Aegina Retreats
Fluid Creativity through Expressive Painting & Butoh
with
Yanis Zagorianakos & Aliki Germanou
Spring: 28 March -4 April
Autumn: 12-19 September
A 7 day Journey through Painting, Movement & Creative transformation
The two workshops form a shared creative ecosystem, where the processes, explorations and inspirations of one naturally flow into the other, creating a space of interaction, exchange and expansion of the artistic experience.
What is it About?
A transformative 6-day residential workshop that explores fluid creativity through the complementary practices of Expressive Painting and Butoh, in which you will unlearn rigid creative habits and discover a playful, imaginative state where painting and Butoh move freely through your body, breath and soul. This is not about mastering techniques; it is about letting go, surrendering to the currents and revealing the creative depths within.
Through the dual practice of painting and Butoh you will dive into the mysteries of fluid creativity, express emotions and find guidance to expand.
This is not about mastering techniques. It’s about letting go, unlearning, or even pretending – stepping into a playful, imaginative state where creativity can move freely and naturally. The process mirrors dancing in space, only this time the dancing happens in time itself.
The experience
Throughout the six days you will:
Explore how to tune into your creative expression and connecting.
Practice Expressive Painting in a fully equipped studio
Embody & Practice Butoh in a fully equiped studio.
Engage in mindfulness and focus in awareness practices.
Uncover your creative depths through theory, practice and surrender.
The tools you need are simple: the rhythm of your breath, the freedom of your body, the willingness to let go. Expect the unexpected. Surrender to the currents. Discover what lies beneath the surface.
About the Teachers
Yanis Zagorianakos
Painter, Craftsman
I am a self-taught, full-time craftsman and painter. I hold a BSc in Industrial Chemistry and Design from City University London, a background that has shaped me into an artist with a strong scientific curiosity and an investigative approach to materials and process
.
I was born in Athens and grew up between Athens, Johannesburg, and London. At 17, I moved permanently to London, where I studied and later worked as a Project Scientist & Designer, conducting research. After fifteen years, I returned to Athens, left my scientific career behind, and began travelling to India. There, almost by accident, I was introduced to the world of Arts & Crafts. For the next decade, I visited India regularly and attended a wide range of craft seminars, along with numerous painting workshops in both London and Athens — all while working full-time as an artist and craftsman.
Today, I live and work between the islands of Aegina and Amorgos.
My work is driven by a deep curiosity for materials. Over the years, I have worked with wood, metal, fabric, glass, and I am always exploring new materials and unexpected combinations. In painting, I use watercolours, acrylics, oxidations, oil, collage — almost anything I can get my hands on, as long as it serves the work and the creative process.
Aliki Germanou
Dancer, Teacher and Artistic Explorer
I grew up in Athens and came into contact wiht dance at the age of six, forming a relationship that has remained constant ever since. After completing my studies, I trained in classical ballet and contemporary dance. At that time, teaching had never crossed my mind — my focus was entirely on performing and exploring the stage. However, after graduation I began teaching classical ballet while also joining a contemporary dance company. A few years later, I was overcome by a strong need for a different kind of artistic exploration. That is when I discovered Butoh through my main teacher, Masaki Iwana.
Many say that Butoh is not merely dance; that it exists within us, as part of who we are — just as we are part of nature itself. For over twenty-five years now, I have been engaged with this performative art, both as a teacher and as a performer, still unfolding its mysteries.
In parallel, I trained in yoga, wishing to approach Butoh through that path as well: with awareness, knowledge and care for those I teach. I work with people of all ages and levels and collaborate with artists from various disciplines to create works and experiences between movement and the ineffable.
For the past four years, I’ve had the blessing of living on the island of Aegina, where I’ve come into contact with a vibrant and profoundly inspiring artistic community. The exchange and coexistence with these artists — painters, musicians, dancers, writers, performers, film directors, actors and photographers — continually enrich both my life and my creative process. The island has become a place of inspiration, grounding and creation, where its beauty encourages presence and connection.
Structure & Itinerary
What is included
Daily Schedule (Sunday - Friday)
6 Intensive days of practice with:
10:00-14:00: Painting Morning Session
Theory on the creative process & the mysteries of tuning in.
