Syrtos
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Syrtos ( el, συρτός, ''syrtos'' (also ''sirtos''); plural , ''syrtoi'' (also ''sirtoi''); sometimes called in English using the Greek
accusative The accusative case (abbreviated ) of a noun is the grammatical case used to mark the direct object of a transitive verb. In the English language, the only words that occur in the accusative case are pronouns: 'me,' 'him,' 'her,' 'us,' and ‘th ...
forms ''syrto'' (also ''sirto''); from the el, links=no, σύρω, ''syro'' (also ''siro''), "to drag he dance) is – in classical and modern Greece – a traditional dance in which the dancers link hands to form a chain or circle, headed by a leader who intermittently breaks away to perform improvised steps. Syrtos, along with its relative
kalamatianos The Kalamatianós ( el, Καλαματιανός) is one of the best known dances of Greece. It is a popular Greek folkdance throughout Greece, Cyprus and internationally and is often performed at many social gatherings worldwide. As is the ca ...
, are the most popular dances throughout
Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...
and
Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ge ...
, and are frequently danced by the Greek diaspora worldwide. They are very popular in social gatherings, weddings and religious festivals. Syrtos and kalamatianos use the same dance steps, but the syrtos is in time and the kalamatianos is in time, organized in a ''slow'' (3 beat), ''quick'' (2 beat), ''quick'' (2 beat) rhythm. Syrtos and kalamatianos are
line dance A line dance is a choreographed dance in which a group of people dance along to a repeating sequence of steps while arranged in one or more lines or rows. These lines usually face all in the same direction, or less commonly face each other.Knight, ...
s and
circle dance Circle dance, or chain dance, is a style of social dance done in a circle, semicircle or a curved line to musical accompaniment, such as rhythm instruments and singing, and is a type of dance where anyone can join in without the need of par ...
s, done with the dancers in a curving line holding hands, facing right. The dancer at the right end of the line is the leader. He may also be a solo performer, improvising showy twisting skillful moves as the rest of the line does the basic step. While he does this, the next dancer in line stops dancing and holds him up with a twisted handkerchief linking their hands, so he can turn and not fall down, as in the ''
Antikristos Antikristos or Antikrystós ( el, αντικρυστός χορός) is a dance of Greek origin. “Aντικρυστός” in Greek language refers to the verb αντικρύζω “be across, opposite, face-to-face” (from Ancient Greek ἀ ...
''. In some parts of syrtos, pairs of dancers hold a
handkerchief A handkerchief (; also called a hankie or, historically, a handkercher or a ) is a form of a kerchief or bandanna, typically a hemmed square of thin fabric which can be carried in the pocket or handbag for personal hygiene purposes such as wi ...
from its two sides. Rennell Rodd (1892) suggests that the dance is an imitation of the action of drawing in the
seine net Seine fishing (or seine-haul fishing; ) is a method of fishing that employs a surrounding net, called a seine, that hangs vertically in the water with its bottom edge held down by weights and its top edge buoyed by floats. Seine nets can be de ...
. C. T. Dimaras describes an inscription from the times of Caligula, which implied that already at these times Syrtos was considered an ancient Greek dance of local tradition.


History

Syrtos is an ancient chain dance of Greece. It was described by Lucian (c. AD 125–190) and is still danced today in many varieties all over Greece and in the Greek islands. Traditionally, it was danced by segregated lines of men and women, a youth leading the line of girls; lines now are frequently mixed. The dancers in the chain maintain a simple fundamental step, but the leader improvises, often breaking away from the line. In 1803, the surviving women of the war-torn town of Souli, faced with capture by Turkish troops, danced the syrtos as they threw themselves off the mountain of Zálongo. The kalamatianos, a form of the syrtos and a profoundly popular national dance, is frequently danced to the ballad of Zálongo. The metre of the kalamatianos is (3 + 2 + 2); the syrtos metre is usually . Both the leader and other dancers may improvise in the kalamatianos, the leader leaping and flourishing his handkerchief and, when he chooses, passing it to a new leader. A relevant ancient Greek dance may be the "Hormos", literally "a string".


