The Sirtaki Dance

Who has never connected this word when thinking of Greece? Sirtaki is a cornerstone of Hellenic culture and unlike what everyone thinks, it is not a tradition that has continued for centuries but rather has a very current birth that has managed to make it one of the identifying signs of the nation.

Let's start by specifying that Sirtaki is a typical dance that all Greeks know how to dance or at least know the steps. Created specifically for the movie “Zorbas the Greek” in 1964, the melodies were written specifically for the film by Mikis Theodorakis. For those who have seen it, how beautiful and emotional is the scene when Zorbas played by Anthony Quinn teaches the dance to Basil the English writer who moved to Crete for business on the wonderful Stavros beach on the Akrotiri Peninsula? Here this part of the film gave popularity to the dance making it become a symbol. Some think it was a purely marketing move to advertise and make Greece known as a holiday destination and let's face it they succeeded perfectly.

From a philosophical point of view and the Greeks are masters of it here as history shows us, everything is linked to Kefi. Kefi is a Greek word that is impossible to translate, we can only explain what it represents, an ever-living light in the soul that radiates life into everyday moments. It can be linked to feelings of joy, enthusiasm and passion, or it can show you the direction to take in the dark periods of your life, in short, a sacred fire that we all have and that we must learn to listen to and follow. An example of Kefi is the custom of breaking dishes at weddings, an outlet after a moment of extreme exuberance and joy, in a few words we can say that with Kefi the soul and body become cohesive and together they release what is there. it is within ourselves. Dance is another example, moments of ecstasy, happiness and liberation.

The name Sirtaki derives from the words Syrtos which means dragged-slow and the dance is nothing more than a fusion of other dances with ancient origins such as the Hasapiko which dates back to the times of Constantinople and was born in the Middle Ages, the Haposerviko which dates back to the 20 when in northern Greece the music was played faster as it was influenced by Serbian culture and Pidiktos which also includes small rapid jumps. Sirtaki begins with the slow rhythms of Hasapiko and then grows and becomes faster with the steps of Hasaposerviko. The beauty of these ballets is the social bonds that are created between the participants who can be men or women, poor or rich, young or old, nothing matters, the only important thing is to let the emotions out by reaching the kefi.

How to dance Sirtaki

The Sirtaki dance is danced in line (the nose must be in the same direction for all participants) usually in rows of five to ten people but others can also be added there is no precise limit, or even in circular formation with the leader always at the end, it depends on the places and the occasion. Everyone puts their hands on their neighbor's shoulder and the rhythm starts slow and fluid in 4/4 and then accelerates up to 2/4 in the faster parts which sometimes also include jumps. The direction of the dance can be reversed from right to left or vice versa. At each step, the supporting leg must be slightly bent. The main step is practically a succession of crossings starting from the right front leg over the left one. It is not difficult to get involved in this beautiful fun ritual, and in no time you will be inside the Kefi.

You can see the Sirtaki dancing everywhere, during a dinner in a tavern by the sea, in the square for a celebration, on live stages, in short, it will be impossible not to come across this moment of joy and get involved by joining the dancers. So, let yourself go, participate and if you make a mistake it doesn't matter, the important thing is to have fun.