Ionian Islands - Greece - page 1405

Regional dances, like musical styles, vary across Greece. In Epiros, the slow and dig-
nified tsamikos reflects the often cold and insular nature of mountain life, while the
brighter islands gave rise to light, springy dances such as the ballos and the syrtos . The
Pontian Greeks' vigorous and warlike dances such as the kotsari reflect years of alterca-
tions with their Turkish neighbours. Crete has its graceful syrtos, the fast and triumphant
maleviziotiko and the dynamic pentozali, with its agility-testing high kicks and leaps. The
graceful kalamatianos, originally from Kalamata, reflects years of proud Peloponnese
tradition.
The so-called 'Zorba dance', or syrtaki, is a stylised dance for two or three dancers
with arms linked on each other's shoulders, though the modern variation is danced in a
long circle with an ever-quickening beat.
Women and men traditionally danced separately, and had their own dances, except in
courtship dances such as the sousta .
Folk dance groups throughout Greece preserve regional traditions. The best place to
see folk dancing is at regional festivals and the Dora Stratou Dance Theatre in Athens.
Contemporary dance is gaining prominence in Greece, with leading local troupes tak-
ing their place among the international line-up at the prestigious Kalamata International
Dance Festival and the Athens International Dance Festival.
Men dance the often spectacular solo zeïmbekiko (whirling, meditative improvisations
with roots in rembetika ). Women do the sensuous tsifteteli , a svelte, sinewy show of
femininity evolved from the Middle Eastern belly dance.