Regional variation

The Greek mainland, from the Peloponnese and
Thessaly Thessaly ( el, Θεσσαλία, translit=Thessalía, ; ancient Thessalian: , ) is a traditional geographic and modern administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thes ...
to Macedonia and
Thrace Thrace (; el, Θράκη, Thráki; bg, Тракия, Trakiya; tr, Trakya) or Thrake is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe, now split among Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey, which is bounded by the Balkan Mountains to ...
, uses mainly the rhythm form of the dance, in contrast to
Crete Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, ...
, the Aegean islands,
Asia Minor Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...
and
Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya ( Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis ( ...
that use .


Syrto-kalamatianos

Kalamatianos syrtos or syrto-kalamatianos are the most popular Greek folkdance syrtoi in Greece, Cyprus and internationally. The steps of the Kalamatianos are the same as those of the Syrtos, but the latter is slower and more stately, its beat being an even . Traditionally, it was danced by segregated lines of men and women. The lead dancer usually holds the second dancer by a handkerchief.


Nisiotikoi syrtoi

Syrtoi from the islands or nisiotikoi, with the relative local Greek culture of the islands. ''Nisiotikoi syrtoi'' include:
Kalamatianos The Kalamatianós ( el, Καλαματιανός) is one of the best known dances of Greece. It is a popular Greek folkdance throughout Greece, Cyprus and internationally and is often performed at many social gatherings worldwide. As is the ca ...
,
Sousta Sousta ( gr, Σούστα, links=no) is a Greek folk dance, performed at weddings as an activity of courtship between husband and wife. It originates from Ancient Greece, and holds prominence in Dodecanese Islands, and broader Aegean region. It ...
, Syrtos from Ikaria,
Pentozali The Pentozali or Pentozalis ( el, Πεντοζάλης) is the trademark folk dance of the island of Crete. It takes its name from the fifth (''pente'') attempt or step (ζάλος being a Cretan Greek word for "step") of the Cretan people to li ...
,
Pidikhtos Pidikhtos ( el, πηδηχτός), is a Greek folk dance with Cretan origin, dancing in a circle formation. It is very widespread in Crete and the Greek islands. See also *Music of Greece *Greek dances Greek dance (''choros'') is a very old ...
, Rhoditikos, Syrtos from Symi, Skyrianos syrtos, Maleviziotikos, Samiotikos syrtos, Syrtos from Andros, Syrtos Chiotikos, Skopelitikos syrtos, Syrtos from Paros, Syrtos Kithnou, Syrtos Naxou, Zakynthinos syrtos, Syrto Rodou, a dance very widespread in
Greek islands Greece has many islands, with estimates ranging from somewhere around 1,200 to 6,000, depending on the minimum size to take into account. The number of inhabited islands is variously cited as between 166 and 227. The largest Greek island by a ...
and other.


Syrtos Koftos

Koftos is a
Greek dance Greek dance (''choros'') is a very old tradition, being referred to by authors such as Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch and Lucian. There are different styles and interpretations from all of the islands and surrounding mainland areas. Each region form ...
that is danced in the regions of
Thessaly Thessaly ( el, Θεσσαλία, translit=Thessalía, ; ancient Thessalian: , ) is a traditional geographic and modern administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thes ...
,
Epirus sq, Epiri rup, Epiru , native_name_lang = , settlement_type = Historical region , image_map = Epirus antiquus tabula.jpg , map_alt = , map_caption = Map of ancient Epirus by Heinri ...
and
central Greece Continental Greece ( el, Στερεά Ελλάδα, Stereá Elláda; formerly , ''Chérsos Ellás''), colloquially known as Roúmeli (Ρούμελη), is a traditional geographic region of Greece. In English, the area is usually called Central ...
. The name of the dance comes from the cut in tune/music. It is a faster ''syrto sta dyo'' style dance. When the music stops the dancers yell "Hey". When the music stops you also can put your arms up, down, or clap. It can also be danced going backwards and forwards or with partners. "Koftos" in Greek means to cut and the music cuts periodically. This is how the name came about.


