Sirtaki is the dance featured for the instrumental “Zorba’s Dance” by Mikis Theodorakis. As the 1964 film “Zorba the Greek” became internationally acclaimed, the soundtrack and the dance gained well-deserved popularity.
Today, let’s take a look at the original inspiration and the interesting details surrounding this dance!
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Sirtaki Dance Origin & History
Less commonly known as Syrtaki, Sirtaki is a Greek dance choreographed by Giorgos Provias for the movie “Zorba the Greek” (1964). So, it is quite recent compared to what you would call a ‘traditional’ dance.
The name is derived from “syrtos” (drag or lead the dance), which represents traditional Greek dances with dragging steps. Syrtos are the opposite of “pidikhtos”, the dances with leaps and hops.
However, Sirtaki embraces both “syrtos” and “pidikhtos”.
The story revolves around an uptight boss (by Alan Bates) asking his junior Zorba (Anthony Quinn) to show him the dance as an approach to Greek life.
The movie ended with two men dancing on the beautiful Cretan beach in Akrotiri, and it was the Sirtaki dance we now know and love.
The main actor Anthony Quinn shared that during the filming of the film, he had a broken foot and hence couldn’t perform the dances taught to him.
Therefore, he resorted to the dragging steps he learned from a villager. The final choreography and change of the camera in the end were believed to be for the same reason.
Today, this dance is still a major part of Greek life. Visit any of the taverns, and you will have a good chance of seeing Sirtaki in action. Traditional events and grand ceremonies are also good opportunities to get some Sirtaki going.
One of the fun facts about Sirtaki dance is the world record it recently set. In 2012, 5614 people between 14 – 89 years old joined a grand event on the Volos main beach and danced to Sirtaki for five minutes. People from various backgrounds filled the square and made the event a huge success.
The involvement of great dance troupes in Greece as well as the well-received pieces of music associated with Sirtaki are certainly major reasons for the dance to remain an important part of daily Greek life.
The Meaning of Sirtaki Dance
Despite several experts believing that it was likely to be choreographically from Turkey, Sirtaki might well be the most acknowledged dance when people were to talk about Greek culture.
Its popularity is perhaps owed to Zorba’s attractive figures, though no one can deny that Sirtaki is extremely expressive and compatible with kefi – the way to have fun in Greek culture.
Aside from being an emotional and physical means to convey feelings, Sirtaki is also closely associated with the combination of body & mind as well as the freedom of spirit.
Most people can’t put their feelings into words, but you can imagine that you saw these people for the first time and already felt like you were part of them.
There is no restriction on gender, age, or even the emotions in your heart. This aspect is truly authentic.
Therefore, you can describe Sirtaki as the essence of the Greek spirit and the experience of kefi – you can set your Zorba free and connect with people regardless of your dance skill or social status.
Check more: Bolero Dance: Origin, Types, Steps, Costume, Music & More
Sirtaki Dance Choreography & Performance
Although the name “Sirtaki” is a derivative of “Syrtos”, the dance also incorporates traits of the opposite “Pidikhtos”.
An expert can easily see three distinctive styles in Sirtaki, including “syrtos” (dragging), “hasapiko” (slow), and “hasaposerviko” (fast). Some people believe it consists of minor details from Zeybek too, though that is up for debate.
The most common format of Sirtaki is a line, but a circle is also possible.
With a line format, the leader of the team will stand at the very end. Dancers can hold hands or place hands on the shoulders of their adjacent partners.
As the Greeks considered Sirtaki the impeccable way to represent kefi – connect your mind and body while finding joy in life – there is no limit to the number or the identity of the dancers.
Sirtaki Dance Steps
Based on the syrtos style with more dragging of the feet, the Sirtaki dance is still made joyful with elements of the pidikhtos style, in which dancers hop and leap to the rhythm of the music.
- Dancers can form a line or a circle. A circle is typically better if you have a larger group and want to utilize the space you have.
- All dancers will turn their gazes in the same direction. They will extend their arms and place each hand on the spot between the shoulder and the biceps of the dancer next to them.
- The basic Sirtaki step is crossing one foot in front of another (with weight) and placing the other foot back before repeating. Researchers speculate that this movement symbolizes them crushing grapes.
- The dancers repeat the step on a slow 4/4 meter, and the tempo will slowly increase. The quickest parts of the performance can reach 2/4.
When you watch Sirtaki in taverns or live stages, you will see it performed alongside other popular traditional Greek dances such as Karsilamas, Zembekiki, or Tsifteteli.
Depending on the scale of the event, the number of participants can range from a small group of 5 – 10 dancers to a whole crowd.
Music For Sirtaki Dance
There is hardly anything better for you to dance to Sirtaki than its original soundtrack.
Taking inspiration from the urban rebetiko music and the Turkish makam melody types, Mikis Theodorakis composed for “Zorba’s Dance” to the best of his ability.
Not only did the name of the dance come from “Syrtos”, but the song for it, “Strose To Stroma Sou Gia Dio”, was also an adaptation of a traditional “Syrtos” tune by Giorgis Koutsourelis.
Mikis Theodorakis found a connection between this tune and the rebetiko music he wanted to do, and the rest was history.
After being released as a single in 1965, it gained remarkable recognition thanks to the success of the movie. Consequently, many artists around the world performed and published their versions as well.
The original version, nonetheless, was the most successful with top positions on the Austrian and Belgian charts. Its rankings in West Germany and the Netherlands are quite remarkable too.
During the reign of the Greek junta (1967 – 1974), Mikis Theodorokis’ works were all banned, including the music for Sirtaki. However, it didn’t seem sufficient to kill off the influence this dance had built.
Final Words
Don’t miss out on the Sirtaki dance – the most well-known dance in Greece – if you have the chance to visit this beautiful country!
Although it is quite famous internationally, nothing beats the original version! Rather than a traditional dance, it combines various Greek dance styles and presents something so authentic and Greek to the whole world.