Greek dances

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Music of Greece
General topics
Ancient music Byzantine music Opera Greek musical system Greek musical instruments Greek dances Worldwide
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Church music (Byzantine) Classical music Ionian School National School Greek folk Laïko Rock Hip Hop Punk Neo Kyma Éntekhno
Specific forms
Contemporary Entehno Nisiotika Rebetiko Skiladiko
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National anthem "Hymn to Liberty"
Regional music
Related areas Macedonia Peloponnese Thessaly Other regions Aegean Islands Crete Cyprus, Epirus (polyphonic song) Ionian Islands Thrace
v t e

Greek dance (choros; Greek: χορός, romanized: chorós) is an old tradition, being referred to by authors such as Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch and Lucian.^[1] There are different styles and interpretations from all of the islands and surrounding mainland areas. Each region formed its own choreography and style to fit in with their own ways. For example, island dances have more of a different smooth flow to them, while Pontic dancing closer to the Black Sea, is very sharp. There are over 10,000 traditional dances that come from all regions of Greece. There are also pan-Hellenic dances, which have been adopted throughout the Greek world. These include specifically the Syrtos, Kalamatianos, Pyrrhichios, Ballos, Zeibekiko, and hasapiko.

Traditional Greek dancing has a primarily social function. It brings the community together at key points of the year, such as Easter, the grape harvest or patronal festivals; and at key points in the lives of individuals and families, such as weddings. For this reason, tradition frequently dictates a strict order in the arrangement of the dancers, for example, by age.^[2]

Greek dances are performed also in diaspora Greek communities among international folk dance groups.