Elsa Rizou born in 1933 as Eleni Lambropoulou, her parents called her “Elsa” from childhood. Her love of dance led her to the renowned Elli Zouroudis school, where she studied for several years. There she gained grace, self-confidence and her first contact with the stage — an experience that paved her way to acting and Greek cinema. Elsa Rizou began her artistic career in the theatre, as a dancer. Her first appearance was in December 1952 in the revue “Our Life is Cheerful”, which was staged at the Papaioannou Theatre, directed by Rena Dor. In the summer of 1953, she participated in the Acropolis Theater's review of "30 to Dollar", where she formed a dance pair with the later successful screenwriter and director Yannis Dalianidis. Three years later, in the performance "White, Black and Cold", she met Rena Vlachopoulou, with whom she subsequently became close friends and collaborators. From the late 1950s and for about six years, she was a member of the successful troupe that her husband, Nikos Rizos, had formed, together with Georgia Vasiliadou and Vasilis Avlonitis. Her last theatrical appearance was in the 1995–1996 season, in the review “To Mimi sernei… karavi”, with texts by Dinos Spyropoulos and directed by Fotis Metaxopoulos and Nikos Rizos.