Greek Dances

[really]

Why do the Greeks break dishes during one of the dances? What is the name of that dance?

There is another dance where the dancer has to pick up a glass of wine from the floor with his mouth, and that, I think, is called the Drunken Dance. Was the dance invented from someone drunk in a taverna? How many times does he have to pick up the glass?

[Ellinas]

I guess you are referring to Zeimbekiko. The Zeimbekiko rythm is an 9/8 rythm, usually slow, it expresses a masculinity and a loneliness, it expresses biterness but also courage on the same time.

Zeimbekiko is my favourite rythm and dance, as it expresses me a lot many times. In my opinion it isn't an ordinary rythm/dance - it is something different. A way of expression.

They are many forms of the Zeimbekiko rythm, but the most spread today is this one:
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When we say "Zeimbekiko" today we mean this one. Other forms are used too in songs though, but not often.

Zeimbekiko dance is a solo dance and it is expressing all the ones I mentioned when describing the rythm. It originates from ancient Thracian tribes, and it used to be a dance of the soldiers. In the later centuries it spread in Greece and Asia Minor, it evolved and different kinds of it were formed.


Regarding the things you mentioned, they aren't part of the dance. They are just "customs" used often in tavernas when a Zeimbekiko dance was performed.

Breaking plates was something happening often in the past, but now it is a "custom" that is almost abolished in Greece. You will rarely see this, maybe only in some TV shows etc. The diaspora Greeks still have this costum I guess.

They were a few times I saw people (fortunately only in TV) picking up tables and wine glasses with their teeth, or balancing glasses in their head. These actions often look childish and they can ridicule the pure Zeimbekiko dance - they must not be associated with Zeimbekiko in any way.
I am not sure if that "custom" is spread among the diaspora Greeks, but it is something that was never really spread in Greece, fortunately. Zeimbekiko dance is ridiculed in many ways, as a lot of people who can't dance it try to do it (I already pointed that it's not an ordinary dance).

Zeimbekiko became famous outside Greece too, with the movie "Evdokia". Here is a characteristic scene:

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[really]

Yes, I always see dishes being broken and that must be a dispora thing like you said, to give a "Greek flavour". About the glass of wine, I saw this video:

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Zeimbekiko is a very nice dance. I really like the video. Thanks, Ellinas. The midi music does not sound the same at all as the music in the video. I prefer the video's rythm.

[Ellinas]

Originally Posted by really
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Yes, I always see dishes being broken and that must be a dispora thing like you said, to give a "Greek flavour". About the glass of wine, I saw this video:

Zeimbekiko is a very nice dance. I really like the video. Thanks, Ellinas. The midi music does not sound the same at all as the music in the video. I prefer the video's rythm.

The midi I posted isn't a song, it's the rythm/tune of the Zeimbekiko. Every music style (ex. Shake, Soft rock, Zeimbekiko, Hasapiko, Kalamatiano etc.) has its own rythm. Every Zeimbekiko song is composed with this 9/8 rythm as a base. If you hear carefuly one, you will be able to understand the rythm in the backround.

The dancing in the video you posted isn't bad, considering that Zeimbekiko can be danced in similar but different ways - the glass part though is an improvisation, not a part of the dance. By the way the song is "O aetos" by Notis Sfakianakis, one of the best modern singers of the kind in my personal opinion. You can see some videos of him in this thread:
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Many of the songs there are Zeimbekika.

[really]

Thanks for the clarification and the link, Ellinas. I am going to check it out, but now I have a question I have always wanted to ask.

How do the Greeks recognize which music style it is when they listen to a song in order to dance the appropriate dance? :icon_redface:

[Ellinas]

Originally Posted by really
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Thanks for the clarification and the link, Ellinas. I am going to check it out, but now I have a question I have always wanted to ask.

