The Cyprus Choreography Platform was organised for the first time in 2001, further to the initiative of the  Culture Services of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth, and took place at the Falcon School Theatre in Nicosia under the title “Dance Encounters”. 

 

Since 2002, the Platform has been taking place at the Rialto Theatre in Limassol, which became along with the Cultural Services, the co-organiser of this  annual institution of the Deputy Ministry of Culture.

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The CCP has always aimed at supporting, developing and showcasing new choreographies and contemporary dance artists in Cyprus, as well as at promoting their work in international festivals and events. 

 

Over time, the Platform was evolved and enhanced with parallel events, introduced in 2007, also establishing a collaboration with Limassol Municipality. In 2008, the 1st Dance Throughout the Year edition was organised by Dance House Lemesos, which continues to this date to host this annual event, enriching the programme and becoming an invaluable partner. 

 

In 2019, the Cultural Services of the MoECSY and the Rialto Theatre, following the international developments and latest trends in Dance, while listening to the new challenges faced by choreographers in Cyprus, re-named the event from “Cyprus Dance Platform” to “Cyprus Choreography Platform”. The organisers, paying great attention to young and upcoming choreographers, adopted a dancers’ mentoring programme for the preparatory stages of the choreographies. Moreover, the CCP recently introduced the Upcoming Choreographer’s Award. 

 

During the past 23 years, tens of choreographers, hundreds of dancers, stage designers, musicians, lighting designers and other artists and participants have contributed to the Platform. Prominent personalities and representatives of institutions and international dance festivals have been closely following and becoming acquainted with the work of Cypriot choreographers, creating opportunities for international collaborations, synergies and invitations. 

 

Offering the opportunity to Cypriot choreographers to experiment with new forms of expression and to create new works, while enabling the audience to discover the latest trends in contemporary dance, the Cyprus Choreography Platform is the island’s most important celebration of Contemporary Dance.