Sirtaki is such a popular Greek dance that many consider it a folk dance. However, its origin is very unusual. This dance was not inherited from ancient times and was not passed down from generation to generation. Sirtaki was invented not so long ago - when the film “Zorba the Greek” (1964) was filmed in Greece. In one of the film episodes main character named Zorba - played by the famous American actor Anthony Quinn - danced to fiery music: at first it sounded slowly, but gradually became faster and faster.
Sirtaki is also called "Zorba's dance". Musical accompaniment The dance was written by the Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis. Very soon everyone loved this music so much that the dance entered Greek folklore, along with folk dances. The word sirtaki itself is a diminutive of the Greek sirtos, which refers to several Cretan folk dances.
Sirtaki contains elements of sirtos and another Cretan folk dance - pidichtos, lively and rhythmic. Indeed, sirtaki begins, like sirtos, slowly, and then gradually becomes more lively and energetic. Sirtaki is danced by several people who join hands, as in a round dance, or put their hands on the shoulders of neighbors to the left and right. They start with slow, smooth movements and gradually move on to fast and sharp ones, sometimes with jumps and jerks.
Sirtaki is a dance Greek origin, but at the same time it is not popular. This is a unique action that has no equal even among the brightest. Firstly, sirtaki arose quickly and spontaneously, and immediately conquered the whole world. This is the dance of the film - after the release of the film “Zorba the Greek” the world learned about sirtaki, and people quickly picked up its rhythm. Secondly, sirtaki is perhaps the only dance that can be performed by maximum amount of people. The more performers there are in a dance, the more spectacular it becomes.
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Photo gallery: Sirtaki dance - the spirit of Greece in your home
History of sirtaki dance
Sirtaki is a fairly young Greek dance. It consists of fast and slow movements of the ancient Greek warrior dance Hasapiko, and was created in 1964 for the film Zorba the Greek. After the film was broadcast in many countries around the world, the views of the audience were riveted on this extraordinary and funny action. So the new movement began to be associated with Greece. Sirtaki's movements were created by choreographer Yorgos Provias, and the music was written by composer Mikis Theodorakis.
The history of the name and one of the main movements of this dance is very funny. In the movie "Zorba the Greek" main role played by American actor Anthony Quinn. Filming of the scene when his character Zorb was supposed to teach Basil to dance on the beach was scheduled for the last day. But the day before, Quinn broke his leg. Filming had to be postponed until the day when the actor could do without a cast. Since Anthony Quinn was still prohibited from making the jumps and sudden movements written in the script, the actor came up with an unusual solution to the problem. Promising director Michalis Kokoyannis to handle the scene, Quinn came up with a movement sliding along the sand, which he complemented with raised arms.
When Kokoyannis asked the actor what kind of dance he was performing, Quinn joked that it was the Greek folk dance sirtaki, which one of the local residents taught him. The name “sirtaki” came to his mind by analogy with the Cretan dance sirtos. By the way, it is his steps that are present in modern sirtaki.
Video of Greek dance sirtaki
Everyone who has ever tried to dance sirtaki says that during the performance, a person completely forgets about his surroundings and simply enjoys the movements to the music, brought to the point of automatism. The beautiful action can be roughly divided into two parts: the first is slower and calmer, the second is already beginning to accelerate both in melody and in movements. This is explained quite simply. As we already mentioned, Quinn broke his leg and the first dance scenes were filmed when he could not yet move confidently. The second half of the sirtaki dance was filmed during the period when the actor moved freely and nothing bothered him. Accordingly, all movements began to be performed at a faster pace. Here we can already notice jumps and slight bounces during the dance.
Nowadays, you can often find sirtaki performers in national Greek costumes. One gets the impression that sirtaki is a Greek folk dance, but this is not so. It’s just that dressing up dancers like this serves as a presentation of the culture of Greece outside its borders.
Since sirtaki has existed for more than half a century, several variations of it have appeared, but main feature remained unchanged - a slow start and a gradual acceleration of the tempo. Sirtaki is a group dance, and it is performed by people standing in one line or forming a circle. If there are quite a lot of people wanting to dance, then creating several lines of dancers is acceptable.
Sirtaki dance training
During the performance of sirtaki, hands are always placed on the shoulders of neighboring dancers on both sides. The upper parts of the dancers' bodies should touch each other. well and basic movements performed only with the help of the legs. The steps must be well learned and brought to automaticity so that they are performed synchronously and at the same time. In addition, dancers are required to watch their hands, since breaking the line during the action is unacceptable.
The main movements of sirtaki are called as follows:
- Added steps.
- Lunges, or as they are popularly called, half squats.
