Syrtos
Syrtos (Greek: Συρτός, variously transliterated sirtos, syrtos, plural syrtoi; sometimes spoken in English using the Greek accusative forms syrto and sirto, from the Greek word: "σερνω", which means drag the dance), is the collective name of a group of Greek folk dances. Syrtos, along with its relative kalamatianos are the most popular dances throughout Greece and are frequently danced by the Greek diaspora. Syrtos and kalamatianos use the same dance steps, but syrtos is in 4/4 time and the kalamatianos is in 7/8 time, organized in a slow (3 beat), quick (2 beat), quick (2 beat) rhythm.
Syrtos and kalamatianos are line dances, 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 karsilamas. In some parts of syrtos, pairs of dancers hold a handkerchief from its two sides.
The accompanying music is generally played with a lyre by Greek (lyra) or violin, lute,bouzouki,baglama,gaida,aulos,zurna,archlute,tamboura,pandoura, citharede, Byzantine lyra or mandolin.
History
Syrtos is mentioned as a traditional Greek dance already in ancient Greece[1] and the word derives from the Greek verb "σύρω" (surō), "to draw, to drag".[2] The word syrtos has been borrowed as sirto for a couples dance from the Pirin region in Bulgaria, and is one of the most liked folk dances and music in Cyprus. However, it is easy to also observe the Turkish motives in the ones used in Cyprus.[citation needed] Ottoman sultans enjoyed this Greek music form and composed songs in that form.[citation needed] The most popular non-anonymous example is the Hicaz Sirto of 32nd Ottoman Sultan Abdülâziz, which is known in Turkish occupied Cyprus among Turkish Cypriots as Aziziye Sirto. Similarly it is known (played and danced) in the Republic of Cyprus among Greek Cypriots as Aziziyes Syrtos (Αζιζιές Συρτός). This is quite normal taking into consideration that the two communities lived together for a very long time in Cyprus history. Seherli Sirtosu, Aziziye Sirto, Iskele Sirtosu, Azize, Kina Sirtosu, etc, are the most popular sirtos...This folk dance, performed by men and women in couples in a circle, is very popular in social gatherings, weddings and religious festivals. It symbolizes the harmony between male and female roles in the Cypriot society.
Regional variation
Each region, particularly the islands, have their own version of the dance.[3] The common denominator is a chain of dancers, facing sideways and holding hands, moving to the dancer's right. The dancer at the right end of the line is the leader, who may lead intricate patterns while using a simple basic step. Sometimes the leader is connected to the second in line via a scarf or handkerchief. In other variants all dancers are connected via handkerchiefs.
Rennell Rodd (1892)[4] suggests that the dance is an imitation of the action of drawing in the seine net. It is considered the most ancient form of dance. C. T. Dimaras [5] describes an inscription from the times of Caligula, which implied that already at these times Syrtos was considered an ancient dance of local tradition.
Politiko Syrto
Politiko Syrto is from the area of Constantinople (now Istanbul) in Asia Minor. Constantinople was referred to 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 4/4 meter.
Hortarakia (Syrtos Botaitikos)
A syrtos from Arcadia, it has become a pan-Hellenic dance. The older, two-part syrtos botaitikos from Palaiopyrgos (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?"
Syrtos Koftos
Koftos is a Greek dance that is danced in the following regions: Thessaly, Epirus and central Greece. The name of the dance comes from the cut in tune/music. It is a faster syrto(Syrtos,Sirto,Sirtos) sta dio style fun 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.
Syrto Bafra
Also known as Omali, in the Kerasounta/Giresun region, this dance is called Syrto, Karshilidiko Omal, Lakhana (after the name of the song, which means cabbage), Kerasountaiko or Kotsikton Omal. It is a 9/8 rhythm and bears no resemblance to what we usually call Syrto, which is usually either a 7/8 (kalamatiano) or 8/8 rhythm. In this case, the name most likely refers to the style, what we call dragging dances.
Pomaško Sirto
This is a dance of the Muslim Pomaks of the Balkans.The first part is identical to the Greek Kalamatianos.Time 7/8, slow quick quick (SQQ), 3 + 2 + 2
Cretan syrtos
Kritikos syrtos means "syrtos from Crete." There are many variations to the dance; every village does it slightly differently. The choreography we use for performances has been developed for a specific piece of Cretan music.The movements of the Cretan Syrtos are calm, sober, and gentle. They constitute the respite before the battle, the resting of the soul, and calming of thoughts. The Syrtos is danced in a manner reminiscent of a religious ceremony that expresses the mystical aspects of life and death, passion and grief of the Cretan spirit.
Syrtos Haniotikos
The popular Syrtos Haniotikos dance is danced to this song from the island of Crete. "The black clothes (of mourning) are as heavy as iron..."A religious dance where the dancer expresses himself with figures mostly on the ground rather than on the air. The region of Kissamos in Chania is considered by musicians and dancers as the source of the dance. We observe at the field researches that syrtos (as well as all Cretan dances) presents many variations from province to province and of course from prefecture to prefecture in Crete, a fact that brings out the richness of the music and dance tradition of Crete, but also the intense local expression of Cretans in all the aspects of their lives. We have recorded this dance at Kastelli of Kissamos in Chania.
Syrtos Tsirighetikos: This dance originated in the city of Chania in western Crete and is thus known on Crete as Haniotikos.
Other Cretan syrtoi include the dances of Kolympari, Selino, Mesogea, Pervolia and Anogeia.
Syrto Kefallinias
This dance is from the island of Kefallonia in the Ionian Sea. Although most of the Greek islands originally were under the control of the Ottoman Turks, Kefallonia was ruled by the Venetians for several centuries. Thus this dance has a springy, almost Italian quality.
Syrto Pyleas
This dance is from a village in Macedonia called Pyleas. This is another dance Anna Efstathiou taught in February 1983. We call one of the variations "arm aloft," as dancers raise their arms rhythmically over their heads and back down again.
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.
Syrtoi from the islands (nisiotikoi)
Syrtos Chios
A couple's dance with steps and style characteristic of island dances, this Syrtos is from the island of Chios in Greece, near the Turkish coast.
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See also
References
- ^ συρτός, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus
- ^ σύρω, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus
- ^ Rickey Holden, Mary Vouras (1965) "Greek Folk Dances", p. 84
- ^ Rennell Rodd (1892) "The Customs and Lore of Modern Greece", p.88
- ^ C. T. Dimaras (1972) "History of Modern Greek Literature", ISBN 0-87395-071-2, p. 7