Meet us on the dance floor: Getting to know Akis Tsirigotis

With over 35 years experience as a dancer and 20 years as a dance instructor, Aki’s passion and knowledge for Greek dance has been a large part of his life. His goal is to learn, teach, and preserve Hellenic dance and culture by passing on his knowledge to others. His philosophy entails a holistic approach to teaching and showcasing authentic Greek dances and traditions to all generations and audiences.

He began his teaching career as secondary instructor for the Greek School and Romiosyni’s women’s division in 2003. In 2005, he became one of the senior division instructors of Romiosyni Dance Group which he currently teaches. He is also a member of the Greek Community’s dance committee which oversees all Greek dance-related initiatives in Halifax. He is also a mentor and guide for the instructors in the group.

Aki received training in Canada and Greece through various dance seminars and has been involved with dance research in and out of the field. Despite that he has a vast knowledge of dances from all over Greece, his Pontic background motivated him to learn and research the dances and traditions of his papou. Other areas of specialization include dances, traditions, and songs of Peloponnisos (his other “home”), Kriti, Naxos, Anatoliki Romylia, Evros (Thraki), Makedonia (Drama, Serres, and Florina), Sarakatsanoi (Polites), and the Vlachs of eastern Makedonia.

Outside of dance, Aki works in the field of online learning and specializes in qualitative research, instructional design, curriculum development, faculty development, training, student success, and adult learning. He has taught as a secondary education teacher and as part-time faculty in higher education. Currently, he is a PhD student (in Educational Studies) at Mount Saint Vincent University where he is continuing his academic research on helping faculty shift their pedagogical practices towards learning-centred teaching. In the second half of 2022, he is also planning to conduct academic research related to Greek dance and culture which he hopes to publish.

When he is not working or hitting the books, he spends time with his family, plays soccer all year round, follows his beloved Olympiacos, and is obsessed with everything Star Wars!