Greek dances

GREEK FOLK DANCE(S)

It is stated that there are hundreds of Folk dances in Greece; many more have been lost during the last decades before anyone had the chance to record them. Very often, the same dance is executed in different ways from one village to the next or from one island to the other. Some dances have no name; they are simply the established way to move while singing a particular song. In other instances, we find that a dance was given the same name as a different dance from another region. Until the beginning of this century, most dances had no need for a name at all, since everyone in the village knew how to execute each particular song. Even today, when one wants to dance he orders the musicians to play the song of his choice. Only when he has no preference does he order by the name of the dance. When professional musicians started traveling to play in distant villages, the need arose for a name to call one dance by which many different songs were danced (Alkis Raftis, World of Greek Dance 1995).

Most dances are in open circle moving from the left to the right. The first dancer of the line, he who “pulls the dance”, has the leading role. He orders the song, he pays the musicians and he has the right to improvise variations on the basic step. Traditionally, women rarely led the dance, unless of course it was a women’s dance. A few dances were danced “face to face” by a couple and still fewer followed other formations.

Aesthetics in Greek Dance

The Greek Folk song is important to Greek Dance – whether diatonic or chromatic, with syllabic or melismatic melodies when sung – is modal and monophonic in its construction. Its melodies are based on different interval continuity from that of the major – minor of the Western music, sung and performed monophonically. An exception to this rule is provided by certain songs performed in Northern Epirus. These songs are performed polyphonically, without instrumental accompaniment.

The Greek Folk dances are divided rhythmically into: periodical rhythmic type melodies, and melodies of the free rhythmic type. The first are characterised by the periodical repetition of the certain rhythmic pattern, for instance, all dance melodies, whereas the second are characterised by the free flow of diverse rhythmic patterns. Greek Folk melodies are sung and performed on the natural and not the equal tempered scale of the West, wherever singer and instrumentalists have remained pure from the destructive influence of the Western polyphonic technique (Fivos Anogianakis Greek Folk Instruments 1970).

Within Greece, every region has its own style of dance, and type of dance. The main dances of the regions within greece are as follows:

Peloponnese

The dances of Pelleponissos are very simple and heavy, with the leader of the line performing many tricks in order to show his manhood.

• Kalamatianos
• Sirtos
• Tsamikos
• Tsakonikos
• Ai Georgis

Thrace

Thracian dance is generally skippy and light. Only men are permitted to dance at the front of the lines in Thrace.

• Tapinos Horos
• Tapinos Pashaliatikos
• Horos Tis Yiknas
• Xesyrtos
• Hasapia
• Zonaradikos
• Baidouska
• Karsilamas
• Singathistos
• Syrtos Singathistos
• Koulouriastos
• Papisios
• Sfarlis
• Mandilatos

Anatoliki Rumelia Northern Thrace

• Tsestos
• Bogdanos
• Stis Treis
• Troirou
• Tremouliastos
• Koutsos
• Podaraki
• Kiniyitos
• Miliso
• Karsilamas

Macedonia

Dances in macedonia vary. Most are solid and are performed using heavy steps, whilst others are fast and agile.Most dances begin slow and increase in speed.

• gaida
• leventikos
• macedonikos antikristo
• mikri eleni
• partalos
• kastorianos
• sirtos macedonias.
• samarinas
• akritikos
• baidouska
• Patrounino
• Pousnitsa
• Raikos
• Bella Olymbia
• Trite Pata
• Zaramo
• Endekas
• Servikos
• Tsourapia
• Ykeikos
• Omorfoula
• Dimitroula
• Kapitan Louka
• Stankena
• Nizamikos
• Drousas
• Kampana
• Moustambeikos
• Paidouskino
• Zalistos
• Kori Eleni
• Tefkotos
• Mperati

Thessaly

Dances in thessalia are similar in style to Macedonian dances. Mostly heavy, and some are fast. The leader, however, performs many tricks, just like those in Pelleponissos

• As Ta Psaria -
• Gaitanaki -
• Kalamatiano -
• Kaggeli -
• Karagouna -
• Kastorianos -
• Kleistos -
• Koftos -
• Loulouvikos -
• Pilioritiko -
• Svarniara -
• Tsakonikos -
• Tsamiko -
• Salamina -
• Ballos -
• Kamakaki -
• Trata -

Epirus

Epirote dances are the most slow and heavy in all of Greece. Great balance is required in order to perform these dances.

• Kaggelaris -
• Koftos -
• Berati -
• Berati Vari -
• Menousis -
• Nikolos -
• Sta Tria -
• Paparounes -
• Peratianos -
• Pogonisios -
• Vasilikos -
• Kleftes -
• Kostandi -
• Zagorissios -
• Sta Dio -
• Fysouni -

Aegean Islands

Just like Crete, the Greek Islands have dances which are fast in pace and light and jumpy. Many of these dances, however, are couples dances, and not so much in lines.

• Ballaristos
• Ikariotiko
• Mihanikos
• Issios
• Pano Horos
• Siganos
• Zervos
• Rhoditiko Pidikto
• Rhoditiko Sousta
• Karavas
• Plataniotiko Nero
• Samiotiki Sousta
• Simiaki Sousta
• Ballos -
• Kamara Skiathou

Ionian Islands

• Ai Georgis
• Rouga
• Fourlana
• Syrtos Keffalonias
• Leivantitikos

Crete

These dances are light and jumpy, and extremely cardivascular.

• Sousta
• Pentozali
• Sirtos
• Haniotiko
• Siganos
• Maleviziotiko
• Mikro Mikraki
• Katsibardianos
• Laziotis
• Ethianos Pidihtos
• Zervodexios

Pontos

• Tik Mono -
• Tik Diplo -
• Karslidiko -
• Omal Trapezoundas -
• Omal Garrasarris -
• Diplon Omal -
• Ters -
• Trygona -
• Serra -
• Tik Tromahton -
• Letsi -
• Letsina -
• Aramatsouk -
• Etere -
• Tsourtougouzous -
• Kotsari -
• Tria Tou Kotsari -
• Tik Adagmaden -
• Kots -
• Sierenitsa -

Asia Minor (Anatolia)

• Pascha Andipascha
• Andihristos
• Sei Tata
• Konialis

Sarakatsani

• Diplos Horos
• Sta Tria
• Apano Stin Triandafilia
• Despo
• Tsamikos
• Horos Katsa

Vlahoi

• Anitpera
• Sta Tria
• Kalamatianos