Greek Dance: From The Ancient Times To Modernity

Today Greece represents one of the few countries where folk dance is as alive as it was in the ancient times. It has always played a crucial role in the everyday life of all Greeks long considered as an expression of human feelings and Greek customs. Greek dance is a very old tradition. Learning to dance was considered by the Greek as the necessary part of every person’s education. Ancient Greeks danced at religious festivals and ceremonies. They also danced to ensure fertility, prepare for war or celebrate victories.

Traditional Greek dance continues to be passed on from generation to generation. It is an inalienable part of maintaining cultural and national identity of the Greeks. Today Greek men and women wearing traditional greek dance costumes and greek sandals dance perform the dance at the weddings and at the celebrations of other rites of passage in life.

It must be mentioned that some of the characteristics of Greek folk costumes can be traced back to the similar elements in ancient Hellenic and Byzantine costumes. Just as there are manifold different styles and interpretations of the dance coming from all regions of Greece, costumes of dancers from various locations also differ. Although ornamental designs and individual styles of the costumes vary a lot, all of them have similar parts and construction. For instance, basic parts of the women’s costume are: a long linen or cotton chemise, a sleeveless wool vest, an apron, a sash or girdle, a scarf or head covering, greek sandals dance and decorative jewellery. For men the most common elements are a white cotton shirt, white cotton pleated kilt called foustanela, white underpants, long knitted white leggings, an embroidered coat, a cap and greek sandals dance with pompons.

An apron is one of the most interesting accessories worn by Greek dancers. It is also one of the most decorated and ornamented items of Greek clothing. It was not meant for practical use only but stood as a certain symbol of great social significance. It was not worn to protect precious clothing as is common in modern Western culture. Instead it was used to protect the human body. Traditionally, aprons also indicated social status. For example, when getting married the bride took a new hairstyle and headdress as well as changed her apron worn as a young girl to another that declared her status as a married woman.

There are two major types of traditional Greek dance. The first is the springing or leaping dance, the second is the shuffle or dragging dance, the latter being the oldest form of dance. Both dances are very dynamic and physically demanding. That is why wearing comfortable greek sandals dance is vitally important for any Greek dancer. Usually, greek sandals dance are made of leather and suede materials, are as light and flexible as ballet shoes. They have a low and stable heel which provides a dancer with good support even if the floor is slippery. The toe and the back of the shoe are closed to protect the feet from injuries. Women’s greek sandals dance shoes are usually strapped, men’s shoes are laced up in the front.

In essence, traditional Greek dancing brings the representatives of the Greek community together at key points of their everyday life and to celebrate festive occasions of the year. Easter, grape harvest, weddings are marked by this fascinating Greek tradition. Bearing in mind that this tradition seems to have changed little since the ancient times makes it even more attractive to modern lovers of all things Greek.