Patronal and Public Feasts

Once a year, every village church celebrates the patronal feast of its saint. On this day, the villagers congregate at a fair or communal meal and dance. The dance is held in the church forecourt, the village square or a chorostási – a threshing floor.

Typically, a panigyri (patronal feast) lasts for three days. The festivities occur on the day preceding and the day after; and on the actual day, people gather from far and wide to join in the celebration. This is a time for people to come together, ease social tensions, sort out family matters, and maybe even find future matrimonial partners for their kin.

          Musicians are invited to play at the feast, and they are expected to play music as long as the dance continues. After the feast, “table songs” are sung, and then the dancing commences. The first dance is one in which only the villagers take part. They observe their own place in the dance, which is set in strict order of precedence.

          It is interesting to observe the order of dancers in the circular dance. Usually the men are in the beginning, in descending order of age, then the women, in a similar fashion. Married men and women precede the unmarried ones. People’s ages are common knowledge so there is no confusion!  Often, the priest is invited to “bless” the first dance by leading it. In older times, a man never held a woman’s hand, instead he held a scarf. All in all, this public dance is a strong reflection of social order and values of village society. These values include respect for elders, gender discrimination and equal rights. In fact, Greeks are trying to maintain close links with their native village, even through years of absence, is well exemplified in the public dance; this is because a person can always return to his village to find his place among his peers.

          Subsequent to the public dance are personal requests of families. Each family asks the musicians for a specific song, the head of the family throws money to the musicians, and they dance together. As a token of respect, friends and relatives may also throw money to the musicians at this time. Eventually, protocols are relaxed while the dances continue.

Weddings and Family Occasions

Marriage, considered the most important event in an individual’s life, was the sole means to attain personal autonomy.  Matrimony is an age-old phenomena and the process of marriage is given a great deal of importance. It involves almost the entire village, with the older women providing direction. The celebrations are extensive, a remarkable contrast from the otherwise frugal life of the villagers. Dance customs associated with marriage are therefore reflective of the importance of this occasion. Traditional weddings are rare in today’s modern society. In this article, we will portrait a traditional marriage ceremony that varies based on regional and local customs.

          Once a couple is betrothed, both families organize a gléndi (party) as a celebration. Food and dance are a major part of this. Once the meal is over, the singing begins, and then the young couple takes the floor. This is an important moment because it is their first appearance together in public. First, they dance a facing dance, or antikrystós. After this they lead a syrtós and the dancing continues throughout the night. Before the guests depart, the girl respectfully offers her new relatives with gifts such as scarves; these scarves the father-in-law and mother-in-law place on their shoulders and dance. This gesture concludes the engagement ceremony.

          Immediately afterwards, preparations are made for the marriage ceremony. Much is to be done: the couple’s new house (or room) is to be built, food prepared, dowry completed. The wedding is spoken of as a chará (joy), which is well-reflected in the dances.  Ceremonies are typically specific to each village, and personal preferences come into play as well. For the purpose of this article, the general rites of a typical marriage ceremony are described:

Kneading the bread:  Days before the wedding service, the bride’s friends gather at her home to bake large quantities of special breads, including kouloúria (bread rings) and sweet bread. Breads are distributed to villagers, inviting them to attend the wedding. The men assist the women in arranging for supplies. When the dough is left to rise, the girls dance and sing special songs. The young men also sing and dance when they gather to whitewash the groom’s house. There is often horseplay during the dancing.

Displaying the dowry: The next day, the bride’s dowry is displayed in her house. This comprises of coverlets, blankets and linen (mostly a testimony of her own efforts), along with furniture and utensils. The visitors leave money on these goods as a token. Special songs are sung as they fill the mattress. They then dance around it, carrying it above their heads.

 Decorating the banner: The banner (flámbouro) is a pole decorated with flowers and brightly-colored scarves, crosses, apples, pomegranates, and so on. While it is decorated by the youth, they sing certain songs and take turns holding it and dancing with it. It happens to be the symbol of the nuptial procession and is carried by the brátimos (the groom’s best man) during the procession to collect the bride. Ultimately, it is set on the rooftop of the groom’s house.

Bathing the bride: The bride may bathe at her home or at a public bath-house, a hamám. Thereafter, her companions prepare a yellow dye (kinás) and dance around a plate surrounded by burning candles, and then apply it on her hands. In Thrace, the dance of the gíkna is performed during this rite.

Dressing the bride: Under her godmother’s supervision, the bride is dressed in her elaborate wedding clothes and accessories by the stolístres.(the women skilled in this). This is a long process and at this time, the women sitting outside her room sing songs in praise of her beauty. More singing and dancing follow when the bride finally appears from her room.

Gathering of the guests: In the meanwhile, the groom and his family leave their house in a procession which also includes friends, musicians playing patinádes.(tunes) and the brátimos with the banner. They first collect the groom’s godfather, who is also the wedding sponsor or koumbáros, then the match-maker, the bride’s godmother, the priest, and other guests, dancing as they go. They are welcomed at the bride’s house and dowry is loaded on a mule or donkey and all proceed to the church where the actual wedding ceremony takes place. When the married couple finally emerges from the church, villagers – and perhaps the priest -- will break into dance.

Reception of the bride: The bride is welcomed into her new husband’s home. As the groom lifts the veil from his wife’s face, the women sing sons praising her beauty. Now the dance of the in-laws commences. The koumbáros leads the groom’s relatives then the bride’s. Each person takes a turn at leading the local syrtós.

Wedding dinner: This is an enormous feast, following which the women and men sing separately. The couple then takes the floor. All relatives, initially in strict hierarchical order, take turns dancing with the bride.

Antíchara: The bride and her husband return to her paternal home some days after the marriage. This occasion is marked by another wedding feast, the antíchara. Dances follow, and the celebration continues till daybreak.

Costume

The clothing worn for dance is both functional and aesthetic. Shoes were precious for Greek villagers, saved only for special occasions. Footwear can range from heavy and cumbersome leather clogs (tsaroúchia) to light pigskin shoes (gourounotsaroúcha). High boots (stivánia) permit precise movements whilst slippers (kountoúres) are suited to shuffling steps.

          A chemise, or poukamísa was worn by men and women. The overgarment (ependytis) – known by a different name depending on the village – is made by a special tailor who embellishes it with terzídiko embroidery, including colored braid (gaitani) sewn on in spiral patterns. Dresses can be of various designs, usually embroidered on the front. An apron (podiés) could be a practical part of the attire. A kefalodema (scarf) covers the head. The hair is braided and adorned. Kerchiefs (mandilia) are square, stoles (bolies) are long and narrow; tsemberi  is a large scarf and the fakioli is tied under the main kerchief. The men on the islands and coastal villages wear the vráka (breeches), which are wide and baggy. The most common male costume on the mainland is the kilt or foustanella.

The various elements of dance in Greece truly reflect the history, culture and spirit of her people for thousands of years. It is an art form that will, we hope, continue to be preserved and passed onto future generations.

Acknowledgements Greek Dances Theatre” Dora Stratou” www.dance-pandect.gr