Cretan Syrtos

Cretan Syrtos comes from Western Crete,
Chania Chania ( el, Χανιά ; vec, La Canea), also spelled Hania, is a city in Greece and the capital of the Chania regional unit. It lies along the north west coast of the island Crete, about west of Rethymno and west of Heraklion. The muni ...
in particular. According to tradition, during the Fall of Constantinople, the Cretan defenders of the City, during the pauses of battle, sang between themselves poetic words urging each other to bravery, using two melodic motives, Protos Chaniotikos (First, from Chania) and Deuteros Chaniotikos (Second, from Chania) or Kissamitikos (from Kissamos). When the City fell, the Sultan, observing the bravery of the Cretans allowed them to return to their homeland, Western Crete, fully armed. Thus, these two melodies, the archetypes of all other Cretan Syrtoi, were introduced to Crete and in subsequent years they were put into dance. It has been observed by authority of Greek traditional music
Domna Samiou Domna Samiou ( el, Δόμνα Σαμίου; 12 October 1928 – 10 March 2012Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya ( Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis ( ...
, the Aegean and
Asia Minor Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...
.


Chortarakia (Syrtos Botaitikos)

A ''syrtos'' from
Arcadia Arcadia may refer to: Places Australia * Arcadia, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney * Arcadia, Queensland * Arcadia, Victoria Greece * Arcadia (region), a region in the central Peloponnese * Arcadia (regional unit), a modern administrative un ...
, it has become a pan-Hellenic dance. The older, two-part ''syrtos botaitikos'' from
Palaiopyrgos Palaiopyrgos ( el, Παλαιόπυργος, "Old Tower", before 1957: Μποντιά – ''Bontia'' or ''Bodia'') is a village in the municipal unit Levidi, Arcadia in Greece. Its mediaeval name was Bodia or ''Bodea.'' It is best known as the so ...
(formerly ''Bodias'') can also be done to this music. This older form of the dance features men and women in two separate lines, the men behind the women. They merge into one line of mixed men and women and then back to the two lines, using the ancient chain hold that can be seen on ancient Greek vase paintings. The song tells of a young man meeting an old man and asking, "Where are the greens of the meadow, the water from the well?"


Politiko syrto

Politiko syrto is from the area of
Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya ( Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis ( ...
in
Asia Minor Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...
. Constantinople was referred as "the city" (or "poli") because of its importance as a seat of culture and trade in the civilized world. Syrto (from the Greek word "syro" meaning to pull or, more accurately, to lead) is characterized by its slow-quick-quick rhythm within its meter. There is also a similar dance, the Silivrianos Syrtos.


Syrto Kefallonias

This dance is from the island of
Kefallonia Kefalonia or Cephalonia ( el, Κεφαλονιά), formerly also known as Kefallinia or Kephallenia (), is the largest of the Ionian Islands in western Greece and the 6th largest island in Greece after Crete, Euboea, Lesbos, Rhodes and Chios. It ...
in the Ionian Sea.


Syrtos Dance From Bornova (Bournovalios Syrtos)

This is danced to a song entitled ''Ti Tha Yino, Ego Me Sena'' ("What Shall I Become, I with You?"), the story of an erstwhile courtship:
What am I to do with you Panayiotis? You've stolen my heart and youth. For three years now you've enslaved me and you'vetormented me, but I've got your game now, you liar, and know that you've no feelings for me. You come to my neighborhood to chat with me, and you come and go in my house and laugh behind everyone's back. But you must know that my mother will not be ashamed to tell you that you're a liar and a scoundrel. You better leave before she sees you, and face it, she'll kick you out, Panayiotis. Then she'll marry me off to someone else, and I'll be freed from you, Panayiotis.


Syrtos Sinkathistos

Circle
pidikhtos Pidikhtos ( el, πηδηχτός), is a Greek folk dance with Cretan origin, dancing in a circle formation. It is very widespread in Crete and the Greek islands. See also *Music of Greece *Greek dances Greek dance (''choros'') is a very old ...
dance, with the steps of simple "syrtos" and the squat-steps of "sygkathistos", a syrtos dance widespread in Thessaly and Thrace.


Syrtos Makedonias

Syrtos of Macedonia, is another one form of syrtos, danced in the Greek region of Macedonia.


