| The Syrtos in Lesvos This paper was originally presented at the International Dance Council's Congress on Dance Research, held in Athens in October 2006.
To understand dance in Lesvos, you need to go back a hundred years, to the time when Mytilini was an island suburb of Smyrna, and Athens was a foreign country. At that time Smyrna was a major international cultural centre – “the Paris of the Levant” – and most of the music and dances of Lesvos came from there and not from Athens or mainland Greece. The so-called Greek National Dances – Kalamatianos, Tsamiko, etc. – were introduced into Lesvos by the Greek schools. The destruction of Smyrna, the establishment of the modern state of Turkey and the expulsion of the Greeks from Asia Minor (as well as the expulsion of the Turks from Lesvos) completely changed the picture. The links with Smyrna were broken, though many Greek refugees came from there to Mytilini, bringing with them their musicians and culture, and further reinforcing the Smyrnaic character of the island‘s music and dance. But from then on Lesvos had to look to Athens as its capital. In the last fifty years, the links with Athens have become stronger. It is now not difficult for people from Lesvos to travel to Athens by sea and air, and new roads within the island have improved communication between the villages. Radio and television from Athens have brought their music to every part of the island, and people from the remotest villages can now listen to recorded music from all over the world at any time of the day or night.
The Lesvos Syrtos had its origins in Smyrna, not in Athens or the Cyclades. It was traditionally danced by two men, or two women, who later released their handholds, and danced face-to-face, often some distance apart, as in a Karsilamas. Sometimes the music would change to the slightly different rhythm of a Ballos at this point. For this reason, some people prefer to call the dance “SyrtoBallos”. But the Cycladic Ballos is a courtship dance, danced by a man and a woman. The Lesvos dance is different, and is danced in a different way, without the courtship element in it. Local dancers In Lesvos dance in much the same way whether the rhythm is syrtos or ballos. I have chosen to call the dance Syrtos because that is what the locals call it.
The music for the Syrtos is in 2/4 time, with two beats in a bar. The first beat is stressed, often quite heavily, while the second beat is less defined, often sounding more like two half-beats. Sometimes, especially towards the end of a dance, it will take the rhythm of a Cycladic ballos, though it is not danced in this way. Much depends on the way the music is played, especially the tempo. Some tunes, e.g. Araviko and Barbounaki, are played in a slow and dignified way, suitable for dancing “with the mandili”. This is the music used by the bride and groom at a wedding feast, and generally preferred by older couples. When it is played more quickly, especially when the first beat is heavily emphasized, it becomes a more lively dance, suitable for younger dancers. Most of the older tunes are from Smyrna, but in recent years the musicians' repertoire has been supplemented by "Nisiotika", music from the Cyclades, which is popular in Athens and is often played on Greek Radio.
Unlike the Karsilamas, which is danced differently in different parts of the Island, the Syrtos is danced in much the same way throughout Lesvos. Each bar starts with one strong step, followed by a readjustment, which sometimes becomes two half-beat steps (SLOW-quick-quick). The first strong step starts low, and then rises from the knee. For the second step, the free foot steps close to the other, the ball of the foot presses for a moment on the ground, taking some of the weight of the body, and then gets ready for the first step of the next bar. It is this that gives the body its characteristic up-and-down movement from the knees (and hips). Traditionally, the syrtos was danced in pairs,
Smyrna-style, linked by a handkerchief or kerchief (Syrtos with
Mandili). It is still often danced like this, especially when dancing
formally (e.g. at a wedding or for spectators). A pair will usually
be two men or two women. A woman will not normally dance in public
with a man who is not her husband or other close relative. When
dancing informally for themselves a couple may be joined by others,
to form a small group of family and friends. Sometimes two pairs
join together, holding the corners of a kerchief, dancing round
it as if holding the ribbons of a maypole ("gaitonaki"). 04.01 Dancing in
pairs: 04.01.01 Side by
side - stepping forwards and backwards 04.01.02 Side by
side - circling 04.01.03 Face-to-Face
04.01.04 Dancing
free ("Amolatos") 04.02 Bigger groups When dancing in a chain or circle, the dancers use a simple handhold and move slowly to the right, either doing a simple running step - SLOW-quick-quick, in time with the music - or a simple "island step" (resembling a Kalamatianos step), with or without a pausing step. Bigger circles are comparatively rare, though may occur when there is some common purpose uniting the group.
The biggest change that has affected dance in Lesvos
during the last fifty years has Improvements in roads and transport within the island have ended the isolation of many villages. Villages that were almost inaccessible twenty years ago can now be reached in a few minutes by car or motor-bicycle. Consequently villagers from one village can travel to another village for special events, taking with them their own ways of dancing. In the summer many Greek families who now live in Australia, Canada or the United States return to their villages in Lesvos on holiday, and special events are sometimes organised to welcome them. Lesvos is also a popular holiday destination for Greeks from Athens and other parts of Greece, and in July and August, when there are many dancing events, they join in the celebrations, dancing in their own ways. Tourists from other countries often take part too. In these ways, the dancing traditions have been modified and perhaps diluted, becoming less local. Fifty years ago, people learnt to dance by watching other members of their family and community, and by dancing with them. Today, for various reasons, children do not often see older members of their family dancing, and it is difficult to learn in this way. So parents who themselves learned to dance in the traditional way send their children to classes to learn from dance teachers. This places a heavy responsibility on the teachers, who may not even come from the local village, and may not know the local dances. They are forced to teach the dances they have learned during their training. They teach simplified sequences of steps and figures - "the right steps" - and do not encourage their pupils to improvise. Children who have learned to dance in lessons all tend to perform the same set sequence of steps and figures, and there is less variety in their dancing.
University of the Aegean Research Unit: "Lesbos Aiolis, Songs and Dances of Lesvos" (Booklet included with 2 CDs)(Crete University Press) Dimitris Kofteros: "The Santouri of Lesbos" (International Organisation of Folk Art, Greek Section, and 'Dora Stratou' Greek Dances Theatre) Katherina Stavrou: "The Dance Tradition of Aghiassos in Lesvos and its Relationship with Community Life", in "Dance Ethnology" (International Organisation of Folk Art, Greek Section, and 'Dora Stratou' Greek Dances Theatre) Katherina Stavrou: "A Comparison of the Dance Tradition in Aghiassos and Mandamados, Lesvos", in "Dance Beyond Frontiers" (International Organisation of Folk Art, Greek Section, and 'Dora Stratou' Greek Dances Theatre) University of the Aegean: "Musical Crossroads in the Aegean - Lesvos in the19th and 20th Century" (Ministry of the Aegean and University of the Aegean)
©2005 CH Copeman. All Rights Reserved. |