Who we are
Yasemin Collective formed in 2020 by Natalia Panagiotou, Despina Chrysanthou and Annie Sofocleous, based in Nicosia, Cyprus. The team's actions revolve equally around an artistic as well as a social level. The group's efforts revolve around three pillars:
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to actively contribute to the development of the Performing Arts in Cyprus
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to the strengthening of relations between the artistic community
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to the creation of space and dialogue that allow the wider public to come in contact with the Arts
The three artists thus strive to achieving inclusion, social cohesion, individual and group empowerment, the exchange of ideas and knowledge in a creative framework. Authentic performances that have been produced by the collective showing their active presence in the field of Performing Arts on the island to this day, are #kazanτί (2020), People of Faneromeni (2021), The New Reality Show (2021), Nat in da House (2021), The Magic Circle (2022), #tombολα (2022), La Patronne (2023), Kiki and Koko go loco (2024)
Natalia Panagiotou
Natalia Panagiotou holds a degree in Performing Arts specialised in Theatre (Université Paul Valéry Montpellier III), a master's degree in Performing Arts – Theatre and Dance (Université Lumière Lyon 2) and she is a graduate of the Arts en scène Drama School (Lyon). In recent years she has been working as an actress, performer and theatre maker in France and Cyprus. In her work, she explores playwriting, performing, clowning, stand-up comedy and directing. Alongside her artistic activity, she facilitates theatre and movement workshops for all ages with diverse backgrounds in order to create social impact. She is currently in the process of receiving the certification of professional training instructor of HRDA.
Despina Chrysanthou
Despina Chrysanthou is a graduate of Psychology from Lancaster University and the Drama School of Vladimiros Kafkarides. She has worked in the psychiatric ward of Reading Hospital, NHS England, and holds a diploma in hippotherapy, specializing in training individuals on the autism spectrum. She has also completed Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses in Human Resources (HR). As an actress, she has participated in television series, short films, and theater productions in Cyprus and England, collaborating with directors such as Maria Karsera, Asterios Peltekis, and Pascal Caron. Since 2012, she has been teaching theater to children and teenagers, and since 2020, she has worked at the Intervention Center for Individuals with Autism in Nicosia. She is also the creator and leader of the programs "The Autism Theatre Project" and "Theatricality in Cosplay”.
Annie Sofocleous
Annie Sofocleous holds a BA in Psychology and Management studies from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. She joined the field of theatre in 2010 through a unique teaching approach which combines experiential theatre with practices of Yoga. Over the years she attended intensive training seminars on the art of clowning, mime and physical theatre in Cyprus, Mexico, Spain and Germany. She deepened her knowledge in Circus Arts and their use as a tool for social change (social circus). To date she has worked in the fields of performing arts, events management, social welfare as a youth worker and as a theatre and juggling workshop facilitator for all ages. With 14 years of personal experience and consistency in Hatha Yoga practices (asanas, pranayama/breathing techniques and meditation) she now aims to complete the Yoga Teacher Training. Annie Sofocleous is a certified training instructor of HRDA for the lifelong learning of adults in Horizontal Skills.