Mihanikos

Seven dancing. Ancient Greek bronze, 8th century BCE, Archaeological Museum of Olympia.

Mihanikos (Greek: Ο χορός του Μηχανικού, literally The dance of the mechanic) is a traditional dance from the Greek island of Kalymnos. It is typically only performed by men dancing in a line. In basic it is a normal Syrtos.
The dance depicts the crippling effects of decompression sickness caused by sponge diving, which was the main source of income on Kalymnos during the last half of the 19th century. This is shown by the leading dancer who (on the slow part of the music) seemingly has to struggle to stand and walk, and uses a stick in doing so. His feet and legs shake violently and sometimes he almost collapses. This "mechanic" behaviour gives the dance its name. Sometimes he is seen being assisted by the second dancer in line. The other dancers dance on normally, until at some point the music picks up speed and leading dancer picks up the rhythm and they dance together in line, with the leading dancer joyfully showing off. This may happen only once during the dance, or the slow and fast parts may alternate, with or without the leading dancer joining the line.

Greek dances

Ancient	Angelica Antistrophe Carpaea Choreia Cordax Dionysiakos Hyporchema Korybantes Pyrrhichios Syrtos Tarantella

Modern	Ai Georgis Aise Angaliastos Antikristos Antipatitis Atsapat Ballos Byzantine dance Cerigotikos Dimitroula Dipat Diplos Horos Diavaratikos Endeka Kozanis Fisounis Fourlana Gaitanaki Genovefa Gerakina Gerontikos Giknas Hasapiko Hatzichristos Horos Ikariotikos Isios Kalamatianos Kalymnikos Kamilierikos Kanella Kangeli Kapitan Louka Kastorianos Katsabadianos Kavodorikos Kechagiadikos Kerkiraikos Kinigitos Kleftiko Kleistos Kochari Koftos Koutsos Lafina Lambri Kamara Lasithiotikos Lefkaditikos Lerikos Levantinikos Leventikos Loulouvikos Makedonia Makedonikos antikristos Makrinitsa dance Maleviziotis Mandilatos Maniatikos Metsovitikos Mihanikos Milia Monodiplos Mpougatsas Nizamikos Ntames Ntournerakia O Nikolos Omal Omorfoula Opa Palamakia Partalos Pentozali Patinada Pidikhtos Pilioritikos Pirgousikos Pizzica Plataniotiko Nero Podaraki Poustseno Priniotis Proskinitos Pyrrhichios Rhoditikos Rodo Rougatsiarikos Serra Sianos Simeris H Simeriani Sirmpa Sirtaki Sousta Sperveri Stamoulo Stavrotos Strose Vayia Syrtos Ta Xila Tamzara Tapeinos Horos Tatsia Thessalikos Tis Triandafilias Ta Fila Tranos Choros Trata Trizalis Tromakton Tsakonikos Tsamiko Tsestos Tsifteteli Tsiniaris Yurukikos Zacharoula Zaramo Zeibekiko Zervodexios Zervos Zonaradiko

Mihanikos

See also