A confession of panic attack takes the form of public psychotherapy, on the borderline between dance, performance, theater, rave and group therapy.
“I had never dealt with psychotherapy. Nor did I believe in panic crises. Until it happened to me,” declares the Cypriot choreographer and performer, inviting us to a highly confessional “rave as therapy happening,” with himself and the musician Die Arkitekt live on stage. A dancer in the permanent ensemble of the internationally renowned dance theater group Peeping Tom, Panos Malaktos, who showcased his work at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center two years ago by choreographing the performance “We are in the army now” by Ilias Adam, now presents his own work for the first time as part of the Onassis Dance Days. With the complex theme of mental health as its axis, he creates this work drawing inspiration from his personal journey through trauma, acceptance, and therapy. Like life itself, “We All Need Therapy” is a condition of entertainment, acceptance, self-care, stress, and sharing. For this new work, the performer delves into the musical universe of Die Arkitekt, seeking peace and catharsis in the darkest colors. Panos Malaktos and Die Arkitekt coexist on stage to confirm and also challenge this bold statement: We all need therapy – WE ALL NEED THERAPY. Blurring the boundaries between dance, performance, theater, rave, confession, and group therapy, the work involves the audience, allowing each viewer to feel free to share (optionally) their own story. A multidimensional, performative, unpredictable experience that explores the depths of human emotions, exposing the spectator to the rawness of the Western contemporary human condition.