Cyprus traditional dances originated in ancient years. In these dances motions of the body conform to the verse and the melody of the music. In spite of the many conquerors of the island, these dances still keep the Greek element and are associated with the social and religious life of the Greek Cypriots.
The basic Cyprus dances are :
a) Men’s Antikristos (Kartzilamas): ( Men’s dances for two, facing each other)
1st , 2nd, 3rd and 4th.
b) Sirtos
c) Balos
d) Zeibekiko
e) Sousta (Springing dance)
f) Kalamatianos
g) Tatcha (= very fine sieve - The sieve dance)
h) Threpani (The Scythe dance)
j) Makheri (The knife dance)
j) Women’s Antikristos (Kartzilamas) dances: (Women’s dances for two, facing
Each other)
1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th.
Mixed dances, man and woman together, did not exist originally, as it was not considered socially proper for man and woman to come into contact or even stare at each other. Woman should be afraid of man, she should be modest and shy and never show off her charms. All these qualities are expressed in women’s dances.
Men’s dances are unique worldwide. In men’s couples, the performers dance facing each other. They compete in dancing evolutions, in dancing art and in manliness. In the 3rd dance they can also sing rhyming couplets (chatista). The 4th dance is similar to the 1st. Men’s dances are lively, while women’s are slow.
Sirtos and Kalamatianos are of Greek origin. There are many Zeibekiko dances. They originate in Asia Minor (1850 – 1830) and they are solo dances. Sousta is a quick dance originating in Crete.
Women’s Antikristos (Kartzilamas) dances are slow. During the 1st dance their hands are at the waist. At the 2nd dance they mimic sewing with a needle, so they move their fingers accordingly. At the 3rd they dance holding a handkerchief at the edges with both hands to show that they have finished sewing. The fourth dance is similar to the 1st one. Sirtos dances are performed in circles, the dancers holding hands. Each woman dances in the centre to show her skill.
Traditional Cyprus dances are common at weddings or fairs. Today, because of easy communication with Greece, Kalamatianos dances, which are danced all over Greece at parties and national holidays and festivals, are also popular among the Greek Cypriots.
Kalamatianos is a kind of Sirtos, slightly differentiated in style and rhythm. Its dancing motif is composed of twelve movements of the feet, even movements for women, more lively for men. These movements are repeated for the whole duration of the dance. Sirtos is considered to originate in ancient times. It seems that the name of Kalamatianos comes from the Greek town of Kalamata, mentioned in the song: “When you go to Kalamata and have a good trip back, fetch me a Kalamatiano neckerchief.”
Our school teaches Greek dances once a week. The dances in turn as they are presented are:
a) The 2nd women’s Antikristos (Kartzilamas)
b) Sirtos (on the music of the song vassilidja (vassilikos) = basil
c) Sousta (Springing dance)
d) Kalamatianos
The pupils in the DVD are dressed in traditional Cypriot clothes of villages. The school choir also sings the Cyprus traditional song Ρούλλα μου, Μαρούλλα μου (= Roulla mine, Maroulla (= Mary), mine).
This is the enlgish translation of the song “Roulla mou, Maroulla mou”. We have translated the song to understand its context.
ROULLA MOU , MAROULLA MOU
(ROULA MINE, MARY MINE)
______
1. It was snowing last night, Roulla mine, Mary mine,
And the birds were freezing, Tra la la la la la la , Tra la la la la la la,
Tra la la la la la la la la la la la la,
But clasped in your arms, Roulla mine, Mary mine,
I never felt the cold. Tra la la la la la la, Tra la la la la la la,
Tra la la la la la la la la la
2. At the edges of the sea, Roulla mine, Mary mine,
Lets exchange our vows, Tra la la la la la la la Tra la la la la la la.
Tra la la la la la la la la la la la la,
That as long as the sea holds water, Roulla mine, Mary mine,
We’ll never live apart, Tra la la la la la la, Tra la la la la la la,
Tra la la la la la la la la la la la la.
1.TARANTELLA
The Tarantella Dance music is probably the most recognized song of all the Italian folklore music. It literally means "tarantula" because the dance is done buy everyone in a great big circle going clockwise, until the music in the set changes, becomes faster, then they quickly change the direction to counter clockwise, this continues several times and is fun to see who keeps up. You can see this dance at authentic Italian weddings, is often the theme song of many restaurants and pizzerias, can even be heard in The Godfather movie and the CBS sitcom "That's Life".
Generally played with a strong mandolin (Italian guitar) presence, each region has its own version. For example the most popular version you will undoubtedly hear most frequently is the Neapolitan version (that from the region of Naples).
