Terpsichori

Kyriakos was born in 1969 and lives in Xanthi, Thrace. He started dancing in 1981, studying dances from the different regions of Greece. Since 1992 he has been working as a dance teacher for numerous institutions, cultural associations, and schools, mostly in and around Xanthi. In addition to his teaching, Kyriakos is an expert on traditional costumes and their history. He has worked as a choreographer and director of dance and dance theatre performances for several Greek dance groups, and has taken part in many festivals. He has also taught at seminars both in Greece and in Germany. Kyriakos teaches dances from all the regions of Greece, with an emphasis on Northern Greece (Thrace and Central Macedonia). His great strength as a teacher is a very precise and detailed didactic style, combined with interesting information about the cultural background of the dances, and, most importantly, his great enthusiasm for dancing and music.

Kyriakos was born in Prohoma, Thessaloniki (a village with Pondic refugees from Kars) in 1968  and holds a degree in sports, Greek traditional dance specialisation. He started dancing with the local dance group in Prohoma. Moving to Thessaloniki for his studies, he was member in various dance groups (not only Pondic) and this was the time he started his research for traditional Greek dances and visiting dance seminars. Since 1992 he has been teaching dances in Greece and abroad. Among these, on the Thessaloniki University, Dance Faculty, as well as in the group Kyklos, of which he was founding member in 2005. His passion is the research for dances, to which he consecrates lots of time and energy. He has a vast library of registrations of dances from all over Greece, but mainly Pondos, Asia Minor, Macedonia and Thrace. His website: www.moisidis-dance.gr.

Originating from Ipiros, Yorgos holds a degree in sports, Greek traditional dance specialisation. Between 1986 and 1991 he was dance teacher in the HOFETH, the university dance groups of Thessaloniki and was responsible for organising dance performances, events and festivals. Later he was involved in numerous dance groups in the region of Thessaloniki, whereas today he is teaching in the dance groups of Chalastra, Yefira and Assiros. Since 1986 he has been doing a research and registering dances and music in the region of Ipiros (mainly Zagori and Pogoni), Thrace and Central Macedonia (Thessaloniki, Roumlouki and Goumenissa regions). In 2008 he published the result of his research for Thrace in the double CD “O Evros” (see in the We Recommend section).

Vasilis has been involved with Greek dances since his age of 12. In 1987 he started teaching in local dance groups himself. During his studies he started his ongoing research in the tradition of Vlachs and locals living in the region of Serres. The result of his research he presented in a CD (published by his dance group the Lailias) as well as several conferences. He has been teaching the dances of Serres on numerous occasions in Greece and abroad. In 2008 he overtook the lead teacher role in the Lykeio ton Ellinidon in Serres. Apart from that, every year in January he hosts his own seminar in Serres, with the participation of various guest teachers. His dedication to the dances and musical tradition of his region and dynamism make him an exceptional teacher.

Dimitris was born in Orma, Aridea region of Macedonia in 1953. He has been dealing with the music and dance culture of his region since his age of 16. In 1971 he founded the first dance group in Aridea with the name “Akrites Almopias” and helped setting up some further groups. In the decades that follow, he wrote numerous articles on Aridea’s ethnology, appeared in the radio and TV and taught the dances of his region in seminars in Greece and abroad. He is a true warrior of safeguarding tradition in his region which is also well reflected in his published CD “Makedonikes Mousikes Rizes” (Macedonian Musical Roots).

Petros was born in 1958 in the village of Promachoi in Aridea of Macedonia. He learned the dances of his region as an autodidact and participated in many events with the local dance group. In 1981, he formed a dance group where he was teaching dances to the young. In 1989 he became founding member of another group, the “Oi Almopes” (The Ones from Almopia) which he has been leading since. For many years now, he has been organising dance holidays twice a year, in Loutraki in Aridea and on Thassos island which is attended by dancers from all around the world. He also organises each year a seminar for dance teachers in the month of March in Loutraki (Aridea region) and is spending lots of his time in winter by giving seminars abroad. His website: www.petrosselkos.gr.

Vassilis made his debut in the world of traditional dance in 1973. He studied ethnography of dance in Paris and spent more than five years conducting in-depth research in the Florina region, Western Macedonia, which concluded in a thesis on the same subject. He has also been directing his own dance group ELKELAM (Research Centre for Hellenic Folklore) since 1982, of which he is the founder. With his dance group they regularly participate in international dance competitions and have won numerous gold and silver medals. Also, he has been invited to teach at a number of dance seminars all over Greece and abroad. In the realm of his association, they edited several CDs and other publications. Those who know him are aware that he specialises in presenting less known dances, transmitting the true style of the region.

