Ionian Islands

Επτάνησα

15 dances · 71 from the archive

Ai Giorgis (Corfu) Αη Γιώργης (Κέρκυρα) 2/4 · Circle of women facing the centre, linked by large handkerchiefs.
Divaratikos Διβαράτικος 3/4 · Open circle, mixed, hands joined with elbows bent (W hold).
Thiakos Θιακός 2/4 · Open circle, mixed.
Kalamatianos Καλαματιανός 7/8 · Open circle, mixed, hands joined at shoulder height with elbows bent; the leader often holds the second dancer by a handkerchief and improvises.

Centuries of Venetian rule gave Ionian music strong Western features: kantades and arekia sung with guitar and mandolin, while village festivals are played on violin, guitar and laouto. The main dance is the syrtos, in many local forms, such as the kerkyraikos of Corfu with the women linked by handkerchiefs, the divaratikos of Kefalonia in 3/4 and the levantinikos of Zakynthos. Lefkada's 'double' dances, which start slowly and end as a kalamatianos, stand out, as do urban dances with Italian roots such as the fourlana of Corfu.