Syrtos Pyleas

This dance is from a village in Macedonia called Pyleas. One of the variations is called "arm aloft," as dancers raise their arms rhythmically over their heads and back down again. The Dance is mainly done by women.


Syrto Bafra

Also known as
Omal The Omal (also called ''Duz Horon'' or ''Flat Horon'') was one of the first Pontic Greek dances to be developed from the region of Pontos. In the Pontic language, means "regular" or "smooth." It is a relaxed dance and is danced for long periods ...
i, in the Kerasounta/ Giresun region, this dance is called ''syrto'', ''karshilidiko omal'', (after the name of the song, which means "vegetables"), ''kerasountaiko'' or ''kotsihton omal'', widespread in Asia Minor. It is a rhythm and bears no resemblance to what we usually call syrto, which is usually either a kalamatianos or rhythm. In this case, the name most likely refers to the style, what we call dragging dances.


See also

*
An Dro An dro or ''en dro'' (Breton: "The Turn") is a Breton folk dance in . It is a form of a circle dance. Technique The dancers link little fingers in a long line, swinging their arms, and moving to their left by taking longer steps in that directi ...
*
Dabke ''Dabke'' ( ar, دبكة also spelled ''dabka'', ''dubki'', ''dabkeh'', plural ''dabkaat'') is a Levantine Arab folk dance. Dabke combines circle dance and line dancing and is widely performed at weddings and other joyous occasions. The line f ...
*
Greek dances Greek dance (''choros'') is a very old tradition, being referred to by authors such as Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch and Lucian. There are different styles and interpretations from all of the islands and surrounding mainland areas. Each region forme ...
* Hora *
Horon Horon ( pnt, χορόν, khorón) is a traditional folk dance from Pontus or Eastern Black Sea Region in Turkey. Name Etymology The term ''horon'' derives from Greek '' choros'' ( el, χορός, khorós), which means "dance." The earliest in ...
*
Kalamatianos The Kalamatianós ( el, Καλαματιανός) is one of the best known dances of Greece. It is a popular Greek folkdance throughout Greece, Cyprus and internationally and is often performed at many social gatherings worldwide. As is the ca ...
*
Khigga Khigga is a style of Assyrian folk dance in which multiple dancers hold each other's hands and form a semi-circle or a curved line. There are multiple foot patterns that dancers perform. Its thought to have been danced for thousands of years. It i ...
*
Kochari Kochari (, , , , ) is a folk dance originating in the Armenian Highlands. It is performed today by Armenians, while variants are performed by Assyrians, Azerbaijanis (yalli, uchayag, and tello), Kurds (dilan, delîlo, and sêxanî), and Pontic ...
*
Music of Greece The music of Greece is as diverse and celebrated as its history. Greek music separates into two parts: Greek traditional music and Byzantine music. These compositions have existed for millennia: they originated in the Byzantine period and Greek ...
*
Omal The Omal (also called ''Duz Horon'' or ''Flat Horon'') was one of the first Pontic Greek dances to be developed from the region of Pontos. In the Pontic language, means "regular" or "smooth." It is a relaxed dance and is danced for long periods ...
* Sirtaki *
Tamzara Tamzara ( hy, Թամզարա, translit=T'amzara; aii, ܬܢܙܪܐ, translit=Tanzara; az, Tənzərə; el, Τάμσαρα, translit=Támsara; tr, Tamzara) is a folk dance native to Armenian Highlands. It is today performed by Armenians, Assyria ...
*
Tsamiko The Tsamikos ( el, Τσάμικος, ''Tsamikos'') or Kleftikos ( el, Κλέφτικος) is a popular traditional folk dance of Greece, done to music of 3/4 meter. The dance The dance follows a strict and slow tempo not emphasising on the st ...


References


External links

*http://www.greekfolkmusicanddance.com/bookdance.php
Syrtos Makedonias from Chalkidike
;Videos
Syrtos ChaniotikosSyrtos PyleasSyrtos MakedoniasSyrtos Singathistos ThraceSyrto KeffaloniasSyllivriano Syrtos Asia Minor/Aegean IslandsKalamatianos
{{Authority control Ancient Greek dances European folk dances Greek dances Greek music Greek words and phrases Circle dances Pontic Greek dances