How do the Greeks recognize which music style it is when they listen to a song in order to dance the appropriate dance? :icon_redface:

As I said every music style has its own rythm. And every rythm is danced in a specific way. Rythm = Dance in other way. You recognize which music style it is, simply when you hear it :). Just like in USA or Canada people can discern Rock-n-roll, Jazz, Rnb, Shake, Rap etc. when you hear it, we can discern Hasapiko, Tsifteteli, Zeimbekiko, Kalamatiano, Syrto etc.

[Megale]

Originally Posted by Ellinas
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I guess you are referring to Zeimbekiko. The Zeimbekiko rythm is an 9/8 rythm, usually slow, it expresses a masculinity and a loneliness, it expresses biterness but also courage on the same time.

Zeimbekiko is my favourite rythm and dance, as it expresses me a lot many times. In my opinion it isn't an ordinary rythm/dance - it is something different. A way of expression.

They are many forms of the Zeimbekiko rythm, but the most spread today is this one:
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 1 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

When we say "Zeimbekiko" today we mean this one. Other forms are used too in songs though, but not often.

Zeimbekiko dance is a solo dance and it is expressing all the ones I mentioned when describing the rythm. It originates from ancient Thracian tribes, and it used to be a dance of the soldiers. In the later centuries it spread in Greece and Asia Minor, it evolved and different kinds of it were formed.


Regarding the things you mentioned, they aren't part of the dance. They are just "customs" used often in tavernas when a Zeimbekiko dance was performed.

Breaking plates was something happening often in the past, but now it is a "custom" that is almost abolished in Greece. You will rarely see this, maybe only in some TV shows etc. The diaspora Greeks still have this costum I guess.

They were a few times I saw people (fortunately only in TV) picking up tables and wine glasses with their teeth, or balancing glasses in their head. These actions often look childish and they can ridicule the pure Zeimbekiko dance - they must not be associated with Zeimbekiko in any way.
I am not sure if that "custom" is spread among the diaspora Greeks, but it is something that was never really spread in Greece, fortunately. Zeimbekiko dance is ridiculed in many ways, as a lot of people who can't dance it try to do it (I already pointed that it's not an ordinary dance).

Zeimbekiko became famous outside Greece too, with the movie "Evdokia". Here is a characteristic scene:

In the diaspora you can still break plates if you pay for them before you leave!!!
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[really]

Ah, but these are special plates flown in from Greece, so you would to pay double price, Megale.
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Thanks Ellinas, I've got to pay attention to the rythms next time. Right now, it is all Greek music to me.
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Would you happen to know a site where they explain about the different kinds of dances? I know they sell DVD's about different dances, but the ones I have seen are usually islands dances.

[Ellinas]

Originally Posted by really
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Ah, but these are special plates flown in from Greece, so you would to pay double price, Megale.
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Thanks Ellinas, I've got to pay attention to the rythms next time. Right now, it is all Greek music to me.
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Would you happen to know a site where they explain about the different kinds of dances? I know they sell DVD's about different dances, but the ones I have seen are usually islands dances.

I can show you midis of the rythms. Here are the most spread Greek music styles:

Zeimbekiko:
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Hasapiko:
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Tsifteteli:
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Karsilamas:
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Kalamatiano:
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Tsamikos:
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Pentozalis:
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Ballos:
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Zonaradikos:
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Leventikos:
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Sousta:
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Pogonisio (Epirot):
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For example the first part of the "Zorba" song is a Hasapiko. You can hear the Hasapiko midi and compare, this will help you to understand what rythm is.

Hasaposerviko and Serviko are also popular rythms. Hasaposerviko is actually like Hasapiko but in a quicker tempo, and Serviko the same but in even more quicker tempo.

They are also variatons and subcategories in some of the rythms, but these are the most spread types of the popular rythms.

As for their dances which was your main question, I don't know if any internet source is able to teach a dance effectively, however if I find something interesting I will post it.

[really]

Thank you very much for all the info you gave me, Ellinas. It is very nice of you to post all these links.

Yes, I am going to listen carefully to see the differences. I have always been curious how to recognize the music styles. Thank you in advance to look for the dances for me.