The Tsakonikos or Tsakonikos horos ( el, Τσακώνικος χορός "Tsakonian dance") is a
dance performed in the
Peloponnese in
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...
. It comes from the region, chiefly in
Arcadia, known as
Tsakonia
Tsakonia ( ell, Τσακωνιά) or the Tsakonian region () refers to the small area in the eastern Peloponnese where the Tsakonian language is spoken, in the area surrounding 13 towns, villages and hamlets located around Pera Melana in Arcadia. I ...
. It is danced in many towns and villages there with little variation to the steps.
In
Ayios Andreas, it is performed as a mixed dance in an open circle, with the hands held up (αγκαζέ ''angaze'', in Greek). The most popular songs for the ''tsakonikos'' are "''Sou ipa mana kale mana''" and "''Kinisan ta tsamopoula''".
The dance is performed to a (3+2) rhythm in an open circle which slowly winds in upon itself, forming a snail-shaped design. This labyrinthine formation is, according to legend, linked to the
Crane dance of
Theseus
Theseus (, ; grc-gre, Θησεύς ) was the mythical king and founder-hero of Athens. The myths surrounding Theseus his journeys, exploits, and friends have provided material for fiction throughout the ages.
Theseus is sometimes describ ...
in
Greek mythology
A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the origin and nature of the world, the lives and activities ...
, who slew the
Minotaur in the
Labyrinth
In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth (, ) was an elaborate, confusing structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos. Its function was to hold the Minotaur, the monster eventually killed by t ...
of King
Minos. It has also been linked to the slaying by
Apollo
Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label= Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label ...
of the
Python
Python may refer to:
Snakes
* Pythonidae, a family of nonvenomous snakes found in Africa, Asia, and Australia
** ''Python'' (genus), a genus of Pythonidae found in Africa and Asia
* Python (mythology), a mythical serpent
Computing
* Python (pro ...
at
Delphi.
Song words to the Tsakonikos Dance
ΚΙΝΗΣΑΝΤΑ
Κινῆσαν τὰ - κι ἀμὰν ἀμάν.
Κινῆσαν τὰ - τσανόπουλα.
Κινῆσαν τὰ τσανόπουλα κι’ ὅλα τὰ λεβεντόπουλα.
Καὶ πάν’ στὸν πὲ - κι ἀμὰν ἀμάν,
καὶ πάν’ στὸν πέρα Μαχαλά.
Καὶ πᾶν’ στὸν πέρα Μαχαλά, ποὺ εἶν
τὰ κορίτσια τὰ καλά.
Κι ἐκεῖ τους πιὰ - κι ἀμὰν ἀμάν,
κι ἐκεῖ τους πιάνει μία βροχή.
Κι ἐκεῖ τους πιάνει μία βροχή, μία σιγανή, μία ταπεινή.
Βραχήκανε κι ἀμὰν ἀμάν,
βραχήκανε τὰ τσάμικα καὶ τ' ἄσπρα τους πουκάμισα.
Μάστε κορὶ - κι ἀμὰν ἀμὰν
μάστε κορίτσια τσάκαλα.
Μάστε κορίτσια τσάκαλα, στεγνῶστε τὰ πουκάμισα
[http://apelon.bekyros.gr/tanz2019.pdf ]
(figurative translation)
So they went, the Tsakon youth
So went the Tsakon youth and all the lads
And off they go - aman aman
And off they go to yonder Mahala, where
the girls are fine
And there they were caught in - aman aman
And there they were caught in a rain
And there they were caught in a rain, a slow, a shy (rain)
They were soaked - aman aman
Soaked were their tsamika (dances) and their white shirts
Girls, gather - aman aman
Girls, gather quick
Girls, gather quick, (to) dry their shirts.
See also
*
Greek music
The music of Greece is as diverse and celebrated as its history. Greek music separates into two parts: Greek traditional music and Byzantine music. These compositions have existed for millennia: they originated in the Byzantine period and Gree ...
*
Greek dances
Greek dance (''choros'') is a very 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 forme ...
*
Tsamiko The Tsamikos ( el, Τσάμικος, ''Tsamikos'') or Kleftikos ( el, Κλέφτικος) is a popular traditional folk dance of Greece, done to music of 3/4 meter.
The dance
The dance follows a strict and slow tempo not emphasising on the st ...
*
Sirtaki
*
Kalamatianos
The Kalamatianós ( el, Καλαματιανός) is one of the best known dances of Greece. It is a popular Greek folkdance throughout Greece, Cyprus and internationally and is often performed at many social gatherings worldwide. As is the ca ...
*
Dora Stratou
References
External links
*"The Tsakonian Dance" from the
University of Patras
The University of Patras (UPatras; el, Πανεπιστήμιο Πατρών, ''Panepistímio Patrón'') is a public university in Patras, Greece. It is the third-largest university in Greece with respect to the size of the student body, the s ...
(English; incl. photo
*Τσακώνικος Χορός from the University of Patras (Greek; with additional photos & video not available in English-language versio
*Video from the 2010 Grand Festival of Greek Dance at Argo
*The Tsakonian Dance By Mpekios and Tsaggouri (Origins, History of the dance and explanations in Greek
*Lecture and singing of the song Kinisanta in Gree
* Recording by Diamantis Roumelioti
* Folkdance Footnote
{{Greek dances
Greek dances
Tsakonia