- "Zigzag".
The most interesting and spectacular is the zigzag movement. It is performed like this: the dancers stand in one line and put their hands on the shoulders of their neighbors. Then, moving in a circle or from side to side, they seem to cross their legs in the process of rapid movement (running).
Sirtaki video lesson
Learning to dance sirtaki at an amateur level is not difficult. Many tourists can confirm this, because they themselves often take part in this dance while on vacation in Greece or simply while traveling around Crete.
It's actually enough to learn basic steps, which we mentioned above. An experienced performer, as a rule, is placed on the far right so that he loudly commands what movement should be performed next. And he is already followed by less experienced and newbies. If we're talking about When it comes to sirtaki on stage, here the performers simply memorize combinations of basic movements and bring them to the point of automatism, so that the action is as synchronous as possible.
Sirtaki lessons (watch the video) are in demand today. You can also learn the basics at home, and then polish your performance in a group with your friends.
If you don’t know what to do with your guests at your birthday or any other celebration, show them a few sirtaki moves, turn on the melody of a Greek dance - and good mood guaranteed for you and your guests!
This dance is considered today a symbol of Greece and a tourist brand, and all that is needed to learn how to dance it is desire and a good mood. The dance movements are so simple that you can easily learn them in half an hour.
Sirtaki (from Greek touch) is popular dance of Greek origin. However, despite popular belief, it is an ethnic Greek dance. It was created only in 1964 for the film Zorba the Greek from a combination of slow and fast versions of the Hasápikos (Chasápikos), an ancient dance of the butchers' guild.
Why was this particular combination chosen? different versions dance? According to the plot, Anthony Quinn was supposed to dance on the shore, but literally before filming he broke his leg. Therefore, he came up with a dance with an unusual sliding-pulling step and asked the composer Mikis Theodorakis to compose the melody of the dance in two parts - fast (syrtos) and slow (pidikhtós). When the director asked Quinn if this was a Greek folk dance, he was not at a loss and on the fly came up with the name “sirtaki” (which is consonant with the Cretan folk dance “sirtos”) and replied, “Yes, of course it is.” folk dance. A local Greek taught it to me.” And who would have thought that Sirtaki would become one of the cultural attractions of Greece.
Sirtaki dance standing in a line or standing in a circle, holding their hands on the shoulders of their neighbors. The rhythm of the dance is 4/4, the tempo gradually increases, and often changes to 2/4 in the fast phase. This means that the dance begins with slower, smoother movements, gradually turning into a fast, fiery dance with elements of jumping.
It is worth noting that sirtaki very quickly fell into the soul of people all over the world and, remembering its origin, it is often called “Zorba’s Dance”. And actor Anthony Quinn was awarded the title “Honorary Citizen of Greece” in the 90s.
On August 31, 2012, in the Greek city of Volos, a new Guinness record was set - the most massive sirtaki in the world! 5,614 people took part in the dance on the city embankment.
In the vocabulary of culture and art there are many terms and words that came to us from other languages. Among them one can name the word “sirtaki”. What is "sirtaki"? Where did this word come to us from? This is what we will talk about today.
Sirtaki as a term in art
This word came to us from Greece as the name of the national group Greek dance. Translated from Greek, the word means “touch.” The dance is characterized by a gradual increase in tempo from slow and calm to very active. This business card Greek culture.
Sirtaki: history
Many people mistakenly classify the sirtaki dance as an ancient folk dance. However, you will be surprised to learn that this dance is not folk at all, but completely original. And its author is film actor Anthony Quinn.
The second surprise for you will be that this dance is not originally Greek at all, but American, since Queen is not Greek, but an American, who starred in 1964 with the Greek director Mihallis Kakkoyannis. True, the film dealt with Greek themes. And the actor had to perform a Greek folk dance by the sea. But Quinn broke his leg, and it was not just difficult for him to dance a fast Greek dance - it was impossible. That's what he came up with new dance based on the simple rhythmic movements of Greek folk dances in its own slow version. The film took a long time to shoot. During filming, Quinn's leg healed. And he was already able to perform the second part of the dance quickly. The music for Quina's sirtaki dance was also written specifically in response to the need. It was written for "Zorba the Greek" by the Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis.
But what about the director, did he really not know that such a dance does not exist? Apparently, Kakkoyannis was very trusting, because he believed the arguments of the actor, who said that they told him about this dance local residents. Didn’t he really double-check with them what sirtaki is, whether there really is such a dance in the culture of the Greek people? It is possible that we will never find the answer to this question.
By the way, about the name of the dance. And it is attributed to Quinn's imagination: supposedly this is a “small” (smaller) version of the traditional Cretan dance sirtos.
