Dance Programs
Celebrate Greek culture and dance in Omaha! Our vibrant Hellenic Dance Festival (HDF) program, home to the award-winning Anemos and Anemakia competitive troupes, offers opportunities for all ages to learn traditional Greek folk dancing, perform at our annual Greek Festival, and even compete at the Metropolis of Atlanta’s Hellenic Dance Festival. Join our passionate community and experience the joy of Greek dance!
Hellenic Dance Festival (HDF) Program
On the foundations of a longstanding recreational Greek folk dance program, the parish in 2022 established a competitive troupe, “Anemos,” to compete at the Metropolis of Atlanta’s 2023 Hellenic Dance Festival (HDF), at which Anemos received the Gold Medal (Second Place) in the Advanced Intermediate Division as well as the Philotimo Award, given to the parish best demonstrating the spirit of the event. At the 2024 Hellenic Dance Festival, Anemos received the Platinum Medal (First Place) in the Advanced Intermediate Division while the newly-founded “Anemakia” troupe received the Gold Medal (Second Place) in the Primary Division, along with the Primary Division’s Costume and Folk Expression Awards. A contingency of dancers, families and friends from Omaha traveled to Atlanta, Orlando, and North Carolina in their support.
Anemos and Anemakia practice throughout the year and perform at special events at St. John’s and in the Omaha community. In September HDF will once again host professional instructor Konstantinos Dimitropoulos Efentakis for a two-week Intensive Choreography Session. After the Intensive, practices will be held twice per week until HDF Competition Weekend in January. From September until January, all dancers (grade school to young adult) fulfill a liturgical attendance requirement, and dancers under the age of 18 must enroll in Church School and fulfill a Greek Language Requirement to be eligible for participation.
The HDF program is directed by Christina Piperis, Maria Sanderson, Yiota Anastasiou and Nikolaos Piperis under the direction of Konstantinos Dimitropoulos Efentakis. While HDF involves commitment, it is among the premier events in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America which celebrates our Greek Orthodox faith and culture. We are proud of the accomplishments of our Anemos and Anemakia dancers and look forward to the 25th Hellenic Dance Festival to be held in January of 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana!
Greek Festival Recreational Greek Dance Program
The Greek Festival Recreational Dance Program is open to all parish youth and young adults from age 3 and up.
Practices are held on Sundays after Divine Liturgy during the summer to prepare for performances at the annual Greek Festival.
