Greek Dance Research Paper

1082 Words3 Pages

My project will be on Greek dancing. Greek dances are based on old traditions. It has been a staple tradition in Greece since ancient times. Greece is one of the few countries where folk dancing is as popular today as it was back then. Traditional Greek dancing gathers everyone together at festivals, weddings, Easter, baptisms and any other celebration. There are over 4000 traditional Greek Folk dances that come from all regions of Greece; each one has their own unique folk dances, some more popular than others. However, in this project, I will be describing some of the well-known Greek dances such as Kalamatiano, Hasapiko, Hasaposerviko, Tsamiko, Pentozali, Zeibekiko and Tik.
The ‘Kalamatiano’ is one of the best known dances of Greece with …show more content…

As it is danced throughout the regions of Greece, it varies from island to island. At first it was a very slow dance that was danced flat footed. However, today “Hasaposerviko” is a fast dance. It is danced by Greek men and women with hands on shoulders. The ‘Zorba’ is by far the most popular song used for this dance. To the first part of the song we have slow walking steps, while the second part is with quick running steps. Although it is one the most basic Greek dances, the skill level required to execute this dance is very high. Once you get the hang of it, you feel like you’re flying. This danced is usually danced with a lot of happiness and excitement. If you’re at a social gathering or event, the ‘Zorba’ will most likely be danced to.
The ‘Tsamiko’ is an ancient warrior dance which was very outstanding in the 1821 era of Greek history during the country’s war of independence. The pace and speed of the dance follows a slow tempo and focuses mostly on style and emotion, rather than steps. The ‘Tsamiko’ is danced moving in a counter-clockwise direction. In this dance, the leader of the line (who are mostly men), performs lively and dynamic leaps and kicks near the end of the song, as a type of solo which represents bravery. This requires strong arms by the person dancing beside him, as they both hold hands throughout the

Open Document