The lighting of the Olympic torch in Athens will feature new elements including male dances, live music and a tableau recreating the frieze displays of ancient Greek temples.

“Every ceremony is different,” said Artemis Ignatiou, taking over from longtime head choreographer Maria Hors who retired after 40 years of service.

“Only the first part which is inspired by Greek antiquity remains basically unchanged,” she said.

“This year we will have six male dancers acting out a scene from the pentathlon”, an ancient Games competition combining race, wrestling, long jump, javelin and discus throw events, she said.

The ceremony will be held on March 24. The torch will then travel 1,528 kilometres in Greece over seven days.

The 30-minute ritual on March 24 will see actresses in the role of ancient Greek priestesses coaxing the Olympic flame into life with the help of a parabolic polished mirror at ancient Olympia, southwestern Greece, where the Games were born in 776 BC.

The new head priestess, actress Maria Nafpliotou, will call on the ancient Greek god of light Apollo to light the flame.

The ceremony will also feature live music with four musicians playing flute, drums and rattles, Ignatiou said.

“Since 2000 when music was first introduced to the ritual it was mostly playback,” she said.

The Olympic flame will then symbolically cover 1,528 kilometres (950 miles) on Greek soil during a seven-day relay and will be handed over to China on March 24.

Read more: Greek organisers lift veil on Beijing Olympic flame ritual