Syrtos
The Syrtos ( Greek Συρτός ) or Sirtos, Sirto is a Greek dance in which the first dancer leads the others in a circle or in meander-like patterns across the dance floor. Syrtós chorós ( Greek Συρτός χορός ) means "the looped", "dragged" or "drawn dance". The dancers hold each other's hands, sometimes neighboring dancers also hold a handkerchief (mantil) together. This occurs particularly often between the first and second dancer, because it gives the former greater freedom in presenting his dancing skills through jumps, turns and special step combinations. This deals with all the common features of dances that contain “Syrtós” in their names.
Often, when one speaks of Syrtos, one of the many variants of the island Syrtó is meant. Almost every island (group) has its own Syrtós, e.g. B. the Cyclades , the islands of the Dodecanese group , the Syrtós of Skíros, the Syrtós Silivrianós of Náxos or the Chaniótikos (Syrtós of Chania , Crete ).
There are also dances on the mainland, such as the Syrtós of the Sarakatsánen, Syrtos Thrákis, and others who are nicknamed "Syrtos" but have little in common with the Syrta mentioned above, with the exception of the Syrtós Kalamatianós , which is mostly just called Kalamatianós becomes. It is one of the most popular and well-known Greek dances and is danced at almost every dance meeting. Its nickname refers to the city of Kalamata, a large city on the mainland. It is uncertain whether it was first danced there in its current form or whether a song about the city of Kalamata gave the dance form its name. The basic pattern of this dance form can be traced back to antiquity and expresses the dactylos rhythm of the Homeric epics in motion: - - - long-short-short, which means a measure of time that, at least with Syrtós Kalamatianós , is usually musically as 7/8 time is notated.
The basic choreographic form of each Syrtó is based on this rhythm and consists of 6 steps in 2 bars in the movement to the right (counterclockwise) and 6 steps in 2 bars in place, so a total of 4 times. The (first) musical length of each bar is danced on the entire sole of the foot, while the two short cuts are danced with the weight on the ball of the foot. This is especially true for the Syrtós of the mainland. The dancers hold hands, usually with their arms bent, with their hands at about shoulder height (so-called W-version, because the arms connected to the neighbor form a W). The front of the body is turned in the direction of movement, i.e. in the first 2 bars to the right, in the following two bars more towards the center of the circle formed by the dancers. There is also the following form of hand grip and arm movement: During movement, the hands are held with arms extended downwards (so-called V-version, because the arms connected to the neighbor form the shape of a V), while the movements are in place Arms stretched upwards.
The island Syrtos, which is described below, is also widespread in Greece . It is also a typical round dance and is danced in the basic form, as described above, in an open circle with an unlimited number of participants.
It is danced with six steps in two 2/4 bars in the dance rhythm long-short-short long-short-short. The dance direction is to the right, i.e. counterclockwise, and in the basic form the dancers move forward with every step in the dance direction. Change the right and left foot in the sequence of steps, starting with the right foot. Under no circumstances is the Syrtos danced with readjustment steps similar to the Samba .
The information long and short in the dance rhythm relate to the measure of time and not to the step length, this is the same for each step, namely small.
Like most Greek dances on the islands, the Syrtos is not danced on the soles, but on the balls of the feet and is characterized by a characteristic high-low movement called Sustárisma (from Sústa = chariot spring).
The different Syrtos variants are created precisely by these characteristic high-low sequences, the variation of the dance direction, the occasional crossing of a foot and the change in the front of the body.