He was born in 1946 in Aiginio in Pieria region, from parents coming from the village of Kavakli in Northern Thrace. He has been teaching Greek dances in different dance groups since 1970, from which period he has also done research for Greek dances, their teaching and presentation. Since 1982 he has been teaching traditional Greek dances on the University of Physical Education in Thessaloniki (which has a specialisation in traditional Greek dances), of which he became lector in 1999. You can see parts of his research among villagers in his book “The Dance in the Greek Tradition and its Teaching”, including 3 DVDs (see the We Recommend section of our site). His latest publication for the music culture of Northern Thrace is the CD “From the Thrace of Orpheus and Dyonisos”, a collection of 4 CDs of traditional music and songs (again see recommendations).

He was born in 1979 in Volos in Thessaly region, from parents coming from the village of Kavakli in Northern Thrace. He has been teaching Greek dances in different dance groups since 2000, from which period he has also done research for Greek dances with his father. Ηe also taught in several seminars in Greece and Europe. He studied on the University of Physical Education in Thessaloniki (which has a specialisation in traditional Greek dances), M.D and Ph.D also. He also took part as a singer at the latest publication for the music culture of Northern Thrace in the CD “From the Thrace of Orpheus and Dyonisos”, a collection of 4 CDs of traditional music and songs (see the We Recommend section).

Yorgos was born in the village of Patayi of Orestiada, Thrace in 1966. As a child, he learned the traditional dances of his region by participating in village feasts until 1980 when he moved with his family to Alexandroupoli. There he started to dance in a dance group and also teach dances. It is since 1989 that he has been doing research in the villages of Thrace for music and dance. He brought these to the Megaro Theatre in Athens but also cooperated with the famous Domna Samiou in a performance. In 1990, he formed the Dance Group “O Evros” with the aim of safeguarding the traditional music and dance culture of Evros (Thrace). In 2002, the songs of his research are first published in a double CD in cooperation with EL.KE.LA.M. (“Pses S’ Eida St’ Oneiro Mou” – I Saw You Yesterday in my Dream), recently his new CD appeared with the title “Min Kriveis to Chtes” (Don’t Hide the Yesterday), with rare songs from the region and traditional musicians. Their website: www.oevros.gr.

Yorgos was born is the village of Petropigi in Kavala (Macedonia) and studied in the Pedagogic Academy of Thessaloniki. From his early years on, he learned the dances on the village festivities of his region, which was inhabited by Sarakatsans, as well as people from Thrace, Asia Minor and Pondos. He has been teaching dances since 1984 and living and teaching in Xanthi, Thrace since 1992. As teacher of the association FEX in Xanthi, he has taught at numerous dance seminars and is also member of a radio team presenting folk songs, dance and ethnography in general.

Kyriakos was born in 1969 and lives in Xanthi, Thrace. He started dancing in 1981, studying dances from the different regions of Greece. Since 1992 he has been working as a dance teacher for numerous institutions, cultural associations, and schools, mostly in and around Xanthi. In addition to his teaching, Kyriakos is an expert on traditional costumes and their history. He has worked as a choreographer and director of dance and dance theatre performances for several Greek dance groups, and has taken part in many festivals. He has also taught at seminars both in Greece and in Germany. Kyriakos teaches dances from all the regions of Greece, with an emphasis on Northern Greece (Thrace and Central Macedonia). His great strength as a teacher is a very precise and detailed didactic style, combined with interesting information about the cultural background of the dances, and, most importantly, his great enthusiasm for dancing and music.

Kyriakos was born in Prohoma, Thessaloniki (a village with Pondic refugees from Kars) in 1968  and holds a degree in sports, Greek traditional dance specialisation. He started dancing with the local dance group in Prohoma. Moving to Thessaloniki for his studies, he was member in various dance groups (not only Pondic) and this was the time he started his research for traditional Greek dances and visiting dance seminars. Since 1992 he has been teaching dances in Greece and abroad. Among these, on the Thessaloniki University, Dance Faculty, as well as in the group Kyklos, of which he was founding member in 2005. His passion is the research for dances, to which he consecrates lots of time and energy. He has a vast library of registrations of dances from all over Greece, but mainly Pondos, Asia Minor, Macedonia and Thrace. His website: www.moisidis-dance.gr.

Originating from Ipiros, Yorgos holds a degree in sports, Greek traditional dance specialisation. Between 1986 and 1991 he was dance teacher in the HOFETH, the university dance groups of Thessaloniki and was responsible for organising dance performances, events and festivals. Later he was involved in numerous dance groups in the region of Thessaloniki, whereas today he is teaching in the dance groups of Chalastra, Yefira and Assiros. Since 1986 he has been doing a research and registering dances and music in the region of Ipiros (mainly Zagori and Pogoni), Thrace and Central Macedonia (Thessaloniki, Roumlouki and Goumenissa regions). In 2008 he published the result of his research for Thrace in the double CD “O Evros” (see in the We Recommend section).

