North Aegean

Βόρειο Αιγαίο

12 dances · 75 from the archive

Vagia stroste Βάγια στρώστε Two lines inside a circle that merge into one and split again at points in the song.
Zeibekiko Ζεϊμπέκικο 9/8 · Solo, improvised dance, traditionally for men.
Ikariotikos Ικαριώτικος 2/4 · Open circle, mixed; dancers hold each other high at the shoulders or with a crossed hand hold.
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.

The North Aegean islands (Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Ikaria, Lemnos) have close historical ties with the facing coast of Asia Minor, and you can hear it in their music. Violin, laouto and santouri lead today, while the tsampouna bagpipe and lyra were once played on Chios and Ikaria. Each island has its own dances: "Ta xyla" and the karsilamas of Lesvos, the trio dance pyrgousikos of Chios, the plataniotiko nero and sousta of Samos, the kechagiadikos of Lemnos, and the slow ikariotikos that keeps Ikaria's festivals going until morning.

North Aegean

Sub-areas

From here

Also danced here

From the archive 75

Sources