Text by Irina Rusinovich
From the tender architecture of ballet to the boldness of public advocacy, Stefanos Dimoulas moves through the world as both artist and activist. Known for his powerful portrayal of Greek composer Manos Hadjidakis in the award-winning documentary Manos Hadjidakis: Idol in the Mirror, and for his striking appearance on the cover of Attitude magazine alongside his father during Pride 2019, Dimoulas embodies a kind of modern mythology — rooted in Greece, shaped in London, and resonating across borders.
Trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, his neoclassical technique is refined and disciplined, yet his expression reaches far beyond tradition. On stage and in front of the lens, he uses movement to unravel inherited narratives and create new ones — ones that embrace queerness, migration, memory, and the evolving body.
In this exclusive conversation, Stefanos shares how he honors legacy through performance, reshapes classical form with personal truth, and choreographs emotion, history, and identity into a language all his own.
Stefanos Dimoulas ©G66
You’ve portrayed legendary figures like Manos Hadjidakis and performed on world stages — what part of yourself do you bring into roles that are deeply rooted in culture or history?
I bring my full self — my heritage, queerness, and personal lens. When portraying someone like Hadjidakis, I connect emotionally rather than mimic. I let the history breathe through my own experience. It’s about honouring the legacy while making it feel alive today.
From Volos to London, your journey spans continents, disciplines, and identities. How has migration shaped not only your artistry but your view on representation and belonging?
Migration shaped everything. It taught me that identity is fluid and belonging can be built, not just inherited. Moving from Volos to London made me hyper-aware of visibility and the power of storytelling. It pushed me to create space for others, not just for myself.
Stefanos Dimoulas ©G66
Ballet often carries the weight of tradition — how do you balance the neoclassical form with your activist voice and desire to challenge societal norms?
I see ballet as a foundation, not a limitation. I respect its form, but I’ve always felt the urge to bend it toward something freer and more honest. My activism shows up in the choices I make — in movement, creation, and narrative. It’s about creating space where different bodies and voices belong.
Over to the photographer of this collaboration, G66. Your visual style often blends raw emotion with bold composition. What draws you to collaborate with performers, and how do you capture movement in a still frame?
My passion for photography started with martial arts—watching fighters in motion taught me to see beauty in raw energy and instinctive storytelling. Performers bring that same intensity. I’m drawn to capturing those subtle, in-between moments—a glance, a breath, a held tension. For me, movement in a still frame is all about timing, intuition, and a real connection with the subject, framed boldly to preserve the emotion.
Stefanos Dimoulas ©G66
This shoot merges fashion, performance, and storytelling. What was your creative approach behind the lens, and how did you aim to reflect the energy of the collaboration?
A lot of the image was shaped by the atmosphere on the day—the way the sun hit the wall felt like a stage spotlight, which suited a performer perfectly. The movement was freestyled, giving the shoot a raw, spontaneous energy. We kept adjusting together in real time, blending fashion, movement, and instinct. It was a genuine collaboration that made the images feel alive.
Stefanos Dimoulas ©G66
