VIDEOS | PHOTOS | FAQs | EMAIL SIGN-UP
The FDF 2026 theme, "SHINE" is inspired by Christ, and with our Church at the center, this theme reflects the light within each of us and the way we are called to live each day. While dancers and singers shine through their performances on stage at FDF, participants also shine throughout the weekend: in their faith, as a community, and for one another. Through faith, dance, and fellowship, we celebrate our shared culture while honoring the unique light each participant brings, expressing our true selves as Orthodox Christians, united and shining together. "Let your light so shine before others, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)
The FDF 2026 logo was created by Caroline Rovithi, a conceptual & visual artist based in Athens, Greece. Caroline’s inspiration comes from a common thread between Phoenix and Greece, which is the sun. The sun represents light, energy, warmth, and connection, becoming a natural bridge for our culture and our faith. A further connection, reflecting FDF’s Greek identity, is the use of blue tones and a meandering motif, subtly woven into the design to reinforce cultural continuity and heritage.
FDF 2026 AWARD RECIPIENTS
CHORAL COMPETITION
DIVISION II
Sweepstakes: Mia Foni, Saint Sophia Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA
Director’s Award: Maria Vasiliou, Saint Sophia Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA
First: Tis Panagias Ta Aidonia, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Long Beach, CA
Second: Dynami, Annunciation, Modesto, CA
Third: Ta Aidonakia, Saint Demetrios, Seattle, WA
Special Achievement: Dynami, Annunciation, Modesto, CA, for Apano Stin Triandafilia
DIVISION I
Sweepstakes: Hellenic College and Holy Cross Byzantine Choir, Holy Cross, Brookline, MA
Director’s Award: Maria Stanculescu, Saint Andrew, San Luis Obispo, CA
First: Junior Olympians, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Long Beach, CA
Second: Aloha Youth Choir, Saints Constantine and Helen Cathedral, Honolulu, HI
Third: Anemos: Fones ton Aionon, Saint Sophia Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA
Special Achievement: Sirines, Saint Nicholas, San Jose, CA, for their Epirote Polyphony
DANCE COMPETITION
DIVISION II
Sweepstakes: To Mellon, Annunciation Cathedral, San Francisco, CA
Board of Trustees Special Achievement: Revma !, Holy Cross, Belmont, CA, for their performance of Amigdali
Director Award: Georgia Covell, Downey, CA
Instrumental Award: Not Given
Primary
First: Rizes, Annunciation, Sacramento, CA
Second: En Horo, Saint Nicholas, San Jose, CA
Third: Astrapi, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Phoenix, AZ
Fourth: Akritakia, Saint Demetrios, Seattle, WA
Founders Special Achievement: H Parea, Saint George, Downey, CA, for their Epirus styling
Choral: Rizes, Annunciation, Sacramento, CA
Costume: H Parea, Saint George, Downey, CA, for their Epirus costumes
Advanced Primary
First: Ellinopoula, Saint Nicholas, Northridge, CA
Second: Aetos, Saint Basil, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Third: Elpida, Annunciation, Modesto, CA
Fourth: Atromitoi, Saint Nicholas, Murietta, CA
Founders Special Achievement: Avra, Saint John the Baptist, Anaheim, CA, for their Pendalophos, Evros
Choral: Atromitoi, Saint Nicholas, Murietta, CA
Costume: Avra, Saint John the Baptist, Anaheim, CA, for their Thraki costumes
Junior
First: Seismos, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Phoenix, AZ
Second: Oi Apogonoi, Annunciation, Sacramento, CA
Third: Mikra Asteria, Assumption of The Blessed Virgin Mary, Long Beach, CA
Fourth: Filarakia, Saint Anthony, Pasadena, CA
Founders Special Achievement: Kymatakia, Saint Sophia Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA, for their improvisations and variations of their Epirus suite
Choral: Aionia, Ascension Cathedral, Oakland, CA
Costume: Mikra Asteria, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Long Beach, CA, for their Evia costumes
Advanced Junior
First: Xarites, Saint Nicholas, San Jose, CA
Second: Orpheus, Saint Nicholas, Northridge, CA
Third: Perifania, Saint George, Downey, CA
Fourth: Ta Ageloudakia, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Long Beach, CA
Founders Special Achievement: Aetopoula, Saint John the Baptist, Las Vegas, NV, for their Pontos and Thracian sets
Choral: Xarites, Saint Nicholas, San Jose, CA
Costume: Revma !, Holy Cross, Belmont, CA, for their women’s Thessalia costumes
DIVISION I
Sweepstakes: Spithes, Annunciation Cathedral, San Francisco, CA
Board of Trustees Special Achievement: Panegiri, Saint Anthony, Pasadena, CA, for their Flambouro suite
Director Award: Niko Panagiotakopoulos, Phoenix, AZ
Instrumental Award: Niko Lareau, Santa Barbara, CA
Intermediate
First: Anagenisis, Ascension Cathedral, Oakland, CA
Second: Enosi, Saint Nicholas, San Jose, CA
Third: Ta Patriotakia, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Phoenix, AZ
Fourth: Ta Yitonopoula, Saint George, Downey, CA
Founders Special Achievement: Meraki, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Portland, OR, for their Tikfeskino execution
Choral: Anagenisis, Ascension, Cathedral, Oakland, CA
Costume: Helidonia, Saint Basil, San Juan Capistrano, CA, for their Evia costumes
Advanced Intermediate
First: Nea Genia, Annunciation, Sacramento, CA
Second: Revmata, Annunciation Cathedral, San Francisco, CA
Third: Pyrkagia, Saint Anthony, Pasadena, CA
