Syrtos greek dance history books

Kalamatianos dance the video presenting kalamatianos dance is in the movie traditional greek dances part 1. Fast pentozali dance vikelaia municipal library, city of heraklion, crete, greece. The word syrtos is known to have existed as early as the first century a. Syrtos greek dance from crete by kyklonas hellenic dancers. Syrtos is a line and circle dance performed in a curving line holding hands and facing. History of the peloponnesian war by thucydides, the histories by herodotus, the peloponnesian war by donald kagan, the il. Founded in 2006, historum is a history forum dedicated to history discussions and historical events. Syrtos,sirto,syrto,sirtos is the name of a group of greek folk dances of ancient origin. Rebetiko, syrtos, dance of zalongo, byzantine dance, kalamatianos, kochari, horon, tamzara, tsakonikos, trata, khigga, by source wikipedia,llc books,llc. Greek dance 101 hyporchema, dionysiakos, korybantes, phyrrhichios, syrtos, sirtaki, hasapiko share 0 from amazon warriors princesses dancing around a bonfire to light and jumpy, modern greek dances there are many greek dances, some really exist and some are lost in the land of mythology. Dance notes k folk dance federation of california, south.

Greek dances greek folk music and dance john pappas. In contemporary greek dances and rhythm, similar concepts and musical motifs of ancient greece can be identified. Folk dances in ancient and modern greece gounesco make. History of syrtos dance since the ancient times, folk dances have been a tradition in greece, and are still as popular today as they were then. The syrtaki dance was created for the movie zorba the greek on music written by greek composer mikis theodorakis. Traditionally, it was danced by segregated lines of men and women, a youth leading the line of. The dance is one of the most vital social and artistic expressions of the greek people as well as one of its oldest traditions.

Cretan music and dance the authentic soul of crete. Many regions in greece have their own variation of the syrtos dance, as each region has tailored it to match their own traditions. There are two leading types of traditional greek dances. Kalamatiano pronounced kahlahmahteeahnoh is the dance every greek knows. Oct 18, 20 syrtos is a name used to describe a vast collection of dances, typically line dances that form a semicircle. The syrto is the most popular dance throughout greece, and is danced by greekamericans at all festive gatherings. The accurate part of this story is that in the 1940s people in north america borrowed steps from a traditional greek island dance that had originally been done to other music, and adapted those steps to. For instance, one of the national or panhellenic dances such as the syrtos can be used as a wedding dance horos tou gamou, a brides dance tis nyfis, or for many other purposes.

Information on greek music, greek folk music, greek dances, and related greek folklore from john pappas, including folk instruments, recordings of traditional music for regional dances, and information on dances and songs. Sep 04, 2012 the kyklonas hellenic dancers from st. They wear the traditional greek folk dance costume. Ancient greece song, dance and poetry history forum. It is still found in the greek villages where the dancing is done most often at the threshing floor after the harvest. Traditionally, it was danced by segregated lines of men and women, a youth leading the line of girls.

Folk dances of greece smithsonian folkways recordings. Ill use the expression modern dance history to talk about figures, choreographic productions and related facts occurred in western culture between the end of the xix century and the 1950s. Best books on ancient greek history and literature 258 books. Dance notes k folk dance federation of california, south, inc. The traditional greek folk dances and their ancient roots. I would have given it 5 stars except that it does have a couple drawbacks. The relationship betewen the two will be explained below. Recorded by james notopoulos in 1956, folk dances of greece is the second release in his series on the musical and oratory traditions of greece. Today, the syrtos dances are used in a number of greek festivities and weddings. Pontus pontus is a historical greek designation for a region on the southern coast of the black sea, located in modernday northeastern anatolia, turkey.

Nov 01, 2009 greek dance lesson syrtos balos duration. Italians occupying the greek islands named ballos after a similar dance of their own, but their name originally comes from greek. Syrtos is a name used to describe a vast collection of dances, typically line dances that form a semicircle. To learn kalamatiano, it helps to know its older cousin, syrto. In addition, dance formation representations on vases, statuettes and terracottas show dancers linked either handonshoulder or handinhand with the instrumentalist in the center greek folk songs. By alternating slow and fast steps from the hasapiko and hasaposerviko dances, sirtaki was born. Sep 08, 2009 san joaquin delta college hellenic dancers doing the greek syrtos dance at the schools new campus dedication in 1977. It was the sole popular musical genre of the greek people until the spread of rebetiko and laiko in the early 20th century, spread by the greek refugees from asia minor. Mar 19, 20 founded in 2006, historum is a history forum dedicated to history discussions and historical events. Square american kaagadat rivka israeli kaakuri finnish kabaday. Kalamatianos syrtos or syrtokalamatianos are the most popular greek folkdance syrtoi in greece, cyprus and internationally. I think one of the best ways to learn about history is to begin by developing a real interest in a particular era through fiction relating to that era. Turkish cypriot folk dances wikimili, the best wikipedia.

If youre only going to learn one greek dance this is the one at least if you want to dance with greeks. Sirtaki, also spelled syrtaki, is probably one of the most famous greek dances known around the world. A musician is playing a thracian gaida in the center of the circle, leading the dance. Crete is the largest greek island and the fifth largest in the mediterranean.

