the postgraduate diploma of Sociology in the University of Paris IV. It was approved in 1988.
20. Gergely Born (choreographer): “The dance groups in Greece as a social phenomenon. Comparison with Hungary”. Scholarship of the Greek Government. Study in collaboration with the Natioanal Centre of Folk Art of Hungary.
21. Sterghios Theocharidis (computer analyst): “Dance customs of the Greeks refugees from the area of Konia, Asia Minor”. Archival and ethnographic research aiming to the writing of a book.
22. Anastasia Anastassopoulou (economist): “Patterns of alignement in Greek folk dances”. Computer-aided comparative study.
23. Anne Sorin & Sophie Deliyannis (historians): “The Greek dances in the narrations of French travellers, 1600-1900”. Dissertation for the postgraduate diploma of computer documantation in the School of Social Sciences, Paris. It was approved in 1993.
24. Dora Pharmaki (computer engineer): “Study on the creation of a complete bank of visual and other data about for management of a large wardrobe of folk costumes”. Research program sponsored by the European Union.
25. Alexia Margariti (graduate of the State School of Dance): The dances of four villages of Cappadocia”. Diploma dissertation in the Section of Higher Studies of Paris University IV, Sorbonne. It was approved in 1988. Three articles and two papers in congresses have been published.
26. Angela Shand (philologist): “Dance from the inside”. Essay for the Diploma on International Relations in the University of Minnesota, U.S.A.. It was approved in 1991.
27. Folk Dance Festival (Organisation of the Greek Orthodox Church of North America): “The history of the Folk Dance Festival F.D.F.”. Research project open to contributions of many persons aiming to the publication of a vertebrate book.
28. Norvald Nilsen (musicologist): “Foreign dances in Norwegian schools and generally in the educational system of Scandinavia”. Field research on Greek dances, their notation and adaption in school instruction. Study in collaboration with the Agder Musikkonservatorium, Norway.
29. Sophia Gari-Eleftheriou (dentist): “The traditional culture of the Greek refugees from Kiutachia, Asia Minor”. Study for the writing of a book. A lecture has been given.
30. Agoro Tsiou (philologist): “Songs and dance customs in the area of Konitsa, Epirus”. Study for the writing of a book and the production of a record.
31. Christos Iakovou (historian): “The ceremonial dancing with objects in Cyprus”. Preliminary study for of a doctoral thesis.
32. Anna Lazou (philosopher, instructor in the University of Athens). “The ancient Greek dance seen from a philosophical viewpoint”. Research for a doctoral thesis. Many articles have been published and papers have been presented in congresses.
33. Frederick Naerebout (historian, instructor in the Department of Archaelogy of the University of Amsterdam): “The ancient Greek dance and the attempts for its revival”. Doctoral thesis in the University of Utrecht, Holland.
34. Sasha von Gerlach (choreographer): “The dramatic element in Greek dance”. Research on the connection between ancient and neo-hellenic traditional dance within the contemporary choreographies.
35. Dorrit Poulsen (ethnologist): “Traditional dance and costume in Megara”. Research under a scholarship from the Danish Government for the writing of a book and the preparation of an exhibition in Copenhagen and Athens.
36. Kipps Horn (ethnomusicologist): “The element of improvisation in Greek traditional music”. Doctoral thesis in Monash University of Melbourne.
37. Vangelis Liapis (lawyer): “Dance and costume amongst the Countouriotes Albanian Greeksin Eleusis”. Field research. Articles and a book have been published. Papers have been presented in congresses.
38. Adamantia Angeli (economist): “Iconography of dance in Greece of the 19th and 20th century”.
39. Athina Maha (Historian, Graduate of University of Ioannina) : “The Greek Traditional Costumes”.
40. Naira Kilichian (Dance Historian, member of Academy of Sciences, Yerevan): “Comparative studies of armenian and pontic dances”.
41. Angharad James (Dance Graduate, University of Surrey): “Greek folk dance and Benesh notation”.
42. Pericles Papakostas (graduate of Physical Education): “Dance in the area of Nevropolis of Agrapha, Konitsa. Sociological approach”. Research for the elaboration of a doctoral thesis.
43. Corina Oosterveen (teacher in pedagogy of dance): “Applications of traditional dance in contemporary society”. Research for the elaboration of new methods for the teaching of traditional dance.
