Tsakonikos

The Tsakonikos or Tsakonikos khoros (Greek: Τσακώνικος χορός "Tsakonian dance") 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.

In Ayios Andreas, it is performed as a mixed dance in an open circle, with the hands held up (αγκαζέ angaze, in Greek). The most popular songs for the tsakonikos are "Sou ipa mana kale mana" and "Kinisan ta tsamopoula".^[1]

The dance is performed to a 5/4 (3+2) rhythm in an open circle which slowly winds in upon itself, forming a snail-shaped design. This labyrinthine formation is, according to legend, linked to the Crane dance of Theseus in Greek mythology, who slew the Minotaur in the Labyrinth of King Minos. It has also been linked to the slaying by Apollo of the Python at Delphi.

"Sou Ipa Mana"

The tsakonikos is commonly danced Sou ipa mana (gr: Σου είπα μανά, Σου 'πα μανα μ' — "I said to you, mother")

Σου είπα μανά μ’, καλέ μανά μ’,
Σου είπα μανά μ’, πάντρεψέ με.
Σου είπα μανά μ’, πάντρεψέ με.
Σπιτονοικοκύρεψέ με.

Γέρον άντρα, καλέ μανά μ’,
Γέρον άντρα μη μου δώσεις.
Γέρον άντρα μη μου δώσεις.
Γιατί θα το μετανιώσεις.

Γιατί ο γέρος, καλέ μανά μ’
γιατί ο γέρος τα λογ’ιάζει
γιατί ο γέρος τα λογ’ιάζει
και τα διπλολογαριάζει

Translation:

I said to you, mother, dear mother,
I said to you mother, marry me off,
I said to you mother, marry me off,
Make me the mistress of my own house.

An old man, mother, dear mother,
An old man you should not give me,
An old man you should not give me,
Because you will regret it.

For the old man, my fair mother,
For the old man considers things,
For the old man considers things,
And then reconsiders them.

See also

• Greek music
• Greek dances
• Tsamiko
• Sirtaki
• Kalamatianos
• Dora Stratou

References

External links

• "The Tsakonian Dance" from the University of Patras (English; incl. photos)
• Τσακώνικος Χορός from the University of Patras (Greek; with additional photos & video not available in English-language version
• Video from the 2010 Grand Festival of Greek Dance at Argos