by
Panagiotis Agiakatsikas
The Greek Zeybek dances (Zeybekika) derive
directly from the Zeybeks of Minor Asia. Their dances spread to the Greek
Islands of the Aegean coast, and then, later, after the Greeks left Asia Minor,
to the rest of Greece. As it was an exclusively male dance it became a
trademark for the males to dance and show their dancing abilities in public. In
the ’70s it became acceptable for women to dance it too. When the phonograph
recording units were available in Athens older musicians from Smyrni started to
record traditional dances on record, while as a popular dance they started to
record new Zeybek dances from the ’30s. Even today new Zeybek dances are
written by the newer generation of composers and are danced in clubs by the
younger generation.
The Zeybek rhythm pattern types fall
into two categories - 9/4 Zeybekika and the 9/8 Zeybekika. And these are
divided into the Zeybek dances of the 9/4 Zeybekika and the 9/8, which include
the faster Karsilamas, Aptalikos Karsilamas and the Kamilierikos.
These are called varia Zeybekika (heavy
or very slow) or vrakadika[1]
(because they were danced by the old men in Lesvos who wore “vraka”
breeches). The vast majority of Zeybekika dances have a rhythm pattern of
2+2+2+3, but some Zeybekika have a pattern of 3+2+2+2.
These are divided into the plain
Zeybekiko and the “Kofto”, Often these are called the old and new Zeybekiko but
actually both are old Zeybek rhythms. For ease we will demonstrate the 9/4 as
9/8.
Examples:
Ayvaliotikos (trad.of Asia Minor)
Nihtose Horis Feggari – Apostolos
Kaldaras
Prin To Harama – Giannis
Papaioanou
Example:
Ematha Pos Eise Magas (trad. of
Asia Minor)
Known also as Zeybekiko of Izmir or
in Turkey as Agir Aydin Zeybek Havasi (Slow Zeybekiko of Aydin)
Very rarely found, this is only an
example of a song played in Lesvos Island.
Examples:
Adramitiano Zeybekiko
(trad.of Asia Minor) note that Adramiti
is now Edremit a city on the Turkish coasts across Lesvos Island
Pergamos
(trad.of Asia Minor), city also 50km
from Aybali (Ayvalik). A slightly different version is played in Turkey of the
same title “Bergama”.
This has the following rhythm
pattern:
It looks very much like the
Zeybekiko, but it is played at the high speed of the metronome
= 150
Examples:
To Vapori Apo Ti Persia –
Vasilis Tsitsanis,
Ego Then Eho Paei Sto Sholeio – Giorgos
Mouflouzelis,
Ta Limania –
Vasilis Tsitsanis.
Karsilamas is incorporated even
today in many taverna songs, but only a few dancers can dance it, unless they
have been taught in a dancing group. It has a rhythm pattern of 2+2+2+3 and a
normal time signature of 9/8. Especially in Lesvos it is the trademark dance of
the island; they are able to dance the normal 2+2+2+3 Karsilima, the Aptaliko
Karsilama 3+2+2+2 and the Aidiniko Karsilama (fast Karsilama) 2+2+2+3. The
Karsilamas pattern has the same pattern as the Zeybekiko, but it is played in a
faster mode.
It is the following in the basic
rhythm pattern we have the plain basic:
This is the traditional form
Examples:
Dodeka Hronon Koritsi (trad. of
Asia Minor),
Aneveno Skalopatia (or Komita
trad. of Asia Minor),
Vale Me Stin Agkalia Sou –
Vaggelis Papazoglou,
San Ta Marmara Tis Polis (trad. of
Asia Minor)
Aptalikos Karsilamas
This is a more “happy” Zeybek dance
that is from Asia Minor. The songs played in a regular taverna repertoire may
include one or two such songs. Few people know how to dance it properly. Its
rhythm pattern is 3+2+2+2 and sometimes, like the Karsilama, it is unknown to
musicians. It is an extremely popular dance in Lesvos.
Examples:
Aptalikos (trad. of Asia
Minor) from which it probably it took its name, the most popular of all,
Pino Kai Metho –
Spiros Peristeris,
Sto Faliro Pou Plenese –
Markos Vamvakaris.
In Lesvos Island the Aptalikos
trademark song is the Pingi
It Turkey the variation of the Aptalikos
is the Apatilikos Havasi or the Zeybek Gordon.
Aidikikos or Petahtos Karsilamas
(jumping)
This Karsilamas dance it the fastest
of all and is danced in Lesvos Island
Examples: Ayse
(Traditional) also a very popular among the young generation of Lesvos who
learn Karsilama with addition of a chair. This song is also known because of
the use of the chair (karekla) as “Kareklatos”
In Turkey the variation of Ayse is called Iskender Bogazi Karsilama
Dimitris
Kofteros, Mytilinio Santouri – Songs and dances from Lesvos, 1995.
Kostas
Koukoulinis, I laiki kithara kai I tehniki tis, Fagoto Editions 1997.