Originating from Ipiros, Yorgos holds a degree in sports, Greek traditional dance specialisation. Between 1986 and 1991 he was dance teacher in the HOFETH, the university dance groups of Thessaloniki and was responsible for organising dance performances, events and festivals. Later he was involved in numerous dance groups in the region of Thessaloniki, whereas today he is teaching in the dance groups of Chalastra, Yefira and Assiros. Since 1986 he has been doing a research and registering dances and music in the region of Ipiros (mainly Zagori and Pogoni), Thrace and Central Macedonia (Thessaloniki, Roumlouki and Goumenissa regions). In 2008 he published the result of his research for Thrace in the double CD “O Evros” (see in the We Recommend section).

Vasilis has been involved with Greek dances since his age of 12. In 1987 he started teaching in local dance groups himself. During his studies he started his ongoing research in the tradition of Vlachs and locals living in the region of Serres. The result of his research he presented in a CD (published by his dance group the Lailias) as well as several conferences. He has been teaching the dances of Serres on numerous occasions in Greece and abroad. In 2008 he overtook the lead teacher role in the Lykeio ton Ellinidon in Serres. Apart from that, every year in January he hosts his own seminar in Serres, with the participation of various guest teachers. His dedication to the dances and musical tradition of his region and dynamism make him an exceptional teacher.

Kostas was born in 1975, his roots being in Preveza, Ipiros. Dancing since 1982, he has been teaching Greek dances in Thessaloniki, Preveza and Athens since 1997. Moving to Athens, in 2006 he joined the Lykeion ton Ellinidon and he is also the main dance teacher of the Panipirotian Confederation Dance Group. Since March 2007, he is the main organizer above others of the “Exhibition and Festivities for the Greek Traditional Culture”, taking place in Piraeus, under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Culture. Kostas is a member of the Cultural Commission of the Panipirotian Confederation of Greece and responsible for the events concerning the tradition of Ipiros. Kostas is continuously working on his research on the areas of Ipiros – Preveza, Syrrako, Metsovo, Konitsa, Zagori and Souli, but also on other subjects like Grevena or the refugees from Asia Minor in the region of Preveza. He is also a folk singer and has studied songs in Greek, Vlach, Albanian and Turkish languages.

Litsa was born on the island of Cythera, in the village of Logothetianika, where the old customs and ways are still part of everyday life. Being member of a family of musicians, she grew up with participating on traditional music and dance events, festivities and feasts. Having moved to Athens, she danced in two Cythera dance associations and became dance teacher and organizer in 1983. In the subsequent years she was also active in the Union of Anticythera “Saint Myron” and the Federation of Corfu Associations of the Attica region. Litsa played a big role in rescuing and reviving old local traditions and customs and she’s also dealing with the preparation of handmade traditional costumes. Litsa’s main field of research is the dances of Cythera and Anticythera as well as Corfu, but she has been teaching dances from all over the Ionian Islands like Zakinthos, Cephalonia and Lefkada.

Originating from Leros and born in 1964, Antonis is also a lyra player and singer as was a columnist in the Chorevo dance magazine. He is teaching dances in the Artemis Dance Group on Leros, of which he is also president since 1993. He is the organiser of the Dodecannese Musical Tradition Festival for the young which takes place on Leros every two years. Between 1986 and 1998 he did a research on the traditional music of Leros, the result of which published as a double CD with the title “Tis Leros ta Tragoudia” (The Songs of Leros). He, together with his wife Roula Chadzikonstantinou (who holds a degree with Greek Traditional Dance specialism), they have been invited to numerous dance seminars in Greece, but also abroad, where they have been teaching the dances of Leros and also nearby islands like Tilos, Patmos, Kos and Kalymnos.

Originating from the island of Naxos, Tolis is an ambassador to not only the dances of his island but the dancing traditions of the Cyclades in general. Coming from a family of ethnographers, he has done extensive research in Naxos, Sifnos, but also the other islands of the Cyclades. He has his own dance group Χ.O.Φ.A in Athens and teaching in the dance group of Sifnos. Acting as a point of reference for the dances of the Cyclades, he has been invited to numerous dance seminars in Greece and also abroad.

