Meet Elizabeth Adamis | Dancer/Choreographer/Professor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elizabeth Adamis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elizabeth, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I pursued an artistic and creative career, because I didn’t really have a choice. I am a person who was born with a mind that works in an artistic and creative way and that was my skill set. I couldn’t have been a Doctor or Lawyer, because I would never have been successful in any of the careers other than the ones that embraced my intelligence which is artistic and kinesthetic. If I wasn’t a dancer/choreographer/teacher/director I would have devoted time as an artist, actress or writer.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art is personal and at this point can be categorized as Dance Theatre, although I am not even sure that is entirely accurate. I create some dances that have a narrative component that can be compared to theatrical monologues that are either interwoven into the music score or spoken aloud in real time. I create other dances that are more abstract in nature and utilize elaborate props or layered technology. I also have created farcical political work when I have been so inspired, but all of the work seems to speak to specific aspects of tenuous existence and human connection. Sometimes it is a super specific and well defined intent – other times it is more broad and encompasses multiple meanings and points of view. My latest work was of the solo variety and very personal. It was called “Nobody Died” and was dance theatre that involved multiple approaches including an abstract retelling of my experience witnessing my husband’s death, a theatrical sound score including phone messages received from friends after his passing which I edited with his original music, an original film by Taso Papadakis which involved my daughter and I, live music by cellist Maggie Edmondson, a narrative monologue and an ending Greek Traditional song that was sung by my daughter acapella for my late husband who was a Greek Citizen.
I don’t really have a brand. I tried in the past, but am just not interested in how branding tries to simplify and limit an artist in the same way that a grant might. I have always had a full-time job while creating my work which has been difficult, but for me it was never about making myself known or important enough to carry on as an artist dependent on my art to survive. I wanted to make what I wanted to make without being confined to rules. This has its challenges because getting grants and support doesn’t come to those who are taking time to make work around life’s obstacles – but I am satisfied with what I have been able to achieve even with the constraints.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am a single parent with a full-time job and a part-time job. After my husband died unexpectedly it has been a challenge to say the least. So this question is for younger artists who are not challenged by circumstance who are still involved and invested in a world that offers things to them. My world now is more about fulfilling chores and responsibilities and job duties while being the best parent I can be. When I do get a chance to do something other than work – I like music concerts and my favorite venue is the Greek Theater. I will be seeing PJ Harvey there in October.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
All of the teachers/artists/choreographers/mentors and directors who have shaped who I am as an individual and artist including Susannah Newman, Doug Nielsen, Joy Kellman, Kista Tucker, Susan Matthews, Jacqui Malone, John Pennington, Nancy Keystone, Arianne MacBean, Cid Pearlman, Garth Fagan and Claire Culkin. The art I make wouldn’t exist without the influence of artists whose work has influenced and inspired me to keep going including Donna Uchizono, Pina Bausch, Akram Khan, Dimitris Papaioannou, and my late husband composer Yorgos Adamis and many great composers.

Website: https://vimeo.com/lizhoefneradamis

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lizhoefner

Other: I am not a big social media person. I do what I have to when I have a show – but honestly haven’t even watched the solo works I created for a performance last Fall yet – I haven’t had the time and am completely uninterested in social media probably to my detriment as an artist, but I have things posted to a vimeo page and a few things are on youtube.

Image Credits
Taso Papadakis – All images