THE OLYMPIC TORCH LIGHTING CEREMONY | BEHIND THE SCENES IN ANCIENT OLYMPIA

The Olympic Torch Lighting Ceremony is held over two days: a dress rehearsal ceremony and final ceremony. For Rio 2016 these were held on the 20th and 21st of April. The flame lit during the dress rehearsal is kept as a back-up flame in the case that the flame lit on the final ceremony extinguishes.

Over these two days I was backstage supervising the dressing of the dancers at the accommodation and dressing rooms in Academias as well as at the site of Ancient Olympia. I fell in love with Academias, which is an absolutely breath-taking building. It was a delight spending time there.

During these two days in Olympia I was also interviewed by various members of the press including CCTV and The Associated Press. I also had the pleasure of meeting photographer Tasos Christodoulides who supplied me with many of the behind the scenes photographs in this blog.

The Academia, Olympia

Dancer Chrysoula Pappa

Actress Katerina Lehou and musician Yannis Psimadas

Actress Katerina Lehou

Dancers Petros Goutis and Nikos Zekis

Ancient Olympia in the springtime

The Olympic Torch Lighting Ceremony Performers

What would I have done without Charis??? Thank you Charis!!

Being interviewed by The Associated Press

Ritsa Kyriacou in the crowd

Fashion blogger Lupe Castro

Some shots in The Temple of Hera before it got closed off again.