Painting exercises and practice in a fully equipped studio.
14:00-17:00: Lunch Break
Then, option between continued painting practice or rest and integration time.
17:00- 19:30: Butoh Evening Session
Butoh theory and philosophy
Warm up, movement practice & exploration in a fully equipped dance studio.
Wednesday: Day of Integration, rest & creative digestion.
Road trip around the island to connect with nature
Workshop Components
Theory
Understanding the creative process, tune in and letting go, will unlock authentic expression.
Painting Practice
Epressive painting guided by the creative process and a method to tune in to the flow.
Butoh
Japanese performance art built upon guided improvisation inspired by thematic motifs. The body becomes a living sculpture, breathing new space and shaping its own time.
Mindfulness
Present moment awareness with breath, body and creative impulse
Focused Awareness
Developing sensitivity to subtle movements, emotions, and creative currents.
1. Full Retreat (Residential – 7 Nights)
A complete immersive experience that includes accommodation, meals and the full creative programme.
Accommodation
7 nights residential stay in a unique, quiet and conveniently located accommodation options. A warm, creative environment that supports the work.
Meals
Daily breakfast, lunch, snacks, tea & coffee at the studio for nourishment is importnat to support a steady creative flow.
Facilities
Fully equipped painting studio wiht all materials and supplies included.
Professional dance studio
Wednesday Day Trip
We pause the workshop to explore Aegina together, visit selected natural locations and enjoy lunch outdoors.
Guidance
Expert instruction in both disciplines
Theoretical framework for the practice & personalised support throughout the week
Retreat Cost: €2,200
Deposit required to book: €300 (refundable up to 30 days before the start)
2. Workshop-Only (Non-Residential)
For those who want to stay elsewhere.
Included
Full access to all workshop sessions (painting + movement) with all materials and supplies.
Daily Lunch, snacks, tea & coffee at the studio for nourishment is important to support a steady creative flow. Wednesday day excursion with lunch. Guidance
Not Included
Accommodation & Breakfast
Workshop-Only Cost: €1,200
Deposit required to book: €300 (refundable up to 30 days before the star
How to Participate & Cost
Choose your prefered ates:
28th March to 4th April 2026
12th to 19th September 2026
Choose Package:
Hosted Participation: 2200€
Independent Participation: 1200€
Submit your reservation request below. A €300 deposit required to book, which is refundable up to 30 days before the start of the workshop.
Once we receive it, we will contact you to confirm whether you’re booking the hosted retreat or the independent, workshop only option and finalise your reservation.
Workshop Size: Maximum 10 people / Minimum 4 to run
Details about accommodation options can be found below.
Accommodation Options
The Grapevine House
The Lemon House
Shared and Solo option
The Grapevine House was built in the 19th century. It has two double bedrooms, the main bedroom with original painted ceiling, wooden floor and its own balcony, giving it a warm and nostalgic character. The second bedroom is a converted cellar - you will have to duck to enter this little haven. The spacious living and dining room has an embedded wooden press, which hints to the islands agricultural history and way of life. Kitchen and bathroom are small but have all you need. The house’s eclectic furniture and objects all tell their own story: lovingly restored items, painting, books and many personal objects from a life of travels... you are welcome toadd our own personal touch.
Explore the garden surrounding the house, find your favourite corner, enjoy the quiet.
The Grapevine house is a great choice for couples, small groups of friends or solo travellers willing to share.
Solo or Couples
Right next to the Grapevine House is the newer Lemon House, a 75m2 spacious studio with double bed, dinning room and living room, a large bathroom, a fully equipped kitchen and a private balcony. Perfect for those who wish to stay solo or as a couple without having to share.
We invite you to embrace the beauty of this cozy and peaceful home, where every corner holds a piece of us, our travels, our books and music, our colours, our spices. Enjoy the tranquil atmosphere of the courtyard and the land around it, lose your sense of time, let go and relax.
The Lemon house is ideal for solo travellers or couples who need a little extra personal space.
What is Butoh ?
