A simple but impressive opening ceremony will signal the start of this year's International Tour of Hellas, in Delphes.

ATRAPOS dance & culture group and SAOS music BAND bring to life the first Delphic Paian, at the place it was discovered, at Delphes, in the framework of the opening ceremony of the International Tour of Hellas, on Friday, April 29, 2022.

With a modest and unpretentious flame touch that includes a Doric dance performance and an impressive musical revival of the Delphic composition - just as it was saved recovered from antiquity, this year's event proves in practice that sports and culture can become a bridge that strengthens the bonds of people with their heritage.

The Delphic Hymns are the largest part of the few samples of ancient Greek music. The Paian in honor of Apollo (138 BC) by Limenios Thinos, Athenian, was found carved on an outer wall of the Athenian treasure at Delphes, in 1893. This is a rare exceptional music sample, one of the few that have survived. The experienced artistic groups that frame the event, with many years of presence in the field of Greek culture and specializing in the study of kinesiology and music from antiquity, will present a short opening ceremony, which includes dancing of the first Delphic Paian, the touch of flame with the hymn of Mesomides and the Oath of the athletes wishing noble rivalry.

7 dancers/priestesses and 5 musicians in front of the statue of Prometheus, in a unique event, which highlights our cultural roots and brings slices of antiquity to life, among the colorful crowd of enthusiastic athletes from all over the world.

About Atrapos Dance & Culture Group

ATRAPOS dance & culture group aims to connect ancient dance and spirit with the present, revealing a constantly flowing and malleable timelessness of messages that result from the contact of the body with the soul, from the rich symbolism ancient texts and myths, but also from the values inherent in the quality of movement, speech and expression, as - perceived through sources - our ancestors approached things.

Through this perspective, the group collaborates with professionals in the field of art, scientists, academics, researchers, but also organizations that support this action, transforming dance into today's messages, and presenting works, performances and events that serve this purpose.

The group has a rich performance activity and has presented theatrical performances and plays that highlight the Greek culture, through in-depth research of ancient dance and all its genres.

The group was founded in 2014 by Arsinoe Lilly Karadima, choreographer and artistic director of the group and is constantly enriched with professional dancers and actors who love and research Hellenic culture in depth.

About SAOS Music Band

SAOS band was set to Music Industries, for the first time in our years, by the Composer Hephaestion Vaxevaneris, in 2015. The novelty of this project is that for the first time today, after Ancient times, we encounter melody composition on pure Ancient Greek Lyrics, with Traditional and Classical Instruments invested with Musical colorations by Ancient Lyre in conjunction with Traditional Greek Style. For the first time, Traditional Styles of Crete, Thrace, Epirus, Pontos, Macedonia and Eastern Greece, meeting with ancient scales, ancient lyrics and with the leading Greek virtuosos of SAOS:

SAOS music, in addition to a cultural contribution, is also a teaching tool, since it helps learning Ancient Greek in the most pleasant way and putting up a substantial part of Greek Philoshophy and Mythology which inspired many people by the meanings and symbols of the spiritual Orders of Ancient Greek Mysteries. Also it will be used in universities worldwide as a teaching tool in the activation of Ancient Greek as a living language. In the concerts, we use subtitling system in ​​English or Greek, depending on the audience in order to be understood by everyone.