The 619 Creative
When We Dance:
The Thread Back Home
A FEATURE DOCUMENTARY BY ATHENA HIOTIS
WHY THIS PROJECT?
There is something about Greek folk dancing that connects the diaspora to its heritage unlike anything else. Maybe it's history, the memory of a loved one, or even the thrill of performing at your local Greek festival. Either way, it's an inseparable part of who we are, both as individuals and as a community.
"When We Dance: The Thread Back Home" will be the first full-length documentary to explore this connection and it's a responsibility we take seriously. We're speaking with community members across four generations, dance instructors, and researchers from different parts of North America and Australia, listening to their stories and experiences, while also learning how history, geography, and decades of diaspora life have all shaped the dances that bring us together.
Your support will help us tell this story and share it with the world, both within our community and far beyond it.
Below you'll find our proof of concept and pitch deck where you can read more details on our timeline and plan. The pitch deck is updated after major milestones.
Please reach out directly if you'd like any more information regarding our production, including financials.
Athena Hiotis
Director/Writer
Donate to "When We Dance"
We are at the home stretch of this production and are asking for your support! Every single dollar goes toward making this documentary a reality. Each amount lists what you will receive for your donation. If you would rather pitch in a different amount, you can use the custom box below.
If you prefer to donate directly via check, please email us at the619creative@gmail.com.
$138.92 raised
78 days left!
1%
A personal thank-you from Athena and the team, your name on the online supporter wall and a group thank-you shared on the film's social channels.
$25
A personal thank-you from Athena and the team, your name on the online supporter wall and a group thank-you shared on the film's social channels and exclusive behind-the-scenes videos from the shoots
$50
Previous tiers + on screen thank you under Community Supporters
$100
Previous tiers + an individual social media shoutout, access to behind-the-scenes media, and a signed poster.
$250
Previous tiers + name listed under Special Thanks credits, two tickets to the premiere in Baltimore, Toronto, NYC, other cities TBD
$500
Previous tiers + a business shoutout on the Syrtos podcast and your logo on the film's website.
$1,000
Previous tiers + plus an Associate Producer credit and VIP premiere seating for two in a city to be determined.
$2,500
Previous tiers + named sponsor status: your logo in the end credits, a sponsored Syrtos podcast episode and 4 VIP premiere tickets in a city to be determined.
$5,000
Other
0/100
Comment (optional)
HELLENIC PERFORMING
ARTS FOUNDATION
The Hellenic Performing Arts Foundation (HPAF) is a national nonprofit dedicated to keeping Greek folk traditions alive, not just as memories, but as living, practiced culture.
Through educational programs, archival research, oral history projects, and cultural events, HPAF is building the infrastructure needed to pass these traditions on to future generations, both in Greece and across the global diaspora.
They are currently expanding their platform and actively welcoming new partners and supporters who share this vision.
If you'd like to learn a bit more about HPAF, please visit them at https://www.hellenicperformingarts.org/
OUR SHARED MISSION.
Greek traditional dance is not simply a performance. It is a living thread connecting generations, geographies, and identities. This documentary is based on that belief and it's why our partnership with the Hellenic Performing Arts Foundation feels so natural.
HPAF believes in giving traditions like these what they deserve: a place where they are documented, taught, and transmitted rather than quietly forgotten. Our film does the same work through a different lens.
Together, we share the conviction that the Greek diaspora's cultural heritage is worth protecting, worth celebrating, and worth sharing with the world.
Donations made through HPAF directly advances that mission.
Contact
Follow
Follow our journey!
