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Ikariotikos

   

Ikariotikos
Ikaria is an island southeast of Greece in the Aegean Sea. According to Greek legend, Ikaros plummeted into the sea near the island.  Ikariotikos is a traditional dance for this island.  At first it was a very slow dance, but today Ikariotikos has developed into a fast dance with several variations depicting the struggles and joys the islanders endured. 

 

                 
 

 

 

 

 

Kalamatianos
The Kalamatianos is the most important and popular dance in Greece today. It is the national dance of Greece.  It is commonly danced at weddings and other celebrations all around Greece.  Many people believe the Kalamatianos is named for Kalamata, its city of origin. However, there is evidence to suggest that it was named for the famous silk handkerchiefs that were manufactured there at the time. The handkerchiefs of Kalamata were prized, and were often given as a symbol of love. They were also used to separate the hands of dancers at a time when being seen holding hands could cause a scandal in the village.

 

 

 

 

                 
 

 

Syrtaki
The Syrtaki was the name given to the combination of various Hasapika dances, both in style and the variation of tempo, Today we will be dancing it to a very popular song titled Natane to 21 which tells the story of our Greek forefathers struggles and final victory of Independence in 1821.

 

                 
 
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