Learn to dance for a great Greek wedding

If you’ve seen “My Big Greek Wedding” then you know that Greek folk dancing is great! From the outside, it probably looks a bit complicated. There are many different Greek folk dances that fit particular types of music. Some Greek dances can be too difficult to learn, but there is one dance in particular that is very easy to learn and is always featured at parties and festivals. Put on your dancing shoes, you are ready to learn to dance in the Greek folk style!

How to dance with the Greeks

The first thing you need to know about Greek folk dance is how it works. The Greek dance is performed in a row, with people lining up from right to left. The “leader” of the dance will almost always be on the right. This formation, dancing to the right, transforms into a large circle. Once this circle is formed, the leader of the line and the person who dances at the end will be close to each other.

Shall we hold hands?

For most Greek dances, people in a line hold hands regardless of the gender of the person next to them. There are some dances where the dancers put their hands on the shoulders of the people next to them (such as the dance popularized in the movie “Never On Sunday”). Many times I see people with no experience in Greek dance trying to hold on to the shoulders of the people next to them. This is normally not necessary. Holding hands is normal and much easier. Usually the right hand goes on the bottom and the left hand goes on top. This means that while holding hands with people next to you, you will have your right hand under the hand of the person to your right and your left hand on top of the person to your left.

breaking it.

The Greek folk dance you are going to learn has only six steps. When you think of it that way, it’s pretty simple! These six steps, once mastered, are simply repeated over and over again. There really isn’t much more to it than that! These are the six steps: step right with right foot, left foot crosses behind, step right with right foot, kick left foot to right, step left with left foot, kick with the right foot to the left. That is all! You can really learn to dance in the Greek folk style!

How to practice this dance

It may be easier to try to learn this dance alone or with another friend. Now, think about the six steps of this dance. Once you can visualize them, it’s easier to refer to the steps as: right, left back, right, kick, left, kick. However, make sure you understand what these instructions really mean so you don’t kick with your left foot, etc.

Take these six steps very slowly at first. Once you complete the last step, “kick” (or kick your right foot to the left), then start the sequence again with “right” (or step right with your right foot). Keep repeating these steps slowly until you start to get comfortable with them.

How to recognize this dance

Now that you’ve practiced the steps, you’re ready to dance this dance at a big Greek wedding. How will you recognize this dance? An easy way to know that people are dancing the same dance is to ask yourself if it is anything like the Jewish dance, the Hora, done to the music of Hava Nagila. (In fact, Hora simply means circle dance, which is also most Greek dances.) Most of the time, the songs performed in this Greek dance sound a bit more upbeat than Hava Nagila and most other Greek dance songs. . Greek music is quite complicated in its rhythms, but this dance is simply six half-beats. Once you’ve assessed whether this dance resembles the one you’ve learned, simply watch the dancers and see if you can pick out the six-step pattern you’ve learned. If you see it, you’re ready to join the fun!

Be sure to join the dance at the end of the line or among a few people you recognize (usually towards the end of the line).

That is all! It’s easy to learn to dance Greek folk dances! This simple Greek dance is fun, great exercise, and is always performed at parties, festivals, and weddings. You will surely have the opportunity to do it, and you will have a great time!