The World of Greek Dance

There is no country in Europe where folk dance is as alive and integral to daily life as it is in Greece.The country boasts over four thousand amateur folk dance companies that regularly perform. People dance often—on feast days, at weddings, and in tavernas.For Greeks, the role of dance in maintaining their national identity is unique. In Europe, America, and Asia, there are over two million people of Greek descent who speak only a smattering of Greek yet dance the dances of their homeland exceptionally well.And it is not only Greeks who dance Greek dances. These dances are taught in countless classes abroad, and thousands of foreigners come to Greece specifically to attend seminars, dance in tavernas, and participate in patronal feasts (panigyria).Who would believe that there are dance companies capable of performing an entire program of Greek dances in traditional Greek costumes—without a single Greek participant? Who could imagine fifty foreigners suddenly appearing at a panigyri in a remote village and dancing all the local dances as skillfully as the locals?Greek dance is flourishing: as traditional dance in villages, as folk dance in the many troupes, as popular dance in tavernas, and even as a tourist attraction with the ever-popular syrtaki.The wedding revels, where the bride and groom lead their guests in dance, remain an essential part of the ceremony. While discotheques proliferate and ballet and modern dance gain popularity, Greek folk dance continues to hold its own.This book has been the standard introduction and guide for the last forty years. It has sold fifty thousand copies in six languages. Read more