Ioannis Mandafounis
Choreographer
Greece
In 2025, Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels presents Join by Ioannis Mandafounis in collaboration with Sadler's Wells as part of the Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels festival in London.
Ioannis Mandafounis was born in Athens and studied dance at the Paris Conservatory. He danced with GöteborgsOperans Danskompani, Nederlands Dans Theater II and The Forsythe Company. In 2004 he started his career as a choreographer. From 2009 onwards he was part of the successful Frankfurt-based collective mamaza. At the same time, he led his own company in Switzerland and toured worldwide. Since the beginning of the season 2023/24, Ioannis Mandafounis is the Artistic Director of the Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company.
Over the course of his career, he has been commissioned to create pieces for a variety of international companies, including Lyon Opera Ballet, the Grand Théâtre de Genève, Corpus at the Royal Danish Ballet, the Greek National Opera Ballet, the National Theater in Athens, the Theater Junge Generation Dresden, Norrdans, the Gärtnerplatztheater in Munich and Regionteater Väst. Furthermore, his works have been performed at many renowned theaters worldwide.
Based on the choreographic method he has developed, Mandafounis’ work is characterized by a highly participatory approach and a constant search for innovative ways to involve the audience in his performances. Offering people an authentic and profound experience of dance, and thus bringing them closer to this art form, is the driving force behind his creativity.
