Sirtaki

Sirtaki or syrtaki (συρτάκι) is a popular dance of Greek origin, created in 1964 for the movie "Zorba the Greek". It is not a traditional Greek folkdance, but a mixture of slow and fast versions of the hasapiko dance. The dance and the music (by Míkis Theodorakis) are also called Zorbá's dance, Zorbas, or "the dance of Zorbas". [the nominative of "Zorba"]

The name Sirtáki comes from the Greek word syrtos, a common name for a group of traditional Cretan dances of so-called "dragging" style, as opposed to pidikhtos, a hopping or leaping style. Despite that, Sirtaki incorporates both syrtos (in its slower part) and pidikhtós (in its faster part) elements.

Choreography

Sirtáki is danced in a line or circle formation with hands held on neighbours' shoulders. Line formation is more traditional.

Meter is 4/4, tempo increasing, and often the signature is changed to 2/2 in the fastest part. Accordingly, the dance begins with slower, smoother actions, gradually transforming into faster, vivid ones, often including hops and leaps.

Notes