Two Australian singers, Hannah Gutierrez Cañon and Brooke Kotsos, are coming to terms with the heart-wrenching wildfires that engulfed the Greek island of Rhodes, including the five-star resort where they performed.
As the Lindos Imperial Resort and Spa burned down, Cañon had left the island, while Kotsos, her friend, remains on Rhodes, delivering performances in theatres now serving as shelters for thousands of evacuees.
Hannah Gutierrez Cañon, who was contracted as the lead singer on the El Ritmo latin dance show for the European summer, had an uncanny premonition that she needed to return to Melbourne to attend to her dance studio.
Little did she know that fires were threatening Rhodes as she made her way to the airport.
Witnessing fire trucks rushing along the roads, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had to be home.
Tragically, her regular hotel, the Lindos Imperial, was engulfed in flames on the very day she departed.
“My heart broke, especially for the locals because they’re, you know, such beautiful hard-working people and this season, the summer season is what they rely on for their income for the entire year,” the Canon Dance House director said adding that “These six months are extremely important and now knowing you know, that they’re essentially — so many people have left and with good reason — and how greatly impacted they will be that’s really really really awful.”
On the other hand, Brooke Kotsos, currently residing in Faliraki, is determined to complete the season amidst the challenges brought on by the wildfires.
Despite water and power supply issues, Kotsos remains optimistic about her safety and carries essential items, including her passport, wherever she goes. S
he continues to perform in hotels filled beyond capacity, accommodating evacuees who have sought refuge, 9News reported.
“People were sleeping in the theatres, in the conference room, in the gyms. I’m not even kidding you, there are people sleeping on sunbeds on the beach here in the night,” Kotsos said.
“I actually mentioned on stage last night, that, you know, my heart and my thoughts and my prayers are with all the families that are going through this, but also, I’m here on stage to, you know, transform you and to move you to another world and to make you forget about all these problems,” she said, adding that an evacuated couple had hugged and thanked her at the end of the show.”Reflecting on the devastation, both singers expressed deep sympathy for the locals, whose livelihoods heavily rely on the summer season.
“It’s crazy, because I’ve got so many videos and photos from those exact locations, and, you know, so many memories of those locations,” Cañon wrote. “I just, I honestly, I can’t even I still it still hasn’t sunk in, I can’t believe it. And everyone who I speak to as well, all the other artists, it’s completely shocking,” she added.
They witnessed the once-luxurious resort they performed in transform into ashes, leaving behind cherished memories and experiences.
Despite the ongoing crisis, Brooke Kotsos and her fellow performers decided to continue with the shows, aiming to provide solace and escapism to those grappling with the disaster.
Amidst the chaos, the performers are receiving gratitude from their audience for the temporary respite they offer.
However, both Cañon and Kotsos have joined their local castmates in criticising the Greek government’s preparedness in handling the catastrophe.
They believe that better planning and organisation are essential to mitigate the severity of future crises.
“People are saying that they are not happy with the government here,” Kotsos said.
“And they are they they just think that things need to be planned a little better and things need to be organised so then if things like this do happen they have some sort of action plan so it doesn’t get this bad ever again.”Despite the heartache, both artists emphasised their love for the island of Rhodes and hope that the resilient locals can swiftly recover to welcome tourists in the upcoming seasons.
In the face of adversity, the spirit of community and the power of art and performance are shining through, providing comfort and hope amidst the devastation.
