Sirtaki or syrtaki is a popular dance

Dance

Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....

 of Greek

Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

 origin, choreographed, by Giorgos Provias for the 1964 film Zorba the Greek. It is not a traditional Greek folkdance, but a mixture of the slow and fast versions of the hasapiko

Hasapiko

The Hasapiko , is a Greek folk dance from Constantinople. The dance originated in the Middle Ages as a battle mime with swords performed by the Greek butchers guild, which adopted it from the military of Byzantine era. In Constantinople during the Byzantine times, it was called in Greek...

 dance. The dance, and the accompanying music by Míkis Theodorakis

Mikis Theodorakis

Mikis Theodorakis is one of the most renowned Greek songwriters and composers. Internationally, he is probably best known for his songs and for his scores for the films Zorba the Greek , Z , and Serpico .Politically, he identified with the left until the late 1980s; in 1989, he ran as an...

, are also called Zorbá's dance, Zorbas, or "the dance of Zorba".

The name Sirtáki comes from the Greek word:Syrtos

Syrtos

Syrtos , is the collective name of a group of Greek folk dances. Syrtos, along with its relative kalamatianos, are the most popular dances throughout Greece and are frequently danced by the Greek diaspora worldwide. They are very popular in social gatherings, weddings and religious festivals...

, ("σύρω (τον χορό)") which means "drag (the dance)" a common name for a group of traditional Cretan dances of so-called "dragging" style, as opposed to pidikhtos

Pidikhtos

Pidikhtos , is a Greek folk dance with Cretan origin, dancing in a circle formation. It is very widespread in Crete and the Greek islands.-References:...

 (πηδηχτός), 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

Line dance

A line dance is a choreographed dance with a repeated sequence of steps in which a group of people dance in one or more lines or rows without regard for the gender of the individuals, all facing the same direction, and executing the steps at the same time. Line dancers are not in physical contact...

 or circle

Circle dance

"Circle dance" is the most common name for a style of traditional dance usually done in a circle without partners to musical accompaniment.-Description:...

 formation with hands held on neighbours' shoulders. Line formation is more traditional.

Meter

Metre (music)

Meter or metre is a term that music has inherited from the rhythmic element of poetry where it means the number of lines in a verse, the number of syllables in each line and the arrangement of those syllables as long or short, accented or unaccented...

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

Guinness World Record

On September 16, 2007, the world's longest chain of syrtaki dancers danced to Zorba The Greek in Cyprus . The chain had a total of 268 members of eight groups dancing in step to ”Zorbas”. Ayia Napa Town Mayor Antonis Tsokkos said the aim of the event was to send the message that the village was interested in Greek culture and to promote the tourist resort abroad. Head of the cultural services of the Municipality Maria Tofini said that, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, the dancers had to perform in synchronized step for the attempt to qualify. The event drew the attention of tourists and locals, many of which danced to ‘‘Zorbas” on the beach and in the sea.

See also

• Greek dances
  Greek dances
  Greek dance is a very old tradition, being referred to by authors such as Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch and Lucian. There are different styles and interpretations from all of the islands and surrounding mainland areas. Each region formed its own choreography and style to fit in with their own ways...
  
  
• Greek music
• Kalamatianos
  Kalamatianos
  The Kalamatianós Dance is one of the best known dances of Greece. It is popular Greek folkdance throughout Greece, Cyprus and internationally and is often performed at many social gatherings worldwide. As is the case with most Greek folk dances, it is danced in circle with a counterclockwise...
  
  
• Hasapiko
  Hasapiko
  The Hasapiko , is a Greek folk dance from Constantinople. The dance originated in the Middle Ages as a battle mime with swords performed by the Greek butchers guild, which adopted it from the military of Byzantine era. In Constantinople during the Byzantine times, it was called in Greek...
  
   or Makellarios
• Tsakonikos
  Tsakonikos
  The Tsakonikos or Tsakonikos khoros is a dance performed in the Peloponnese in Greece. It comes from the region, chiefly in Arcadia, known as Tsakonia. It is danced in many towns villages there with little variation to the steps....
  
  
• Pentozali
• Sirto
  Syrtos
  Syrtos , is the collective name of a group of Greek folk dances. Syrtos, along with its relative kalamatianos, are the most popular dances throughout Greece and are frequently danced by the Greek diaspora worldwide. They are very popular in social gatherings, weddings and religious festivals...
  
  
• Zeibekiko
  Zeibekiko
  Zeibekiko is a Greek folk dance with a rhythmic pattern of 9/4 or else 9/8 . The name of the dance derives from the Zeibek warriors of Anatolia. It is danced by one person only and is of free choreographic structure, which is often refers to ancient Greek tragedy...
  
  
• Ballos
  Ballos
  The Ballos Sirtos , is one of the best known Greek folk island dances in Greece...
  
  
• Sousta
  Sousta
  Sousta is the name of a folk dance in Cyprus and Crete which is danced in Greece and generally in the Balkans. The music is generally played with a lyre , laouto, and mandolin ....
  
  
• Bouzoukia
  Bouzoukia
  Bouzoukia may refer to:* Bouzouki , a Greek lute* Bouzoukia , Greek nightclubs that feature laïkó music...