In our "Deep Dive" interview series, we spoke to Ioannis Mandafounis, Artistic Director of the DFDC, about his career as a choreographer and dancer, his method of live choreography, and martial arts.

Ioannis Mandafounis was born in Athens and studied dance at the Paris Conservatoire. He danced with The Forsythe Company, amongst others, and began working as a choreographer in 2004. He has created commissioned works for a wide range of international companies, and his choreographies have been performed in renowned theatres around the world. With “À la carte”, his first creation for the Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company, he was nominated in 2024 for the prestigious German theatre award DER FAUST.

Based on the choreographic methodology he has developed, Mandafounis’ work is characterised by a strongly participatory approach and a constant search for innovative ways to involve the audience in his performances. Offering people an honest and profound experience of dance and bringing them closer to this art form is the driving force behind his creativity.