Butoh is a form of contemporary Japanese dance-theater that emerged in the late 1950s through the work of Tatsumi Hijikata and Kazuo Ohno. It arose as a reaction to the destruction, loss, and rapid Westernization of postwar Japan, as well as a search for a more authentic, embodied way of being. Combining elements from dance, theatre, poetry, and the visual arts, Butoh challenges the boundaries of the body and expression, creating a radical language of movement based on improvisation and inner landscapes connected to nature and collective memory.
Over the following decades, Butoh evolved through various schools and aesthetic approaches while preserving its core: the exploration of the body as a place of memory and transformation. From Japan, it spread across the world, inspiring artists of all kinds, and continues to live and breathe as a form of embodied philosophy and spiritual practice.
Inhabiting the Body
Through appropriate practices and improvisation exercises, participants in the Butoh workshop will have the opportunity to explore the body as a vessel of time and memory and as a living sculpture that continuously reshapes itself, creating their own personal dance.
Welcoming anyone with curiosity and a willingness to explore movement, regardless of prior dance experience.
FAQ
Daily Schedule (Sunday to Friday)
6 Intensive days of practice
Morning Session: Painting 10:00-14:00
Theory on the creative process, the mysteries of tuning in, painting exercises and practice in a fully equipped studio
Midday Break
Lunch
Optional continued painting practice or rest and integration time
Evening Session: Butoh 17:00- 19:30
Butoh theory and philosophy, movement practice and exploration in a fully equipped dance studio.
Wednesday is a day of Integration with a road trip around the island, Connect with nature, Rest and creative digestion.
Workshop Components:
Theory
Understanding the creative process, tune in and letting go, will unlock authentic expression
Painting Practice
Epressive painting guided by the creative process and a method to tune in to the flow.
Butoh
Japanese performance art built upon guided improvisation inspired by thematic motifs.The body becomes a living sculpture, breathing new space and shaping its own time.
Mindfulness
Present moment awareness with breath, body and creative impulse
Focused Awareness
Developing sensitivity to subtle movements, emotions, and creative currents.
Ready to Join Us? Here’s how to participate:
To reserve your place, you will first make a €300 deposit, which is fully refundable up to 30 days before the course begins.
We will then contact you to finalise your reservation and confirm the dates.
In the meantime Select the type of participation that suits you:
Hosted 2200€ at the Grapevine House or the Lemon House including breakfast, daily lunch, snacks, tea & coffee, day road trip, pick up and drop off from Aegina port.
Independent stay 1200€ You will need to find your own accommodation and join us for the workshop sessions. Lunch, snacks, tea & coffee and day roapd trip are included.
Choose between
Solo/ private accommodation for solo travellers or couples
Shared accommodation with your own bedroom in a two-bedroom house.
Independent participation: find your own accommodation and participate in all activities.
What is included in hosted participation?
Accommodation: 7 nights residential stay in unique and conveniently located accommodation options.
Meals: Daily Breakfast, lunch as well as snacks, tea & coffee at the studio.
Facilities: Fully equipped painting studio and professional dance studio with all materials and supplies included.
Day Trip: On Wednesday we take a break to integrate what we have been doing and to explore the island of Aegina. We visit chosen locations and we spend the day in nature followed by lunch.
Guidance: Expert Instruction in both disciplines, with a theoretical framework and personalized support.
Getting to Aegina is super easy!
Ferries run daily, all day long from Piraeus to Aegina port and back. You can find out more here.
List of materials you will need to bring:
Creative Painting
Notebook
A5 sketchbook
A3 watercolour paper
Pencils or pens of your choice
Water-based colours: at least blue, red, yellow, white and black
Brushes of three different sizes
Clothes you don’t mind getting messy
Good to know:
The studio has a selection of shared materials available for everyone to use.
You can also purchase larger sheets of watercolour paper or canvas directly at the studio.
There’s a local art shop nearby where you can buy any extra supplies from.
Butoh
You will need comfortable clothes and socks.
Join us and explore Butoh dancing and painting.
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Welcome to Aegina Retreats where creativity meets playfulness and tranquility.
Contact Us
+30 2297029359
Location
5 Agias Paraskevis st.
Aegina 18010, Greece
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