Marianna Karava is an artist and educator from Greece whose work blends dance, performance, visual poetry, and book arts. With a background in Biology and Contemporary Dance, she explores the connections between movement, storytelling, and community.

Living between Greece and Serbia, Marianna’s travels and collaborations have shaped her artistic journey. Inspired by the Mediterranean and its rich traditions, she creates work that reflects both personal and shared experiences.

In this interview, she talks about her creative process, the meaning of identity, and her passion for making movement accessible to all.

Could you share a bit about your background with us? Where are you from, and what is your journey as both an artist and an educator?

I am an artist and educator from Greece with academic studies in Biology and Contemporary Dance. My creative practice integrates contemporary dance, performance, visual poetry and book arts. Inspired by the Greek poet Matsi Hadjilazarou’s words ‘Our poetry is our life / Η ποίηση μας είναι η ζωή’, my artistic and educational endeavours weave connections between self and community, body and topos.

My teaching repertoire includes contemporary dance, yoga and pilates. I am particularly interested in making movement accessible, especially to underserved communities including the elderly, those with injuries, chronic illnesses, and disabilities.

In recent years I have been living between Chalkida in Greece and Belgrade in Serbia. This nomadic lifestyle, combined with art residencies and collaborations, has allowed me to connect with artists across the Balkans and the wider international community, enriching my artistic praxis.

Your artistic work intersects dance, performance, visual poetry, and book arts. How do these disciplines interact in your creative process, and what drives you to explore such diverse mediums?

Movement has always been at the core of my life, giving me a sense of effortless joy. Whether performing or teaching, it allows me to deepen my relationship with myself and others. Writing, on the other hand, comes as a response; a way to verbally express the imagination born of embodied connection. Visual poetry and bookmaking extend this creative dialogue, allowing me to share my work in a tactile form.

The intersection of these disciplines feels organic rather than deliberate. From the physicality of movement to the materiality of handmade work, this process unfolds as a natural extension of my creative self.

What does it mean to you to be Mediterranean, and how does this identity influence and shape your artistic practice?

The Mediterranean as a unique topos shapes my aesthetic sensibility, moreover through the rich traditions of poetry, dance and the tactile arts. Reflecting on this identity, I could say that for me being Mediterranean means first and foremost being deeply connected to the sea. 

Having grown up by the water, it became an integral part of my imagination. This massive entity invites us to go deeper into ourselves and into the essence of things. The sea calls us to explore the depths and this is, I could say, the force that drives my life and my creative endeavours.

How do you approach visual storytelling in your work? Could you share the key sources of inspiration behind your narratives and the techniques you use to bring them to life?

My work in visual poetry is mostly inspired by folk arts and crafts. The main inspirational figure is my grandmother, whom I always remember with a craft in her hands. Her work instilled in me a deep appreciation for the wisdom, resilience and adaptability inherent in traditional handwork. 

I use embroidery techniques, mostly on paper, to create poetic pieces that invite both tactile and contemplative engagement. Through my work, I feel connected to all those generations of female artists who have quietly crafted over the years with unparalleled dedication.

You’ve spoken about weaving connections between self, community, body, and topos. How do these themes manifest in your practice?

My artistic practice is intertwined with my personal life, rooted in the places I inhabit and the people I connect with. As a dance artist, I am primarily interested in improvisation and instant composition, which encourage being in a state of constant dialogue between self, others and the environment. 

In recent years I have curated long-duration improvisation events in collaboration with fellow artists, cultivating spaces that invite playful curiosity and challenge both performers and audiences to actively engage. In this setting, improvisation invites on-the-spot decisions and embraces vulnerability.  Through my work I want to contribute to the dialogue about the need to create spaces where individuals can authentically belong.

Can you share details about any upcoming projects or collaborations you’re currently working on?

Having recently returned to my home town, I am focusing on teaching while completing a project initiated during the previous art residency. This includes a series of embroidered pieces paired with short stories, which I am compiling into a handmade book and I am currently exploring the best format for this. 

At the same time, I’m actively applying for artist residencies and travel opportunities. I want to continue creating in new places and I am curious to see where the next project will take me.

What advice would you give to artists aspiring to embrace interdisciplinary practices?

I don’t really believe in offering advice, as each individual’s journey is unique. I could share that in my case, interdisciplinary practice is not something to be pursued as a goal, but rather something that emerges naturally. If something seems relevant, I fully commit to exploring it. 

This is my freedom as an artist; to shape my personal quest, to persist in the search for a meaningful answer, and to embrace the possibility of redefining both the given and the question itself along the way. 

🌱 Check out Marianna’s work on Instagram.