THE ORIGIN OF TARANTELLA
The ancient Neapolitan dance TARANTELLA takes its name from “TARANTA”.A legend tells that “TARANTA” was a BIG SPIDER that lived in the Mediterranean countries and in the Greek colonies in the South of Italy. With this dance people wanted to chase away the strong pain for the poisonous sting of a legendary spider called “TARANTA”.
So it was like a THERAPHY against the pain with long and fast movements. Probably this therapy, recognized in the Greek colony, TARANTO, in South of Italy, came from Greece. It is magical rite, like in Mediterranean places, against natural enemies that are symbol of evil or pain: spiders in Italy, snakes and scorpions in Spain or other countries.
But in the XVIII and XIX centuries TARANTELLA became a romantic and joyful dance among young men and women, playing Neapolitan drums “TAMBURELLI”. In Naples it was danced in the Royal Palace for Kings and Queens but Neapolitan Tarantella was also the most popular dance in all festivities and festivals in the South of Italy.
2.SCIARACULE –MARACULE
This dance comes from the Italian region FRIULI, in the North of Italy.
The dance was composed in the XVI century by MAINIERO, a musician for religious and classical music. He wrote a book around 21 dances and for this reason was under suspicion for magical rites and denounced to the Church.
SCIARACULE –MARACULE is an agricultural rite to obtain a good harvest. Women come around a walnut-tree, repeating a melody just with voices, without music. Then they go to a river to dip the plough‘s point in the water. The rite is long and MANIERO tells that he saw this dance with a priest and then he wrote the music and movements in his book.From the region FRIULI the dance started to spread to Venice and other European countries.
1.SOIHDUT SAMMUU (The torches will go out)
This is a traditional Christmas song and dance. Most Finnish children learn this song by heart at the age of seven. It tells about the elves. At the night time the elves creep into the houses. When the members of the household are sleeping, the elves play, dance, sing and eat on the tables. The elves usually wear red and grey clothes. DVD: The little elves are on the 1st grade and the actors are on the 6th grade.
2.TIRLIRLITTIÄ NATTIÄ TYTTIÄ (Tirlirlittiä pretty girls)
The second song is a traditional Finnish polka. It tells about pretty girls and real words are: nättiä tyttiä (pretty girls) and komioita poikia (handsome boys), therest of the words are pig-Latin.
3.KIRJEEN SULLE KIRJOOTAN (I will write a letter to you)
The third song and dance is JENKKA. In the beginning of the 60’s the dance was transformed to be kind of line dance. The song tells about the girl who sends a letter to a boy who has moved to Sweden. 50 years ago, a lot of Finnish moved to Sweden to get a better job.The singers and actors are on the 5th grade and dancers are on the 6th grade.
Polish dances
Learn how to dance.
Otherwise angels in heaven
Will not know what to do
With you.
ST. Augustine
One of the most important aims of regional education is focusing the attention of school children on national dances. Dances, especially those that derived from folk dances, are extremely colorful and spectacular. Apart from that variety and beauty of Polish folk outfit makes exploration of this part of the culture truly exciting and satisfying both for the students and the teachers.
In the film you can see pupils from 67 primary School in Łódź presenting
a collection of folk dances and songs.
The children are dressed in traditional outfit typical for the region of Kraków
and performed:
- “Krakowiak” from the region of Kraków
- “Matuś moja matuś: - Lublin region
- “Hej bystra woda” – deriving from the southern part of Poland
- “Łowiczanka jestem” – a traditional folk song coming from the region of Łódź
SAINT FERRIOL DANCE
The legend says that Ferriol was the Captain of a bandit gang. They used to rop and after each attack they would go to celebrate it in the tavern. There they drank until the last drop and they used to bet on who was able to do some dancing steps or not lose their balance. The time passed and Ferriol wanted to change his life style, so he also tried to persuade them to do the same, but they thought it was an act of cowardice and they decided to kill him.
Once he was dead, they buried him under the wine barrel, in the tavern where they used to go. The legend says that since that day nobody finishes the wine from that
barrel. Finally the owner decided to investigate what was happening there. He discovered that Saint Ferriol’s finger was pointing to the barrel as if he wanted to touch it.
Since then there is this saying: “Saint Ferriol’s never ends up”. In his town they believe in Saint Ferriol, and each year they celebrate his festival, which consists in some days of dancing and drinking at parties. In some places, it is also believed that the origin was an agricultural dance, because some dancers dance with a fork.