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General News
Meropi Kyriacou Honored as TNH Educator of the Year
NEW YORK – Meropi Kyriacou, the new Principal of The Cathedral School in Manhattan, was honored as The National Herald’s Educator of the Year.
The resumption of the Oakmont Festival at the Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church in a Pittsburgh suburb was highlighted by the joyous steps of the Grecian Odyssey Dancers, lifting spirits during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is so much a part of our lives,” Assistant Director Michelle Kotsagrelos, told TribLive of the return of the event and their performance.
“Whenever anyone actually meets me, within five minutes they know I Greek dance. It is so much a part of who I am … It’s part of my culture. I was raised with it since I was a child. It keeps me connected to my heritage with my grandparents. They were born in Greece” she said.
Her late grandfather, George Kotsagrelos, is from Icaria; her late grandmother, Emorfia, is from Kalamata; and other relatives are from Lemnos.
The Odyssey dancers had not performed since February 2020 due to the pandemic.
“It was hard,” Kotsagrelos said. “It was very difficult … I would put on Greek music at home and just dance around by myself. Greek dancing is very communal, so you need people.” And she got them.
