Kotsari dance
The name of the dance comes from the way it is danced. Specifically, the two lame steps (kotsa) are performed in the first four meters of the dance by hitting the heel (Pontian kots’) on the ground.
The kotsari is a dance of the eastern Pontus from Kars, such as the areas of Argyroupoli and Paipourt, but it was mainly danced by the Greeks of the Caucasus. It was still known in the area of Matsouka.
Seranitsa dance
The origin of the dance is from the area of Heroiana, southwest of Argyroupoli. It is danced with a specific music without song and is played with all the musical instruments of the Eastern Pontus.
The handle is from the palms with the hands perpendicular to the ground.
Omal Kounicton dance (Garasaris)
Omal means smooth, straight.
The dance is found in the eastern Pontus and in Kars, and with different melodies and the same choreography in Argyroupoli and especially in Tsimera.
Tik Tromahton Dance
The Tromachton danced in Kars is a more dynamic and fancy dance than that of Trebizond because the legs will lose constant contact with the ground, they will rise as high as the knees, they will bend as they project forward as they carry its terrifying motion from body on the shoulders, while the arms will remain in the ascent.
The Tromachton is played with all musical instruments and is not accompanied by a song.
Trygona Dance
One of the lesser-known Pontian dances is named Trygona (female triconi).
It is a relatively bucolic cheerful slow dance, simple in its form, with the characteristic of left-handed motion, it belongs to the few Pontian dances, which are danced from right to left. The movements of the dance represent the movement of the hidden trout between bushes and dry branches. Its rhythm has two forms: It is played as a double (2/4), that is, like the single omal, but also faster as a triple (5/8) like the tick. Trygona dance was traditionally a women’s dance, but today it is also danced by men.
Dipat Dance
Dipat Trebizond or Giavaston which in Turkish means slow or Kodespainiakon (host dance). It is a slow clockwise dance with the arms bent at the elbows and has 12 steps (12 musical times) performed in 3 quadruple steps. Its name came from the two local presses in the 11th and the 12th. (from the book by N. Zournatzidis, Contribution to the Research of Pontian Dance).
MOYZENITKON DANCE
A dance created in Greece by Costas Konstantinidis who originated from Mouzena tou Pontou and is a marriage of two dances: the Monos Sarikouz΄ of Eastern Argyroupolis and a variation of the Sarikouz΄ of Pala (c) ias. It was named so because its creator was Mouzenets (resident of Mouzena). It was also named Kimishanalidikon (Gümüşhane is the name of Argyroupoli in Turkish) because Mouzena is only 10 km away from Argyroupoli (data taken from the 2nd Panhellenic Conference – Dance Seminar of the Pampontian Federation of the 5th Federation of Greece, first set of questions 05/11/2010 in the Ark of Kozani).
ARMATSOUK DANCE
The name of the dance probably comes from the word “sarmatsuk”, which in Turkish generally means the climbing plant, while armatsuk is also called the nose of the target in the rifle. Elmatsuk, in Turkish means, “small apple tree or small apple”. Armatsuk or Elmatsuk is an intense, dynamic dance, danced by Pontians of the Kars and Sevastia regions who used the lyre as the main accompaniment – without song – and less the rest.
SARI KOUZ DANCE
It is a dance that we find in dance variations in many areas of Pontus. In the area of Kars we find it in two forms, where it is played with a clarinet without a song.
SARI KOUZ (PAFRA) DANCE
Here we meet the dance with completely different music and pace. The music is played with a trumpet and a drum or lyre.
SARI KOUZ (SARIKIZIN ATLAMASI PARFA) DANCE
Dance from Pafra of Pontus, with different music.
SARI KOUZ (ARGIROUPOLIS) DANCE
The dance as it was danced in Argyroupoli with different music.
SARI KOUS (IMERAS) DANCE
SAMPSON DANCE
Samsun in Turkish is the name of the city of Samsun (Amisos) of Pontus which according to the geographer Strabo was founded by the Ionians of Miletus around 800 BC. (West Pontus, Savvas Kalenteridis pp. 254, 255).
Samson dance was first danced by Oflides (originating from the area of Ofi in Pontos) of N. Pieria (Nea Trapezounta, Korinos) who learned the dance from Sampsountio Makar or Makarios Hadjikonstantinidis during the period when they first came from Pontos and lived in the same village Kallikrouno Drama (Pastrova was the old name) which was the village of their first settlement in metropolitan Greece.
Etere dance
It took its name from the eponymous song “Etairos kai i Lygeri”. The verse deals with the erotic feeling of the lad that erupts in nature since it has as its subject the agreement of the lad with the girl in order to help her when she is at a dead end and wants to cross the bed of the running stream.
Pontic lyrics
Έταιρον κι η Λυγερή παν΄ όλεν τον ποταμόν.
Έταιρον επέρνιξεν και η κόρ΄ κ΄ έπόρεσεν.
Πέρνιξο με, Έταιρε, το τσιαρκούλι μ΄ δίγω σε.
Νιά περνίν περνίζω σε, νια τσιαρκούλιν παίρω σε.