44. Yannis Manos (historian-archaeologist): “Ethnological research on the music and dance in the village Psarades, Florina region”. Field research in view of a doctoral thesis.
45. Anna Molnar (choreographer, teacher of physical education: “The role and the significance of dance and music in Greek Education”. a. Choreography for gymnastics, b. Rhytmic gymnastics and improvisation in sport and dance, c. Notation method for rhythmic gymnastics, sport and dance.
46. Mary Kerner (dance historian and critic): “Isadora Duncan and ancient Greek dance”.
47. Madeleine Lytton (choreographer): “Isadora Duncan and Greece”.
48. Ariadne-Daphni Stergiopoulos: “Musical and Dance Tradition in Goumenissa, Kilkis
49. Inger Zielfelt (Sweden): “The comparative study between Swedish Folk Culture and the Greek one.
50. Evagelos Roubas (Greece): The traditional culture in the village Parakalamos in Ioannina.
51. Madeleine Lytton (choreographer): “Isadora Duncan and Greece”.
52. Daniel Koglin (Germany): Greek Music of Thrace, kaval.
53. Marilena Fatourou (Greece): Oriental dance.
54. Martha Cotrim (Brazil): A la recherche du temple perdu. Research on training for actors and dancers as initiation to creativity.
55. Mohamed Sadek & Sotiria Patsiou : “Bridging Egypt with Greece and Greece with Egypt”
56. Bettina Henkel (Austria) : Greek face-to-face dances
57. Margarita Kefalaki (Greece): Dance in Naxos and Corse
58. Athanassia Kontonikou (Greece): Performance-Choreography and Education
59. Nektarios-Petros Gioutsos (Greece): “Dances of Nymphs, Menades and other female dances during the antiquity”.
60. Calliopi Varoudaki (Greece): Census of dance groups and dance schools. Their role in the preservation of social cohesion”.
61. Ms. Karen Ann Elizabeth Kriegel (U.S.A.): “Comparative study of traditional dances between Greece and Korea”.
62. Ms. Zoe Robinson (U.K.): “Archetypes as expressed in Movement”.
63. Ms. Gordana Blagojevic (Serbia): A comparative study of Serbian and Greek traditional folk dances during the 20th century.
64. Ms. Jo Tyler Smith (CID member 7851): Dance in Ancient Greek Drama
65. Ms. Vasiliki Farmaki (CID member) : A Collective Disposition: Dancing the Greek Dances at the Age of the Individualistic Culture
66. Charalambos Bakopoulos: Traditional dances and customs of the Island of Amorgos. Dora Stratou Dance Theatre and S. Niarchos Foundation, 2007.
67. Adamantia Christofilopoulou: Research on dance tradition and customs at Langadia, Arcadia. Entertainment (dance, song, etc.). Dora Stratou Dance Theatre and S. Niarchos Foundation, 2007.
68. Marigoula Kristioti: Othos on Karpathos Island, as research field of music and dance tradition. Dora Stratou Dance Theatre and S. Niarchos Foundation, 2007.
69. Dimitrios Lianostathis: Dance, music and customs research at the village Kourkouli in Evia. Dora Stratou Dance Theatre and S. Niarchos Foundation, 2007.
70. George Stavropoulos: Research on dance customs at Syros, a Cyclades Island. Dora Stratou Dance Theatre and S. Niarchos Foundation, 2007.
71. Lambrini Raikou: Tsoukalades village in Viotia, a pure Sarakatsani village. Dora Stratou Dance Theatre and S. Niarchos Foundation, 2007.
72. Agoro Tsiou: Kantsiko, a village of the Mastorohoria, Konitsa, Epirus. Traditional dances and songs in the cycle of life. Dora Stratou Dance Theatre and S. Niarchos Foundation, 2007.
73. Calliopi Varoudaki: Castellorizo. Dance and traditional culture research in the island of Castellorizo. Dora Stratou Dance Theatre and S. Niarchos Foundation, 2007.
74. Ioannis Veronis: Dance and relative customs research at Damarionas village, Naxos Island. Entertainment (dance, song etc.). Dora Stratou Dance Theatre and S. Niarchos Foundation, 2007.
75. Anna Lazou: Dance and theatre tradition research at Skoulikado village, Zakynthos Island. Dora Stratou Dance Theatre and S. Niarchos Foundation, 2007.