Christiana Katsarou was born in Athens in 1976. She studied Greek Literature and Language at the Athens University and also did Theatre Studies. Her passion for Greek traditional dance starts from her childhood and later on she followed classes in various dancing associations and followed many specialized dance seminars as well as workshops on teaching methodology and rhythmology. Her second passion is the island of Ikaria: Since 1995 she has been working in Ikaria at the Hellenic Culture Center teaching Greek dances and language to foreign students. She was the leading dance teacher of the Lykeio Ellinidon of Ikaria since it was founded in 2000 and until 2007 researching the local dance culture, organising and presenting performances in Greece and abroad. She has taught in many dance seminars in Greece and abroad and co-organises the “Ikaria Dance Seminar” project . She is currently preparing her Masters Degree in Greek Ethnography at the Athens University, with the subject of Ikarian feasts. Apart from her dance knowledge and ability to capture and demonstrate differences in style between various islands, she is also well known for her humour which make all her seminars great fun to attend.

Kyriakos was born in Prohoma, Thessaloniki (a village with Pondic refugees from Kars) in 1968  and holds a degree in sports, Greek traditional dance specialisation. He started dancing with the local dance group in Prohoma. Moving to Thessaloniki for his studies, he was member in various dance groups (not only Pondic) and this was the time he started his research for traditional Greek dances and visiting dance seminars. Since 1992 he has been teaching dances in Greece and abroad. Among these, on the Thessaloniki University, Dance Faculty, as well as in the group Kyklos, of which he was founding member in 2005. His passion is the research for dances, to which he consecrates lots of time and energy. He has a vast library of registrations of dances from all over Greece, but mainly Pondos, Asia Minor, Macedonia and Thrace. His website: www.moisidis-dance.gr.

Born in 1961, Yannis is living in Aloro, a small village in Northern Greece, near Aridea, not far away from Edessa. His Pondic roots are in the region of Nikopolis (Black Sea). He started to dance at the age of 11 and has been teaching Greek dances since 1983. He has interest and knowledge in all Greek dances – mainly from Northern Greece – but his passion and research is on Pondic dances. Today as a teacher he is engaged in 6 dance clubs in the region of Pellas and takes part with his groups on several festivals in Greece and abroad. Since 1992 he is invited to seminars abroad, mainly Germany and since 1995 he organizes dance seminars in Greece. Yannis, with his great didactic method and ability to create a warm atmosphere at his seminars, transfers not only dance steps but also styles of dancing, Greek mentality and way of life. Website with information on him and his seminars: www.seminare-mit-jannis.com (in German and English).

Nikos Zournatzidis was born in a village near Kavala (Macedonia) in 1947. Int he Pontic village he lived, he literally grew up with the Pontic music and dances. His first affiliation with a dance group was in 1965 at the Pontic Club of Kavala. Moving to Athens in 1971, he was both a dancer and the director for the Pontic group of the “Dora Stratou” Theatre, and from 1971 through 1975 he was the director of the entire dance group. He also is both dancer and dance instructor at the Pontic Artists Association of Athens (KOPA) from 1971 through 1983. In 1973 he begins to study Pontic dance in order to collect and record all the dances. In 1994 he established the Pontic Dance Society “Argo”, later renamed to “Serra”. It is the first dance group which has worn true copies of Pontic clothing with all their jewelry and accessories, while utilizing all the traditional Pontic instruments in their performances along with vocalists. The Society has also recorded all Pontic dances on videotape. Besides, Nikos is also a partner of the Pontic music hall “Kortsopon” which hosts prestigious dance events regularly. His website: www.serra.gr.

Originating from the region of Aryiroupoli, Pondos, Yannis Efremidis started his dance career in the Dora Stratou Dance Theater in Athens where he was co-dancer of Nikos Zournatzidis. Afterwards he danced in the Artistic Organisation of Pondics’ in Athens (KOPA) of which he took the direction in 1983. Yannis has also been teaching in the Pondics’ Union in Glyfada and the “Komninoi” dance group in Chalkida, for over 15 years now. Yannis also plays daouli (drum) and works together with famous Pondic musicians and singers like Amarantidis and Chrisanthos. He is regularly invited to teach at dance seminars and play music both in Greece and abroad and he is also often seen in the Greek Television.

Vassilis made his debut in the world of traditional dance in 1973. He studied ethnography of dance in Paris and spent more than five years conducting in-depth research in the Florina region, Western Macedonia, which concluded in a thesis on the same subject. He has also been directing his own dance group ELKELAM (Research Centre for Hellenic Folklore) since 1982, of which he is the founder. With his dance group they regularly participate in international dance competitions and have won numerous gold and silver medals. Also, he has been invited to teach at a number of dance seminars all over Greece and abroad. In the realm of his association, they edited several CDs and other publications. Those who know him are aware that he specialises in presenting less known dances, transmitting the true style of the region.