Cypriot dance, a question.

Cyprus rules! · Mukhtar/is Joined: 11 Jun 2006 Posts: 668

Hey, I have a question about a Greek Cypriot dance, well a Cypriot dance...My question is, is the traditional Cypriot 'Syrto' danced in pairs? Because when Greek Cypriot's usually dance the 'syrto' they tend to dance it in pairs opposite each other as oppose to in a circle. Although I did read somewhere that the Women's 'sirto' was danced in a circle...or is that wrong?

I'm not too sure why I thought of it...I was just wandering I guess...as you do... Wink

Thanks!

Alexios · Mukhtar/is Joined: 20 Oct 2005 Posts: 976

The truth is there is no rule CR.Most Greek or Cypriot dances end up in a circle anyway.It is a manifestation of an inherent need to stick together in a perfect shape as is the circle. No beginning , no end, no leader, equal distance from each other expressing equality etc.

cypezokyli · Ministerial Joined: 20 Dec 2005 Posts: 2344

actually there is a rule. cypriot dances are actually not in a circle. the basic cypriot dances are the 4 men, and the 4 womens face-to-face dances (antikristos , kartjilamas). in cyprus men and women dont dance toether. two men dance opposite each other (yes in pairs) but in competition to each other. cypriot dances are all improvisation, in short one has to follow the rythm but besides that he is free.

circle dances as such are more common in more lets say mountainous areas. they dance in a circle, all the same step , one leads and he is the the only one who can make some improvisation. the rest follow the steps. its a society that needs to stay together in order to survive.... (better stop here bc i will end up making a sociological lecture on dances LOL )

now , syrtos (and zeimbekikos ) we imported from the aegean and turkey (minor asia , as we like to call it).

as its name implies , you "drag". in the islands it is danced in circles and / or in man-woman pairs. in cyprus it adopted to the cypriot society. so we have a mens syrtos , and a womens syrtos.
usually , men (or women) start dancing in a circle. after they complete the first round , the first two men brake off the circle and the rest stop dancing. there you have another idea of a "pair". where the first man dances (improvizes) while the other assists him by holding the mantili. at some point he might also dance completely alone. after a while a new pair will come forward , for a new man to dance, and the one on the floor has to leave. this will continue till all men dance.

as a rule, if you see any cypriot dance chorography , you should now that it is wrong. perhaps they look nicer , but it has nothing to do with tradition. we dont dance all the same. we improvise Wink

Alexios · Mukhtar/is Joined: 20 Oct 2005 Posts: 976

Dhavlos · Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 1:00 pm Post subject:

yeh, i think it is jsut greeks that dance in circles...traditionally.

I'll ask my uncle if i get the time, he's a 'professional' greek dancers. He knows everything! lol

cypezokyli · Ministerial Joined: 20 Dec 2005 Posts: 2344

Birkibrisli · Deputy Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 1404 Location: Australia

cypezokyli · Ministerial Joined: 20 Dec 2005 Posts: 2344

i dont know bir. perhaps it is like that.
up to now i thought it had sth to do with the word karşı - as opposite (face-to-face dance) Embarassed

in any case we use the word kartjilamas more often as the greek word for that dance Wink

i know that the Turkish Cypriots have exactly the same dance , and i assume that this is the name the use as well. what exactly that means in turkish is beyond my knowledge Wink

zan · Mukhtar/is Joined: 31 Dec 2005 Posts: 962

Karsilama
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Karsilama (Turkish karşılama) is a Turkish dance. It is also known in Greece under the name Antikrystos. Both words mean "face-to-face greeting" in the respective languages.

Karsilamas is a couple dance that is still danced in every corner of the once great Ottoman empire, from Persia to Serbia, and in the Macedonia and Thrace regions of Northern Greece.

Today it is a raucous, bordering on the erotic, couple dance between men and women where the dancers face one another. Hands are held in the upright position about eye level, fingers snapped to the beat of the music, hips swaying.

The tempo is 9/8, and the basic move is danced in four small steps with durations 2,2,2,3 respectively. The style and mood (bouncy, smooth, lively, etc.) vary depending on the region.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karsilamas

Cyprus rules! · Mukhtar/is Joined: 11 Jun 2006 Posts: 668

Thanks everyone for the info, very much appreciated. The one thing I love about the Cypriot dances is the improvisation, you start with your basic step, and then after that, you just go for it....well to the best of your ability...... and within the limits..... of course... Wink

I know traditionally that usually men and women didn't dance with each other, apart from the bride and groom dance and that stamp stamp hop hop one, with the jug that gets smashed (as I like to call it), but I think it's nice the way they've started to mix the male and female dances together, it shows the times have changed, and you have to remember things are evolving all the time, although at the same time, it's also nice to not completely forget tradition....dance a bit of both, perfect! Razz

Another question..... Is the sousta a traditional Cypriot dance as well? I've read in a of couple places that it is, but I always thought it was a dance from mainland Greece or one of the Islands...

So your part of the 'Cyprus mountain race' are you Cypezokyli? So am I! Well half of me is....on my mothers side...what village are you from?

zan · Mukhtar/is Joined: 31 Dec 2005 Posts: 962

Sousta
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Sousta is the name of a folk dance in Cyprus and Crete which is danced in Greece and generally in the Balkans. The music is generally played with a lyre(Kemenche) (or violin), lute, and mandolin (or askomantoura).

There are elements of eroticism and courtship acted out in the dance, which is usually performed by pairs of men and women dancing opposite. Another form is where all the dancers in a row follow the first dancer who moves in complex patterns. Almost every island of Aegean has a sousta dance.

The origins of sousta come from the ancient pirihios, a martial dance of Crete.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sousta

Cyprus rules! · Mukhtar/is Joined: 11 Jun 2006 Posts: 668

Cyprus rules! · Mukhtar/is Joined: 11 Jun 2006 Posts: 668

Thanks Zan! Smile

I wander what the sousta from Crete looks like...Cretan dances are pretty unique...and bloody fast! Shocked

(But also very beautiful...)

Dhavlos · Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 3:39 am Post subject:

Cyprus rules! · Mukhtar/is Joined: 11 Jun 2006 Posts: 668