LETSINA DANCE
It is a dance of Kars in a very fast rhythm, with intense movements and raising of the soles of the feet above the ground, something that characterizes this area as well. It is not accompanied by a song and is played by all musical instruments (and clarinet). According to Georgoulis Kougioumtzidis and Chrysanthos Theodoridis (very great artists of the Pontian area, originally from Kars who unfortunately are not alive) the dance goes to the right N. Zournatzidis (Contribution to the Research of Pontian Dance).
LETSI DANCE
The choreography of the dance belongs to Michalis Karavelas and Makis Petridis in the 60’s, at the Artistic Shelter of Northern Greece to cover the needs of an event in America. It is usually danced before Letsina in a very slow rhythm while when the rhythm changes Letsina is danced. It can be played by all musical instruments and with clarinet and is not accompanied by a song.
PIPILOMATENA (PATOULA) DANCE
The dance that accompanies the song belongs to the rural circle. Mostly only women used to dance to it. It is a cheerful dance and is danced with the hands tied on the shoulders. The daughter who has eyes like seeds is affectionately called Pipilomatena. Patoula is the name of the white and fluffy girl, a sign of purity and health.
YUVARLADUM DANCE
Yuva(r)lantum or Yuvarlandum. The name is Turkish and means downfall. The steps of the dance were known throughout the Pontus since we meet it with different names. In Kars he was called Tsokme, Fona in Argyroupoli, Konstantin Savvas in Pafra, Armenitsas in Galiana, Kavazitas in Kerasounta (dances of Pontos N. Zournatzidis, 2nd Panhellenic Conference – Semaponos Dance of Greece).
LAFRAGKA DANCE
It is a form of single Kotsari that is found danced in Almaty, Kazakhstan by Pontians originating from Samsun. It is played with all musical instruments.
TRIA TI KOTSARI DANCE
The origin of the dance is from Kars because it was danced mainly by Greeks who come from the Caucasus and the former USSR.
It is considered to be a variation of the Kotsari dance – for which – it is speculated that its name comes from the way it is danced.
DIPLO KOTS DANCE
It is a dance danced by Pontians who came from the former Soviet Union and is believed to have originated in Armenia. In Greece it was also called Diplon Kots because in its kinetic motif the dance resembles Kots. The dance is most often played with a lyre and is not accompanied by a song (data taken from the book by N. Zournatzidis Contribution to the Research of Pontian Dance).
KOTS DANCE
The dance got its name from the beating of the heel, that is, the “kotsi” on the ground, as the heel is called in the Pontic dialect. Many 1st generation Pontians knew this dance under the name “Ti Kotsis” (N. Zournatzidis Contribution to the Research of Pontian Dance, p. 79). It was danced almost all over the Pontus with two variations in terms of holding hands. In the West Pontus the hands were on the shoulders, while in the East we find them held by the palms perpendicular to the body or with bent elbows and rise to the ascent in the 6th step. It is played by all musical instruments without song.
PAPOR DANCE
Papora has exactly the same steps as the “Kalon Korits” (ie 16) and perhaps the same style with the following differences: the hands project forward to the side steps, the body bends forward and to the threesome Tik Diplon the arms are raised so that the elbows form a right angle. The name of the dance came from the lyrics of the well-known song (Mana teren to papor daskema kounietai etc.) and was known in the surrounding villages of Livera such as that of Kosmas of Matsouka. It is a choreographic variation of the dance of “Seranitsa”. In the side steps, the right foot always leads, while the left foot is permanently behind.
KALON KORITS DANCE
Kalon Koritsa is a form of Seranitsa that was danced above Heriana of Argyroupoli in the wider area of Matsouka with different music. It is played with all musical instruments and is accompanied by a song. The name came from the eponymous verse of the song:
Καλόν κορίτσ΄καλόν κορίτσ΄
Καλόν κ΄ ευλογημένον
΄ς σην χώραν φαίνεται άσκεμον
΄ς εμέν΄ εν΄ φωταγμένον.
KIZELA DANCE
“Kizela” in the Pontic dialect is a name given metaphorically to the cow and is exactly the same dance as “Kalon Korits΄” but without the swings of the hands. It was danced in the wider area of Matsouka (81 villages). And this dance is a form of Seranitsa that was danced below in Heriana or Heriana of Argyroupoli.
ANEFORITSA DANCE
Dance that was danced in Galiana of Trabzon.
The lyre is used as an instrument.
Accompanied by the song:
Κόρη κατήβα σο μαντρίν
ελίεν η κιζέλα
εφώταξεν ο πρόσωπος
άμμον ντο έν ημέρα.
TIZ DANCE
From the Turkish dizmek, which means I put in order, I lay down. It is a variation of the group dance as it is danced in the area. The first dancer is holding a scarf.
OUTSAI DANCE
Dance that belongs to the category of Omal for this and in Greece it was given the name Omal Nikopolis (Nikos Zournatzidis, Contribution to the Research of Pontian Dance). The dance became known from recordings that existed from 2nd generation Pontians in the villages of Kechrokambos and Eleochori of Kavala with distant origin from the Greek villages of Karakevezit, Koratza and Baltzana of Nikopolis of Pontus. There he was known as Utsay or Uts Alti or Utsayak which means in Turkish three steps, three legs. In Apes of Sevastia the same dance was called “Sipultou”, but it was danced in a different rhythm and with a different melody.
