Zeibekiko (, ) is a
Greek folk dance, similar to Turkish
Zeybek dance.
Origin and history
It takes its name from the
Zeybeks, an irregular militia living in the
Aegean Region
The Aegean region () is one of the 7 Geographical regions of Turkey, geographical regions of Turkey. The largest city in the region is İzmir. Other big cities are Manisa, Aydın, Denizli, Muğla, Afyonkarahisar and Kütahya.
Located in w ...
of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
from late 17th to early 20th centuries. It was first seen at the end of the 17th century in cities such as
Constantinople
Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
and
Smyrna
Smyrna ( ; , or ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean Sea, Aegean coast of Anatolia, Turkey. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna ...
.
Evliya Çelebi
Dervish Mehmed Zillî (25 March 1611 – 1682), known as Evliya Çelebi (), was an Ottoman Empire, Ottoman explorer who travelled through his home country during its cultural zenith as well as neighboring lands. He travelled for over 40 years, rec ...
mentions in his writings that it was danced in
Magnesia and in
Aydın
Aydın ( ''EYE-din''; ; formerly named ''Güzelhisar; Greek: Τράλλεις)'' is a city in and the seat of Aydın Province in Turkey's Aegean Region. The city is located at the heart of the lower valley of Büyük Menderes River (ancient ...
at local feasts. Originally a dance for two armed people facing one another, it developed into an improvised dance for a single male.
After the population exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1922, the dance became popular also in mainland Greece, in many songs of ''
Laiko'' music.
Characteristics
The Zeibekiko usually has a rhythmic pattern of or else . It is most commonly broken down as:
\new DrumStaff \with
\drummode
or as:
\new DrumStaff \with
\drummode
As a solo dance, it was traditionally performed by men, though it is now common for women to dance the Zeibekiko. Due to the movements of the dancer, it is sometimes known as the "eagle dance". The dance has no set steps, only certain figures and a circular movement. It takes place in an area little surpassing one square metre and mostly consists of improvised movements.
Occasionally dancers perform feats such as standing on a glass of wine or a chair or fireplace, or picking up a table, adding a sense of a little
braggadocio and
humor
Humour ( Commonwealth English) or humor (American English) is the tendency of experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement. The term derives from the humoral medicine of the ancient Greeks, which taught that the balance of fluids i ...
.
See also
*
Antikristos
*
Bouzouki
The bouzouki (, also ; ; alt. pl. ''bouzoukia'', , from Greek , from Turkish ) is a musical instrument popular in West Asia (Syria, Iraq), Europe and Balkans (Greece, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Turkey). It is a member of the long-necked lute fam ...
*
Greek dances
Greek dance (''choros''; ) is an old tradition, being referred to by authors such as Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch and Lucian. There are different styles and interpretations from all of the islands and surrounding mainland areas. Each region formed ...
*
Hasapiko
The hasapiko (, , meaning “the butcher's ance) is a Greek folk dance from Constantinople. The dance originated in the Middle Ages as a battle mime with swords performed by the Greek butchers' guild, which adopted it from the military of ...
*
List of dances
This is the main list of dances. It is a non-categorized, index list of specific dances. It may also include dances which could either be considered specific dances or a family of related dances. For example, ballet, ballroom dance and folk dance c ...
*
Rebetiko
Rebetiko (, ), plural rebetika ( ), occasionally transliterated as rembetiko or rebetico, is a term used to designate previously disparate kinds of urban Greek music which in the 1930s went through a process of musical syncretism and develope ...
*
Kamilierikos
Greek dance (''choros''; ) is an old tradition, being referred to by authors such as Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch and Lucian. There are different styles and interpretations from all of the islands and surrounding mainland areas. Each region formed ...
*
Zeibekiko of Evdokia
''Evdokia'' () is a 1971 Greek film. It is a drama of passion whose main characters are a sergeant and a prostitute (Evdokia) who get married after a brief passionate affair. Very soon, however, the influence of their environment strains their re ...
*
Zeibeks
*
Zeybek dance
References
{{Authority control
Greek dances