FOLK DANCES OF THESSALY, GREECE

LOCAL DANCES (Thessaly, Greece)

LOCAL DANCES (Thessaly, Greece)

From ancient times until today, dance is considered as the best means of education and the ideal body and mind integration, in order to achieve psychophysical balance.

LOCAL DANCES (Thessaly, Greece)

In Greece, traditional dances present a wide variety. Every region and village of Greece has its own dances, which differ from region to region and village to village. There is a difference in dances on account of climate, lifestyle of residents, wars and other disasters. Traditional Greek dances, owing to the variety they present, are divided into several categories.

LOCAL DANCES (Thessaly, Greece)

There are:Depending on the subject they are divided

into:ReligiousDances about warDances about love

Depending on their shape they are divided into:

CyclicalFacing dances

LOCAL DANCES (Thessaly, Greece)

Depending on the dancers they are divided into:

MaleWomenMixed

Depending on the place they are divided into:NationalTopical

Main dances of Thessaly

Pera ston pera maxala (Πέρα στον πέρα μαχαλά) This dance came from Karditsa, which is one of

the biggest cities in Thessaly. Like most of the thessalic dances, this dance has a lot of slow and magnificent movements. It is danced only by women and especially women who are going to be married and they have to say goodbye to their families. It is considered as one of the oldest dances and it is danced until today at weddings, mainly in the local villages, in eight steps.

Pera ston pera maxala (Πέρα στον πέρα μαχαλά)

Thessalikos (Θεσσαλικός)

It is a dance which is danced by men and women and came from Tyrnavos. The dancers form an open cycle and they have to look at the center of it. The right foot goes into the out part of the left. The dance has five parts and every part has its own number of steps. All the steps are performed isochronous.

Thessalikos (Θεσσαλικός)

Karagkouna (Καραγκούνα)

This is one of the main dances of Thessaly which is danced in other regions, too. The song of the dance is in order to admire the wonderful costume of the women, in the local villages. All the dancers form an open cycle and they have to look at the center of it. The dance has three parts and every part has its own number of steps which are performed in an isochronous, normal rhythm.

Karagkouna (Καραγκούνα)

Pilioreitikos (Πηλιορείτικος)

It is a dance which came from Pilio and it is danced by men and women. During the dance, the dancers form a labyrinth. It has twelve steps.

LOCAL DANCES (Thessaly, Greece)

Other dances of Thessaly are: tasia (τασιά), tsamikos (τσάμικος), syrtos (συρτό), svarniara (σβαρνιάρα), kleistos argitheas (κλειστός αργιθέας), berati (μπεράτι), kagkeli (καγκέλι), rougkatsiariko (ρουγκατσιάρικο), tai-tai (τάι-τάι)

Costumes

The traditional costume of Almyros

Costumes

The traditional costume of female Karagkouna

Costumes

The festive costume of Trikeri, Magnesia

Women also wear a lot of special jewellry with these costumes such as bracelets, necklaces and other particular pieces, which make their costume even more beautiful.

THE END

Presentation made by:

Evdoxia Gkarlemou andKonstantina Nteoudi