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Iro Sismani-Athanasopoulou

Dancer, Choreographer
She was born in Smyrna, Turkey in 1922. She studied rhythmic and ballet in Paris (1927-1930) and Athens at the Marie Raymond (1930-1937) and the Romanos Costa Nichols schools (1937-1939). She continued her studies at the Lubov Egorova School in Paris, graduating with a diploma (1941). In 1943 she joined the GNO as principal dancer. In 1945 and for four years she stayed for information and training at Paris and London schools, as well as at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. In 1949 she founded the Athens-based classical ballet and rhythmic gymnastics school under her name. In 1953 she also founded a 25-member dance company, and by 1965 she had staged for the first time in Greece -with Greek dancers and authentic choreography- the full classical ballet repertoire: Giselle, Swan Lake and Les Sylphides, as well as extensive excerpts from the ballets The sleeping beauty, Nutcracker, Don Quixote, etc. Many of these performances were staged in sets and costumes designed by Yannis Tsarouchis, with music by the Athens State Orchestra and staged on the Kotopouli-REX Theater. As a choreographer she also cooperated with private stages and choreographed performances abroad. She founded and directed the Municipal People's Ballet on Rhodes island, and choreographed dance performances at the Municipal Theater of Rhodes and other theaters. She was a member of the jury of the International Ballet Competition in Varna, Bulgaria (1966) and honorary member of the jury of the International Ballet Competition in Moscow (1977). She died in Athens at the age of 94, on 14/07/2013. It has been found and confirmed that she worked with the GNO as choreographer in the ballets Swan Lake (excerpts, 1970/71) and The little nothings [Le petits riens] (1966/67).