100% Greek Dances

The Rembetiko dances
The basic rebetiko dances are: the Zembekiko, the Hassapikos and the Tsifteteli. The rebetiko dances became well known all over newely-independent 1830's Greece, following the annexation of Macedonia and Thrace where they were already familiar to the Greek population. However, it was the Asia Minor refugees of 1922 who contributed to the increasing popularity of rebetiko dances all over the motherland Greece.

The Zembekiko
Regarded as 'the dance of dances.' There is a suggestion that it is a development of the ancient dances of the Greeks of Ionia and Aeolia and that its etymological analysis consists of the words 'Zeus' and 'Bekos', meaning 'bread' in the ancient Phrygian language. Others maintain that its origins reach as far as the Byzantine church chants. It is widely believed that the Zembekiko was a war dance of the Zeibekides, a tribe Thracian decent. The Zembekiko dance has no steps, traditionally a man's dance and danced solo.

The Hassapikos
The Hassapikos derived its name from the 'hassapis' which means 'butcher'. During the Ottoman occupation the butchers in Constantinople were Greeks of Albanian decent and danced the Hassapikos during the festivities of their guild. It is usually danced by two to three men of equal height who put their hands on each others shoulders; a perfect synchronization is essential. The Hassaposerviko dances are a subgroup of the hassapikos and are danced twice as fast as the Hassapikos.

The Tsifteteli
'Tsifteteli' means 'two strings'. The dance was named so because it was originally a melody played by a two-stringed violin. The Tsifteteli has no steps, although it requires sensual body movements and is danced mainly by women.

The Cretan Dances
The traditional Cretan dances have their roots in antiquity and are considered a development of the labyrinth dance of worship, which Theseus brought back to mainland Greece, where it was danced in commemoration of his victory over the Minotaur. The twists and turns of this dance were reminiscent of the convolutions of the labyrinth .

The Siganos
Is also called the 'Theseus dance'. It is danced by men and women with their arms intertwined at shoulder level, as an introduction to the Pendozalis. Its steps are similar to those of the Pendozalis, but they are quite gentle and are accompanied by the almost whispering sounds of the Cretan "lyra" and the lute. The dancer leading the dance appears to be pulling behind him the tightly knit human chain, in an effort to lead it out of the 'labyrinth' to safety.

The Pendozalis
Gets its name from the five basic steps, the 'zala' as the Cretans call them, which when repeated, become ten. It is danced in an open circle by men and women with their arms extended and played on each others shoulders. It is a spirited, bouncing war dance that shows off the dancers' dash and gives the leading dancer the opportunity to perform many improvisations and spectacular jumps and leaps to the accompaniment of the lively sound of the 'vrontolyra' (a kind of lyra) and the lute.

The Syrtos
Also called the 'Chaniotikos'. It is danced all over Greece and in Crete there is a local variation. The dancers, men and women, dance in an open circle, linking arms at shoulder level. The steps are slow, the movement simple, uniform and controlled.

The Kastrinos
This dance owes its name to the Great Castle or 'Kastro', the castle of Heraklion. It is also called a 'pithiktos' or 'bouncing' dance because of the nervous jumps and the light and airy figures, and also 'Maleviziotikos', from the province of the same name. It is a man's dance and is made up of eight steps in the direction of the center of the circle and another eight backwards.

The Sousta
This dance got its name from the rhythmic springing movement of the body. It is danced by men and women facing each other and is a courting dance. The couple draws together and separate with graceful rhythmic movements. It is made up of six slightly bouncing steps which are repeated to become twelve.