Syrto
Associations---Greece
Tapes Found On---
Origin---Greece
Choreographer---traditional
Song Name---Who'll Pay The Ferryman is the common song to which
the greek american community will dance this dance
see also the Mystic Spiral
Notes
This is the Circle dance version, the true version goes as follows:
1-2 Face Center, side R, cross L behind, Side R
3-4 Face R, forward L R L
5-6 Face Center moving R, step R, L, --then R in place
7-8 L back, R close, L forward
Line dance, arms in W-Position, meter 2/4 count---1 2& slow---quick-quick
On the last beat of measure 4, you may also cross the left slightly
over the right. Also, during the dance, the leader of the line may be doing
various improvised steps. Just keep doing the basic step. However, some
leaders will signal a turn by circling their hand in the air. If they do
that, then they are expecting the whole line to turn
.
The Syrtos is a very old dance. It is the basic from which
many another dance will arise throughout the Mediterranean and Baltic region.
It is a custom and enjoyment of mine to draw the traditional simple Cretan
or Celtic Labyrinth in the earth when I go places to dance. Very
often I will take a stick and draw it in the sand of the Sunken Moon Garden
here at Touchstone Farm & Yoga Center. The Syrtos, I discovered,
holds within the patterns of the dance the key to the patterns of this
ancient labyrinthine form. I use this dance to help me remember how
to take a stick and draw a dancing labyrinth in the earth.
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