Part of: Onassis Dance Days 2025
Dance

Horse Me | Sofia Mavragani & Janis Rafa

Dates

Age guidance

16+

Prices

9 — 12 €

Time & Date

Day
Time
Venue
Day
Thursday & Saturday
Time
22:00
Venue
Upper Stage
Day
Friday & Sunday
Time
18:00
Venue
Upper Stage

Tickets

Type
Price
Full price
12 €
Reduced, Friend & Neighborhood residents
20% discount on the regular ticket price
Groups 5-9 people
10% discount on the regular ticket price
Unemployed, People with disabilities, Companions
9 €

Group ticket reservations at groupsales@onassis.org

Onassis Friends presale: from 7 MAR 2025, 17:00
General presale: from 13 MAR 2025, 17:00

Information

Age guidance

The performance is suitable for ages 16 and up.

Duration

49 minutes

Dance, visual art, and music are intertwined in a horse-centered performance. In an atmosphere of misunderstood eroticism, the power dynamics between bodies riding and being ridden are subverted, redefining the boundaries of pleasure and submission.

Photo: Efi Gousi

Neighing, galloping, falls, sadistic bonds, torture, worship. The horse serves as a symbol of social status, beauty, and freedom, as well as a model of taming and ‘assimilation’ by humans. “Horse Me” is the result of a creative partnership between choreographer Sofia Mavragani and visual artist Janis Rafa. The sarcastic, political world of the choreographer merges with the multidimensional and animalistic universe of the visual artist.

Whips and snaffle bits intertwine in a bizarre sensual arrangement. Buttocks and tails vibrate over arias and electropop tunes. Paradox texts speak of the jockey’s triumph, while a list names the causes of death of twenty-three racehorses. Deft movements respond to violent commands implying the animal’s disobedience.

“Horse Me” explores human fantasies, desires, and cravings to tame and dominate other bodies. The work, by subverting gender stereotypes, hierarchies, and preconceived notions, raises concerns about the joys and pains that animals and human beings can share. By paying tribute to the creatures who have offered their lives in the service of humans, the performance finally appeals to the body’s right to remain unexplored, undefined, and untamed.

Credits

  • Concept & Co-creation

    Sofia Mavragani, Janis Rafa

  • Choreography

    Sofia Mavragani

  • Art Direction

    Janis Rafa

  • Original Music

    Thalia Ioannidou

  • Performance & Movement Material Creation

    Maria Vourou, Konstantina Barkouli, Pagona Boulbasakou

  • Soprano

    Lito Messini

  • Assistant to the creators

    Yorgos Kyvernitis

  • Dramaturgy

    Ioanna Valsamidou

  • Costumes

    Chrysanthos Christodoulou

  • Stage Design

    Janis Rafa, Filanthi Bougatsou

  • Lighting Design

    Thodoris Michopoulos

  • Special object construction

    Manos Vordonarakis

  • Costume making

    Eirini Androulidaki, Odysseas Sampalis

  • Production Assistant

    Giorgos Kalantzis

  • Line Production

    Fingersix/athens

  • With the financial support of the

    Hellenic Ministry of Culture

.

  • Onassis Foundation