Fotis Metaxopoulos
Dancer, Choreographer, Dance Instructor
He was born in Athens, on 13/5/1935. He decided to start dancing in 1954. On Angelos Grimanis’s advice, he studied at Myriam Choisy’s Dancing School. He first performed at the National Garden Theater in Romeo & Juliet. He regularly performed until 1957 as a dancer in revues, collaborating with famous protagonists (Vasilis Avlonitis, Georgia Vasileioadou, Orestis Makris, etc). In 1959, he participated in the European tour of the Katherine Dunham Company. In 1961, he turned to free theater and cinema, participating as a dancer or/and choreographer in at least 80 films. Until 1976 he collaborated with, among others, Aliki Vempo’s revue theatrical company, Nikos Hatziskos’s theatrical company and the film companies Karayannis-Karatzopoulos and Finos Film. He directed and choreographed the show Zorba comes to Australia. During the 1970s, he made a popular dancing duet with dancer Nadia Fontana (1970/80). During 1976-1990, he collaborated as choreographer and director with Delphinario Theater and since 1990 with theatrical businessman Nikos Parisis. He founded dancing schools in Athens (1981) and Halandri and he taught dancing in Halkida. He struggled for choreographers’ intellectual rights. He retired in 2001. He collaborated with the Greek National Orchestra during the period 1957/62, participating as a dancer in inserted ballet dances in seven productions and/or revivals of the following lyric works: La Traviata, The Merry Widow [Die lustige witwe], Aida, Carmen, Alceste, Prince Igor [Knyaz' Igor'], Moses in Egypt [Moisè in Egitto], The Godson [O vaftistikos]. He also participated in the ballets: Les Sylphides, The Merchant [O pramateftis], Mr. Piccoli’s Friday the 13th, A Poet’s Love [Dichterliebe], Symposium by Strauss, Suite of Old Spanish Dances.