If you've ever been to Greece, you probably couldn't miss the country's most famous dance, the Sirtaki. This very popular dance is known all over the world, however, did you know that it is not so authentic? Actually, it was invented for the film Zorba the Greek in 1964, it is a mixture of Greek dances with fast and slow steps.
Let's set off together to discover this dance, which today has become the symbol of Greek culture.
The Sirtaki is the Greek dance par excellence, yet as mentioned above, it was invented for the film Zorba the Greek with music by Mikis Theodorakis. Its name comes from the Greek word "Syrtos" meaning slow step dances, existing since ancient Greece, combined with "Pidiktos" meaning fast dances with jumps and bounces.
Sirtaki's choreographies are generally done in a line, and sometimes in a circle, with a leader at the end. The dancers perform the steps together by placing their hands on the shoulders of the dancers next to them. The steps are very slow at first, and as the music speeds up the steps become faster and more rhythmic. Sirtaki is danced in groups of 5 to 10 people, but anyone can join in to create huge lines of wild dancers. It is known to be a perfect representation of the kefi, i.e. the Greek joie de vivre and culture as well as the cohesive spirit of mind and body. During this dance, you will see that social bonds are strengthened, everyone is invited to share this moment, making it authentic and joyful.
Even if this dance is not as traditional as it suggests, the Greeks appropriated the Sirtaki and today it is part of the festive life of the inhabitants. You can therefore easily find Greeks dancing Sirtaki in taverns, at traditional dances or even during big events such as weddings.
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