Sirtaki: performance technique
Most often, the sirtaki dance is performed by a group of people standing in one line and holding the shoulders of their neighbors with outstretched arms. It happens that part of the dance is performed in a circle, but, as a rule, this is an exception. If a large number of people participate in the dance, the dancers are arranged in several lines.
The dance is performed only with the legs, and the body and arms of the sirtaki dancers remain motionless. With the help of a strong grip of hands, the dance participants maintain the line of dance.
The rhythm of the dance is clear, four quarters, and if fast, two quarters. The legs perform movements absolutely synchronously: the traditional zigzag cross step, side steps, squats and half-squats, lunges. If we analyze the features of the movements used in the dance, the Greeks noticed that in the first part of the Sirtaki dance the traditional movements of the folk Cretan dance group Sirtos were used, and in the second, fast part, elements of another group of Cretan dances - pidichtos, including jumping and jumping.
To ensure that the rhythm of the dance can be clearly heard during performance, dancing sirtaki wear special sandals with hard soles on their feet.
Types of modern sirtaki
One of the most common variants of sirtaki in modern Greece was born from the Athenian dance Hasapiko. What do hasapiko and sirtaki have in common? Firstly, the music. Secondly, the linear form of dance. True, both dances do not require a large number of people to be placed in one line. There should be no more than three. If there are more dancers, then they line up parallel lines. Thirdly, a whole series of movements, especially similar in the fast part of the dance.
There is a version that hasapiko was previously a war dance. It was used as a pantomime to prepare for battle and to teach silent combat actions, such as approaching the enemy. He also conveyed the peculiarities of combat by the Greeks.
The second version of sirtaki is zorbas, which consists not of two parts, but of three or four. All parts are characterized by changes in rhythm and tempo. In the slow part the movements are similar to sirtaki, and in the fast part they are similar to hasapiko. Moreover, movements during the dance can be changed and combined by the dancers improvisationally, by transferring the “impulse” to neighbors with their shoulders: after all, their bodies are tightly pressed to each other.
There is another dance that is very reminiscent of sirtaki - naftiko. It is danced by Greek sailors, and it is very reminiscent of a Russian apple. The original dance for naftiko was the ancient folk dance Makkelarikos, from which the hasapiko dance later grew.
Sirtaki today
What is sirtaki for the Greeks now? Now the Greeks like this dance so much that they consider it equal to other national traditional dances and dance it with pleasure at holidays. Photos of sirtaki are presented in the article.
When you need to introduce guests to Greek culture, it is performed in Greek national costumes.
Today there are a large number of options for making sirtaki. The Greeks call the author of the dance the Honorable Greek, and his dance is the dance of Zorba. And sirtaki is danced not only in Greece, but also in many countries around the world. For example, in the USA, back in the late 1960s, sirtaki were performed in a number of nightclubs. And in Russia sirtaki is one of the the brightest numbers ballet theaters and dance ensembles, for example, the Moiseev Ensemble, the Gzhel Dance Theater.
So what are sirtaki? For some, this is an amazing phenomenon of dance culture of the 20th century, which captured the whole world with its energy. For others, it is a way of ethnic self-identification. For still others, it is an opportunity to find like-minded people and share with them the positive charge received from joint detachment from the surrounding reality and absolute immersion in the rhythm of the dance that completely embraces them. What do sirtaki mean to you?
Dance is an opportunity to express your soul in plastic form. The performer's movements and poses tell about his feelings and experiences. Folk dance is the ancestor of all other types of this art. Each locality has its own rhythms, movements, poses, costumes, and so on. Greek dances are so popular in their homeland that they are danced even in discos. They are even taught to tourists who come on vacation.
Greek dances
Let's get to know them better. Greek dances are very similar to Romanian, Ukrainian and Moldavian. They are popular not only among the representatives of this people themselves, but also in many other countries they are danced with pleasure. Greek music and dance are studied in many European and American universities. And they are even performed live by ensembles using bouzouki. This is Greek folk instrument, similar to a mandolin, which can easily be combined with any other: accordion, guitar, piano, and so on. Its sound is modest and languid. There were a huge number of dances in Greece - more than 200. They were divided into 5 groups: ritual, sacred (performed during sacrifices), stage, home and civil (they were danced at public holidays). IN Ancient Greece dance was considered a gift from the Gods, which unites spiritual and physical beauty. The Muse of Terpsichore is designed to teach the soul and body to properly combine with each other.
The following Greek dances (names) are known to the world:
- Sirtaki.
- Sirtos.
- Hasapiko.