Fourth: Junior Olympians, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Long Beach, CA
Founders Special Achievement: Souliotes, Saint Demetrios, Seattle, WA, for their Drymos suite
Choral: Minoan Dancers 2, Nativity of Christ, Novato, CA
Costume: Periyali, Saint Katherine, Redondo Beach, CA, for their Naxos costumes
Senior
First: Levendia, Holy Cross, Belmont, CA
Second: Nea Ellas, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Long Beach, CA
Third: Trikimia, Saint Sophia Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA
Fourth: Thalassini, Saints Constantine and Helen, Cardiff by-the-Sea, CA
Founders Special Achievement: Koulouriotisses, Parishes of the Central Valley and Pacific, CA and HI, for their Tounde
Choral: Trikimia, Saint Sophia Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA
Costume: Thalassini, Saints Constantine and Helen, Cardiff by-the-Sea, CA, for their Florina costumes
Advanced Senior
First: I Epanenosi, Ascension Cathedral. Oakland, CA
Second: Xamos, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Phoenix, AZ
Third: Anastasi, Holy Cross, Belmont, CA
Fourth: Olympian Dancers, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Long Beach, CA
Founders Special Achievement: Orpheus Hellenic Folklore Society, Holy Tarxiarhai & Saint Haralambos, Niles, IL for their Flambouro suite
Choral: Akrites, Saint Demetrios, Seattle, WA
Costume: Spithes, Annunciation, San Francisco, CA, for their Evrytania Ampliani costumes
Metropolitan Anthony Humanitarian Award
Michael J. Patzakis, MD
Elios Award of Excellence
Maria A. Barbas
Metropolitan Anthony Leadership Award
Alex Spirtos Mantas
Managing Director Award
Speros Mantas
FDF SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
$5,000 Scholarships
Demetrios K. Pantazis Memorial Academic Scholarship
William Tragus, Saint Basil Greek Orthodox Church, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Olivia Theodoratos, Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Northridge, CA
Anthony Chrisopoulos, Saint Basil Greek Orthodox Church, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Gerry and Jeannie Ranglas Scholarship
Dariana Bodea, Saint Basil Greek Orthodox Church, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Dimitri Gavalos, Church of the Holy Cross, Belmont, CA
The Roumeliotes-Costouros Family Scholarship
Jannoula Eerkens, Parishes of the Central Valley and
Pacific Saint Katherine Greek Orthodox Church Elk Grove, CA
Katia Antonis, Nativity of Christ Greek Orthodox Church, Novato, CA
$1,000 Scholarships
Archbishop Elpidoforos Scholarship
Christo Chatzis, Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, Sacramento, CA
Archbishop Demetrios Scholarship
Nikoletta Limnios, Saint Andrew the Apostle Greek Orthodox Church, San Luis Obispo, CA
Metropolitan Gerasimos Scholarship
Kallie Lyberopoulos Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral San Francisco, CA
Cynthia Anderson Scholarship
Kristopher Kouvaris, Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, Sacramento, CA
Chris Papadimitrakis Scholarship
Penelope Mackis, Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, Sacramento, CA
Fr. Homer Demopoulos Scholarship
Giorgio Tavernakis, Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, San Jose, CA
Fr. Anthony Moschonas Scholarship
Stylianos Vafiadis, Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, San Francisco, CA
Dean Phillips Scholarship
Melina Evanthia Zachou, Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church, Santa Barbara, CA
Isidoros and Maria Garifalakis and Family Scholarship
Katerina Chrisopoulos, Saint Basil Greek Orthodox Church, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Peter S. Beckas Scholarship
Niko Patsios, Saint George Greek Orthodox Church, Downey, CA
Athanasios K. Syrengelas Scholarship
Athena Xilas, Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Northridge, CA
Anna and Nicholas Kyriacou Scholarship
Elena Llauro, Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Northridge, CA
John Buzas Scholarship
Xanthi Economy, Saint John Greek Orthodox Church, Anaheim, CA
Ted Laliotis Scholarship
Alexandra Kastrisianaki, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church, Long Beach, CA
Elektra Fourakis Scholarship
Yioryia Prevas, Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Northridge, CA
Peter Begakis of the Olympians Band Scholarship
Dimitrios Makris, Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, Sacramento, CA
Alex and Jeanette Rigopoulos Scholarship
Ekaterini Nastri, Saint Anthony Greek Orthodox Church, Pasadena, CA
Sia and Dimitri Dalacas Scholarship
Anna Katsandres, Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, Sacramento, CA
The Iliopoulos Family Scholarship
Foti Armeniakos, Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, San Jose, CA
“Excuse Me Are You Greek” Cultural Scholarship
Georgia Panoff, Parishes of the Central Valley and Pacific Saint George Greek Orthodox Church, Fresno, CA
Athanassios C. Panagiotakopoulos Scholarship
Anthony Theodorou, Saint Paul Greek Orthodox Church, Irvine, CA
William Diamond Scholarship
Nitsa Yakos, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church, Long Beach, CA
Argyro Apostolou Scholarship
Elena Kyriacou, Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA
Chris Tsantilas Scholarship
Maria Karmaniolas, Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Northridge, CA
Mari Giannopoulos Scholarship
Alexia Thompson, Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, San Francisco, CA