Meet us on the dance floor: Getting to know Stacie and Stavros

Stacie is the board Chair of the Greek Folk Dance Program at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Charlotte, the largest program of its kind in the U.S. A native of Hampton, VA, Stacie was first exposed to Greek folk dance as a young child at her hometown church in Newport News, VA. Since moving to Charlotte in 2001, Stacie has overseen the growth of Holy Trinity’s program, including the development of a grade-level curriculum that serves almost 400 students. In addition to teaching classes and dancing with the Charlotte-based troupe, Thrylos, Stacie also serves as the Director of Competition for the Metropolis of Atlanta’s annual Hellenic Dance Festival (HDF) and has recently transitioned to developing the virtual HDForum Series, an educational supplement sponsored by HDF. 

Stacie believes deeply in the magic of connection through dance - to music, to history, to others, and to self. 

Stavros Karagiorgis is a Winston-Salem, NC native where he's been actively involved in the local dance program at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church. There, he has taught students of all ages and helps lead their program. Stavros has directed many award winning groups for his parish. Additionally, Stavros has taught various Greek folk dance workshops for Greek folk dance enthusiasts throughout the United States and Canada.

His main joy in the field of Greek folk dance is the ability to continuously learn. Stavros strives to continue to learn various dances, songs and traditions from local villagers in Greece. He has been on several research trips in Northern Greece and in the Cyclades. There he has had the unique opportunity to speak with countless villagers and musicians and been able to record both their oral and musical histories. To Stavros, this is the most rewarding part of his Greek folk dance hobby.

Stavros also plays an integral part in the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Atlanta’s Hellenic Dance Festival. He has served in various planning capacities over the last 12 years. Stavros currently serves as the co-chair of the Festival Implementation Team who presides over the organization and planning of the annual event. 2020’s event marked their biggest ever with over 50 competitive teams and nearly 2,000 attendees. 

https://www.hellenicdancefestival.com/