- Zeybekiko.
- Karaguna.
- Kleftikos.
- Hora.
- Kalamatianos.
- Tsamikos.
- Lazos.
- Stiakos.
- Mikraki.
- Sulfur.
- Anoyanos.
- Klystos.
- Trizali.
- Adichristos.
- Rumatyani.
- Omal.
- Zervodexos.
- Rembetiko.
- Susta.
- Trigona.
- Apanomeritis.
- Bustle.
- Pidikhthos.
- Hasaposervikos.
- Angalyastos.
- Zonaradikos.
- Angalyastos.
- Tsifteteli.
- Katsipadianos.
- Pedozalis.
- Prinyotis.
- Ballos.
- Prignanos.
- Kalon of cinnamon.
- Tsakonikos.
- Koftos.
- One hundred tria.
- Karsimalas.
- Pogonisios.
- Kotsari.
- Tsifteteli.
- Irakliotiko Kastrino Maleviziotis.
- Siganos.
- Tsamikos.
- Kalamatyanos.
And others.
Sirtaki
The most famous and popular Greek dance is sirtaki. However, it is not at all popular and has not existed for very long. It was created in 1964. The music for it was composed by Mikos Theodorakis. It was used in the Hollywood film "Zorbas the Greek".
Greek dance Sirtaki is a mixture of sirtos and hasapiko. It combines various movements: slow and fast, sharp and smooth, sliding legs without lifting off the floor and jumping. Today sirtaki is a tourism brand and is performed all over the world. The name of the dance was invented by actor Anthony Quinn, who played the main role in the film “Zorbas the Greek.” This may be a diminutive form of the Greek folk dance sirtos.
Sirtaki dance in a group. The performers stand in a line, and sometimes in a circle. The dancers place their outstretched arms on the shoulders of neighbors to the right and left. The tempo is slow at first and gradually increases. As the dance progresses, the time signature changes from 4/4 to 2/4. Sometimes sirtaki include jumping. This dance is also called “Zorbas”. His movements are simple, but when the pace becomes fast, the steps are difficult and dexterity and practice are needed to keep up with them. Sirtaki is taught in everyone dance schools peace.
Hasapiko
The Greek dance Hasapiko is similar to the Romanian hora and Russian Cossack dances. This is one of the most basic and ancient rhythms. It originated in the Byzantine era. The name translates as “butcher’s dance.” Hasapikos originated in Constantinople. Butchers lived in the area where he appeared. Hasapikos is always performed with singing. Initially, this dance was performed with weapons. The performers standing in the first row held sticks, knives and whips in their hands, and those in the second row held swords.
A group of men and women dances Hasapiko. There is no soloist in this dance. Previously, men danced hasapiko wearing a cap with a raised visor. There are several varieties of this dance: politico, vari-argo and hasaposerviko. Hasapiko is believed to be a warrior dance. It was performed by selected troops. The movements were very simple, depicting a warrior entering the battlefield, fighting the enemy and winning. Hasapiko was also used to help soldiers learn to move silently.
Zeibekikos
This Greek folk dance originated in Ancient Thrace. Its name comes from the name of the soldiers - Zembekids. Their descendants came to Greece after the disaster and brought with them this ancient ancestral dance. Only men performed zeibekikos. This is the only one known to the world solo Greek dance. The steps in it are always based on improvisation. The performer has the opportunity to express himself. The Zeibekikos dance in ancient times was accompanied by a display of weapons.
Syrtos
Many Greek dances are based on one of the main rhythms - sirtos. It is the most ancient. It is performed by groups, mainly at wedding celebrations. The word "sirtos" is translated as "pull, crawl."
Karaguna
There are some Greek dances that are performed exclusively by women. For example, Karaguna. In most cases, only representatives of the fair half of humanity dance it. Although in some Greek communities they are performed by mixed groups. The name “Karaguna” translates as “black coat”. This word was used to describe farmers from the Thessalian plains. For what reason they got such a nickname is unknown, since they never wore black coats. The dance begins with a fast tempo and gradually develops into sirtos towards the end.
Other dances
Kleftikos - partisan dance. It was used for recreation as well as military training. The name comes from the word “klefts”, that is, “partisans”. This dance originated in ancient times - in the era when the Greeks were fighting against the Ottoman Empire.
Kalamatianos is one of the most popular in Greece. This is a type of syrtos. This dance was performed to songs. Most of them sang about the city of Kalamata, from which the name came.
Tsamikos - this dance has many variations. In different regions of Greece it is performed in its own way. The movements of the dance, its style, form, spiritual component - reflect the habits and characters of the inhabitants of each area.