Each cretan dance gives the opportunity for a dancer to lead and improvise. Nov 16, 2015 i think one of the best ways to learn about history is to begin by developing a real interest in a particular era through fiction relating to that era. The typical cretan dance pentozalis, is danced throughout crete. In fact, eminent greek musician mikis theodorakis created the dance for the movie zorba the greek. Thus, greek dances are also used ritualistically for those rites of passage which mark important occasions in the lives of the greek people. Rennell rodd 1892 suggests that the dance is an imitation of the action of drawing in the seine net. What are the best books for learning greek history.

It is basically a combination of two traditional dances, starting with a very slow hassapiko step and eventually becomes faster. Demetrios greek orthodox church in rocky river, ohio performed a basic syrtos pulling line dance from the island of crete in greece at the clevelandpeople. Greek dances is a very old tradition, being referred to by authors such as plato, aristotle, plutarch and lucian. Pentozalis comes from the cretan war dance that cretan men used to dance in the ancient times. The basic promenade step is almost identical to the island syrtos see above, except that it is done by couples rather than in a circle. However, few people know that sirtaki only dates back to the 1960s. Nonfiction but can also include ancient greek literature, myths, poetry, drama and philosophy. About the folk dance federation of california, south, inc. The greek mainland, from the peloponnese and thessaly to macedonia and thrace, uses mainly the 78 rhythm form of the dance, in contrast to crete, the aegean islands, asia minor and constantinople that use 44 syrtokalamatianos. Although this dance nowadays is willingly danced in greece, it turns out, that there is a mistaken belief about its origins. Our community welcomes everyone from around the world to discuss world history, historical periods, and themes in history military history, archaeology, arts and culture, and history in books and movies. Turkish cypriot folk dances news newspapers books scholar jstor july 2007 learn how and when to remove this template message this article is written like a personal reflection, personal essay, or argumentative essay that states a wikipedia editors personal feelings or presents an original argument about a topic.

Dance, according to greek thought, was one of the civilizing activities, like winemaking and music. Syrtos,sirto,syrto,sirtos is the name of a group of greek folk dance s of ancient origin. Greek dance descriptions greek folk music and dance john. The syrtos dance is theorized to have originated all the way back to antiquity, to a relevant ancient greek dance known as the ormos, literally a string. Greek dances horos is a very old tradition, being referred to by authors such as plato, aristotle, plutarch and lucian. Chain of dancers facing sideways holding hands moving to the right basic steps for the syrtos dance the word syrtos is derived. The name syrtaki comes from the word syrtos, a common name for a group of traditional greek dances.

An equally famous dance of crete is syrtos or chaniotis. Best books on ancient greek history and literature ancient greece. Throughout history, this race is renowned for its heroism and is reflected in their dances which are dynamic and fast. Sirto is a couples dance from the pirin region in bulgaria. The circle is the symbol of infinity, and to dance always progressing in a circle gives you a focal point of access in the dance, whereas if we were to dance in a straight line, we would be confronted with going and then returning. If you have felt the urge to dance a traditional greek dance then this is the time to do so. Each region formed its own choreography and style to. The kalamatianos dance is one of the few greek folk dances that is popular the world. In the late 70s i was totally swept up in a bbc series shown here in the us on pbs. The syrto is the most popular dance throughout greece, and is danced by greek americans at all festive gatherings. San joaquin delta college hellenic dancers doing the greek syrtos dance at the schools new campus dedication in 1977. Syrto and kalamatianos use the same dance steps, but the syrto is in 34 time and the kalamatiano is in 78 time.

The accurate part of this story is that in the 1940s people in north america borrowed steps from a traditional greek island dance that had originally been done to other music, and adapted those steps to fit the song misirlou. The greek folk music, in greek demotiko or paradosiako, refers to the traditional greek popular songs and music of mainland greece and islands dated to the byzantine times. The citizens of the greek civilization believed that folk dance were spiritual in nature. It is perfect for anyone studing dance history in general and is the best book i found for studying ancient greek dances. In most thracian dances, the men are only permitted to dance at the front of the line. Dec 15, 2017 the most important aspect of the syrtaki music and dance is the rhythm acceleration.

Johns greek dance descriptions cover favorite greek dances such as syrtos, hasapikos, tsamikos, and more. Most greek mythology was written by poets, like homer, and as the spiritual sustenance for its people, dance communicated its wisdom and truth as effectively as words. Musicians and singers such as hronis aithonidis and kariofilis doitsidis have brought to life the music of thrace. Its most famous characteristic is the acceleration, moving from a 44 tempo to a 24 pace. Sep, 2014 the syrtos dance is theorized to have originated all the way back to antiquity, to a relevant ancient greek dance known as the ormos, literally a string. The most well known of these dances is the kalamatianos, which uses the same steps as the syrtos, though the former is more upbeat and faster paced. General notes on greek folk dances greek dance greek music. The most important aspect of the syrtaki music and dance is the rhythm acceleration. A musician is playing a thracian gaida in the center of the. There are different styles and interpretations from all of the islands and surrounding mainland areas. Each region formed its own choreography and style to fit in with their own ways. Syrtos is one style of many ethnic folk dances from greece.