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Greek folk dances
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Zeibekiko [Greece]
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Tis Avitsas [Greek, Pontian]
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Ti Se Meli Esena [Greek, Asia Minor]
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Dari Dari [Greek Islands]
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Zagorisios [Epirus, Greece]
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Bazarkana [Epirus, Greece]
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Chala Chala [Pontian, Greece]
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Daliana [Thessaly, Greece]
Daliana is a Karagouniko women's dance in Tsamiko rhythm. The same song is use by other inhabitants of Thesslia to dance Tsamiko.
The Karagounides, literaly black cloaks in Turco-Greek and Serbian, refers to the black cloaks worn by the Vlachs of Serbia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, and northern Greece. Some of these Vlachs migrated to Hercegovina and Dalmatia, where they became known as Morovlah, meaning sea or coastal Vlach. The ones that stayed in Thessaly became farmers and their dances are characterized by a steady, pulsating rhythm.
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Despo [Sarakatsani, Greece]
Despo is a lovely Sarakatsani women's dance from Greece.
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Dimitroula [Roumlouki, Greek Macedonia]
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Dipat [Pontian, Greece]
The first song is I kor Epigen so Parhar ("A girl went to the field"). In some places, the song is known as "Romana", and the singers improvise words.
The second song, Ela Ela Leose, by a Turkish singer, is one of our favorite versions for Dipat.
The music has a 9/8 rhythm with a 2 3 2 2 structure. Dipat is danced to it on a 2 2 2 3 rhythm, making it hard to know when to start the dance.
One way is to count 1, 2 (quick-slow) and start dancing on the THIRD beat. Another way is to start dancing on the "pi" in "epigen"; if you practice starting with the vocals, eventually you will be able to "feel" when to start with the instrumental.
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Eleno Mome [Greek Macedonia]
Eleno Mome is a Bulgarian dance with unclear regional roots that has become popular in other countries as well. While it's only a best guess, the dance seems to have originated in the north and today it is danced all over Bulgaria.
According to Joe Graziozi, the Greek version is found mostly in the northern parts of the province of Macedonia from Florina-Kastoria in the west to Drama in the east. Interestingly, it is not danced in Greek Thrace nor among the Greeks of Bulgaria who resettled throughout Macedonia and Thessaly in the 1920s but is primarily associated with the (former) slavic Macedonian villages of these regions. It has become a standard among most dance troupes throughout the country. There are numerous recordings, all instrumental, performed by local bands throughout Macedonia, from brass to zourna to gaida to lyra & dahare.
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Etere [Pontian Greece]
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Gaitanaki Rodou [Dodecanese Islands, Greece]
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Halay [Pontian, Greece]
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Ikariotikos [Aegean Islands, Greece]
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Isvoros [Thessaloniki, Greece]
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Izmir Sirtosu [Greek, Asia Minor]
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Kalon Korits [Pontian Greece]
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Karagouna [Thessaly, Greece]
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Katsa [Sarakatsani, Greece]
Katsa is a Sarakatsani dance for men and women. The men and women dance separately, with different styles.
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Kavodoritiko [Aegean Islands, Greece]
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Kotsari [Pontian, Greece]
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Kuluriastos [Evros - Thraki, Greece]
Kuluriastos is a Greek dance from Thraki (Thrace). It has a slower Zonoradikos part, and a faster part where the beginning of the line loops into the center and back out again. It's a lot of fun to dance this, especially if you are near the beginning of the line.
As with many Greek dances, it can be danced to many songs. This one is Pses idia st'oniro mu.
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Levendikos [Greek Macedonia]
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Maleviziotikos Horos [Crete, Greece]
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Militsa [Pontian, Greece]
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Pidihtos Rodhos [Dodecanese Islands, Greece]
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Plataniotiko Nero Syrtos [Aegean Islands, Greece]
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Pusteno [Macedonia/Greek Macedonia]
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Raiko [Greek Macedonia]
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Rododachtilos [Asia Minor, Greece]
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Sampson [Pontian, Greece]
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Sfarlis [Thraki, Greece]
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Siganos and Pentozalis [Crete, Greece]
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Sousta Naxou [Greece, Islands]
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Sta Dyo [Epirus, Greece]
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Sta Tria (Pera, Ston Pera Machala) [Thessaly, Greece]
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Syrtos [Greece]
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Syrto Bafra (Omali) [Pontian Greece]
Also known as Omali, in the Kerasounta/Giresun region, this dance is called Syrto, Karshilidiko Omal, Lakhana (after the name of the song, which means cabbage), Kerasountaiko or Kotsikton Omal.
It is a 9/8 rhythm and bears no resemblance to what we usually call Syrto, which is usually either a 7/8 (kalamatiano) or 8/8 rhythm. In this case, the name most likely refers to the style, what we call dragging dances.
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Syrtos (Chalkidiki) [Greek Macedonia, Greece]
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Syrtos (Chios) [Aegean Islands, Greece]
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Tai Tai [Thessaly, Greece]
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Tessera Matia Dhio Kardies [Greece, Asia Minor]
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Tik [Pontian Greece]
Tik ("upright") is the most common Pontian dance, found all over Pontos. Tik can be danced to different rhythms of music. This non-traditional version is in 5/8 rhythm. When danced to fast music, the dance is called Tik Tromachton (Jumping Tik).
This special version of Tik is called Tik Mihalis, by Mihalis Kaliontzidis.
CD - Vas 031 is produced by the Vasipap record company.
You can also buy it online from Greek City.
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Trigona [Pontian Greece]
In Greece the same dance can often be found under different names in different area, or as a totally different dance under the same name.
Trigona, a popular dance from all over Pontos, is a good example of how a dance retains its identity from region to region, while adapting itself to regional styles:
- Trigona from Ghourouh in the Kars area is in 5/8 rhytm, played with the Lyra/Kemenche.
- Trigona from Matsouka is in 7/8 rhythm, played with the Kouloum (bagpipe) and singing.
- Trigona from Trapzon (Trepizond) in 2/4, played with Lyra and singing. Trigona from Trapzon is the most common version and it is the one you'll hear the most often in Pontian clubs.
There are slight differences in the arm movements between the regions. In Matsouka it is danced with a bigger movement of the body.
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Troiro [Thrace, Greece]
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Tsestos [Thrace, Greece]
This is a challenging dance is from the Romilia Region, next to the Bulgarian border. It was probably brought by Greeks who were expelled from Bulgaria after the first world war. It was first taught to us by Serge Ben Simon, and again by Kyriakos Moisidis.
The second version is called Rantile.
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Vasilarhontissa [Epirus, Greece]
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Chorepste (Vlacha)[Cyclades Islands, Greece]
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Zaiko [Greek Macedonia]
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Zaramo [Greek Macedonia]
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Zonaradikos [Thraki, Greece]
This Zonaradikos, Tin Kardia M'tin Klithomeni (My locked up heart), is a love song from Greece. Many dances, but Greek dances in particular, are danced to more than one melody. The rhythm on this song is typical for dancing Zonaradiko from the region of eastern Thrace.
The name “Zonaradiko” comes from the way the men hold one another by their belts (zoni).
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Zvarniara [Thessaly, Greece]