TAMSARA (NIKOPOLIS) DANCE
Tamsara or Tamzara. The name of the dance came from the Armenian village of Tamzara located at the 5th kilometer of the road: Nikopolis-Kerasountas. It had a mixed population of about 2000 inhabitants consisting of Turks, Greeks and Armenians who were in the majority before 1915. The Greeks who came from the wider area saved the purpose and the corresponding Tamzara dance that accompanies it to this day in Greece.
OMAL MONON DANCE
Omal Monon or Omal Trebizond was named because it belongs to the circle of Omal dances (N. Zournatzidis Contribution to the Research of Pontian Dance).
This sounds a bit paradoxical because this particular dance is also classified in the category of Dipat Trebizond for teaching purposes. The first 4 steps are exactly the same, the characteristic 11th and 12th step-step are missing, ie the last two from which the name of the dance came.
TAMZARA (SEVASTI) DANCE
Tamzara or Tamsara from the area of Sevasti. Dance with the same name as the Tamsara dance, but completely different dances. The rhythm of the dance is 9/8.
TRARAHOT DANCE
From the area of Ak Dag Maten. Charahot was a village in Kerasunda. The rhythm of the dance is 9/8.
YEDI ARA DANCE
Dance from the southeastern Pontus and the area of Argyroupoli, based on Dipat. The rhythm of the dance is 9/8.
TITARA DANCE
Dance from the southeastern Pontus and the area of Argyroupoli, based on Dipat. The rhythm of the dance is 9/8.
DIPLON OMAL DANCE
Dance from the western Pontus and the area of Kioumous Maten or Silver Mining. The rhythm of the dance is 9/8.
OMALIN DANCE
Dance as it was danced in the south-central Pontus. The rhythm of the dance is 9/8.
KOTSIHTON OMAL DANCE
Dance from the area of Samsun. It got its name from the way it is danced. The rhythm of the dance is 9/8.
EMPROPIS (KERASOUNTEIKON) DANCE
Widespread Pampontian dance. It belongs to the same category of dances as the sirto, the sirtombalo, the Kalamatian, dances that are danced by the majority of Greeks and we meet them almost everywhere where there were or are Greeks. The rhythm of the dance melodies is nine-note (9/8) and differs from the rhythms used by the rest of the Greeks (usually two-note and seven-note), except for the Thracians, who also have a nine-note rhythm in their own syrto co-seat.
TERS AK NTAG MATEN DANCE
Dance from the area of Ak Dag Maten. Ters means opposite. The rhythm of the dance is 5/8. In the area of Sevastia and in Imera we meet him with the name Gemoura and in rhythm 7/8.
TERS GUMUSMADEN DANCE
Dance from the western Pontus and the area of Kioumous Maten or Silver Mining. Dance with complex choreography, moving to the left. The rhythm of the dance is 5/8.
TRYPHON (OR TYRFON) DANCE
Tyrfon or Tryphon is a form of “Trygon” that was danced in the area of Bafra. In its original form the dance went to the right until Tryphon entered the dance, a man of strength who always shook his head and led the dance to the right side – in my opinion – that is to the left, since almost all the Trygons move towards there. The Bafrais liked this modernity and since then they started dancing like him. In his honor, they named the dance “Tyrfon” which is the corruption of Tryfon, that is, of his name.
TRYGONA MATSOUKAS DANCE
The dance owes its name to the lyrics of the song. The rhythm of the dance, in the area of Matsouka, is 7/8.
TRYGONA GOUROUH DANCE
The dance owes its name to the lyrics of the song. The rhythm of the dance, in the area of Kerasounta, is 5/8.
TIK ARGON (SLOW) DANCE
Dance from the south-western Pontus and the region of Ak Dag Maten. The rhythm of the dance is 5/8.
TIKI DANCE
Dance from the area of Paltsana of Nikopolis, south-central Pontus. The rhythm of the dance is 5/8.
KOUSERA DANCE
It is a form of Tik dance, from the area of Matsouka, from the village of Kousera, which was located near the Monastery of John of Vaselona. The rhythm of the dance is 7/8.
TERS AK DAG MATEN DANCE
Teak dance from Ak Dag Maden, an area influenced by Cappadocia. The rhythm of the dance is 7/8.
TIK TONYAS DANCE
Form of Tik Double that is danced in the area of Tongia (mountainous area northeast of Trabzon).
It is a clockwise dance that is danced in a closed circle with the arms bent at the elbows either parallel to the body or in the ascent and has 10 steps with intense trembling that is carried on the shoulders.
The rhythm of the dance is 2/4.
TIK LAGEFTON DANCE
Lagefton comes from the verb lagevo (jump), it is a kind of jumping dance.
Jumped or Lagketos, danced in a circle by a large number of dancers held by the hands, and also the Serra-Dance war dance danced in a circle.
The rhythm of the dance is 5/8.
