Greek culture and civilization has changed throughout the years. Considering they have recorded history that dates back to __BCE it’s no surprise that their traditions run deep even in those who have never stepped foot in their motherland. This passion for one’s country becomes obvious through the dances that the youth displayed at the Greek Food Festival here in Fort Worth. The importance of dance in Greek culture is shown by the fact that they had from children to adults performing their dances to the best of their abilities. While the main focus were the dancers it is interesting to note the wide range of music they were willing to dance.
The music that accompanied the dancers ranged from a traditional war dance to a neo-traditional dance
version of the Black Eyed Peas hit song “Pump it.” It allowed the audience to grasp a sense of the unfamiliar by introducing musical elements familiar to the common United States citizen. However, they also graced the audience with a traditional Crete war dance, where the intensity of the dance started off fairly strong, interjected at certain moments with “hoi” exclamations and continued at a fast pace for the rest of the piece. While the war piece was not something someone with no prior knowledge on Greece could pick out as meant for war, the piece left the listener with an adrenaline rush, which would be perfect for the soldier who was about to set off to war. The next noticeable piece gave the audience a reference point for how the dance would be performed, since they played the sirtaki, also known as the dance of Zorba. Made internationally famous with the 1964 film Zorba the Greek, it gave the audience a sense of familiarity, making it easier to enjoy. What makes this dance unique is how dramatically different the beginning and ending tempo are. It began at an infuriating slow pace, but every time the circle of dancers reach a certain point, the tempo would increase. This continued until they were going so fast, it seemed impossible to stop them. The apparel that was worn changed depending on how they were perceived, especially by the advance dancers whose ages seemed to range from mid-teens to early twenties. This was especially apparent with the male costumes, considering the younger males were using the traditional Tsoliás uniform, while the older men used the traditional Crete dance uniform, providing a nice contrast between the two. Tsoliás are an elite military unit whose members are part of the Presidential Guard, who are responsible for guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Presidential Mansion, and the gates of the Evzones camp in Athens. In comparison the women’s costumes were variations of traditional Crete womenswear and Amalia dresses. Based on Queen Amalia of Oldenburg’s attempt to connect with her people, it is now known as a national Greek costume and worn at special events and holidays. However, this group of dancers strayed from the traditional by including a hip scarf with coins, something that is usually associated with belly dance. Experiencing someone else’s culture in full is impossible to do in the span of a few hours. Especially when one remembers that the focus of the festival was on the traditions of the people of Crete, not all of Greece, even though it was announced as the Greek Food Festival. Like with many cultural traditions held in the US, they very rarely represent the traditions of all the people of that country. However, it allows a person a window into a world that might not be as different as one first perceived.
185-196. Dillon, Mathew, and Garland, Lynda. Ancient Greece: Social and Historical Documents from Archaic Times to the Death of Socrates. Routledge International Thompson Publishing Company, 1994, pp. 179-215 Lefkowitz, Mary.
Every dance that is created by a choreographer has a meaning and or purpose behind it. The dance choreographed could be used to send a political, emotional, or a social message. Regardless of the message being sent, each dance created possesses a unique cultural and human significance. This essay will examine and analyze two dance works from history and give an insight into what each dance work provided to the society of its time.
Hellenic culture in the Spartan community was that of a humble elite. True Spartan culture is well captured in Xenophon’s work, Spartan Society, as he wrote of how this elitist society viewed not only themselves, but the other countries around them. This work shines light into the three-part worldview of the ancient, Hellenic Spartans of: humanism, idealism, and rationalism. As Xenophon begins to write over the whole of the Spartan society it can be seen how the Spartans lived out the worldview of this Hellenistic society. This living out of the worldview recorded in Xenophon’s, Spartan Society, illustrates their worldview through the noting of Lycurgus’ accomplishments and the contrast of the “other.”
In this paper I wanted to get a good general understanding of cultural anthropology and how it related to Ancient Greece, so I made sure that one of my references was an overview of the subject – Cultural Anthropology, The Human Challenge. This would lay the foundation for the research. I then sought out a book on Greek culture in general – The Greeks and Greek Civilization by Jacob Burckhardt – and one about the great war between Sparta and Athens – The Peloponnesian War by Donald Kagan. It was through these two books where I learned most of the cultural details about Sparta, as well as some context in comparison to some of the other Greek states.
...r. "Ancient Greece." Gardner's art through the ages the western perspective. 13th ed., Backpack ed. Boston, Mass.: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2010. 101, 123,129. Print.
[6] Cohen, Selma Jeanne. International Encyclopedia of Dance: A Project of Dance Perspectives Foundation, Inc. New York: Oxford UP, 1998. Print.
New Dance is described as a developing art form; this dance was articulated in the early 20th century. According to Chapter 8 in History of Dance book, “the new dance emerged as a response to the ballet that populated the variety shows and music halls, which had a rigid formula of steps and poses” (Kassing). The New Dance was a product of several strands that interlaced together dancers’ studies and backgrounds; these strands and others were woven together in a historical, political, and societal framework. For instance, one strand of New Dance consisted of the concepts, techniques, costumes, and stage settings from around the world. These strands influenced major dancers and choreographers, such as, Isadora Duncan, Loie Fuller, Ruth St. Denis, and Ted Shawn.
Dance today is completely different from what it was like during the Renaissance. Steps and movements were much more simple than what choreography is today. Performances were at courts, provinces, bourgeois houses and marketplaces (Mccowan 1) instead of on a stage or in auditoriums that were invented later by Italian set designers (Homans, 11). Dance studios, as the world knows them today, would not exist without the influence of the renaissance kings and queens.
Nardo, Don. The Ancient Greeks at Home and at Work. 1st ed. San Diego, CA: Lucent, 2004. Print.
Pomeroy, Sarah B. Ancient Greece: A Political, Social, and Cultural History. New York: Oxford UP, 1999. Print.
"Different Types of Greek Drama and their importance." PBS. Public Broadcasting Station, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2014.
Robin Sowerby, The Greeks: An Introduction To Their Culture. Published in 1995 by Routledge Publishers.
The Daily Life of Ancient Greeks Life in Greece in ancient times will remind you of your own life in many ways. There were school, family, athletic competitions, and social gatherings. Knowing that participants in their sporting events competed nude or that you rarely knew your husband/wife until the wedding day does however, make you grateful for the society that you live in today. Babies Life for the Greeks in Athens began in their home. Babies were delivered by the women of the family, and only in cases of serious complications was a mid-wife called.
Prior to the creation of state maintained schools and academies in Greece, higher education was mainly reserved for the elite persons of a community (Handbook: Greece 253). Training for these citizens consisted of instruction in the areas of music, poetry, numeracy, and religious ritual (Handbook: Greece 253).