Syrtos Podcast

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Syrtos Podcast Chronicling Greek dance and folk music one episode at a time!

For the final episode of season 7, only two years in the making, we welcomed our first guest from Australia! How many ti...
30/12/2024

For the final episode of season 7, only two years in the making, we welcomed our first guest from Australia! How many times did Maria make a really bad joke about talking to someone in the future, you can vote below. Vasilios Aligiannis has an extensive and impressive resume within the Greek folk dance community. He is the founder and lead instructor of the Hellenic Lyceum Sydney. Below are excerpts from his remarkable CV.
“My lifelong passion for Greek folk dance has led me on a remarkable journey of exploration and discovery throughout Greece. With over twenty five visits to this captivating country, I have immersed myself in its diverse regions, delving into the rich tapestry of its folk dance traditions. Through a meticulous blend of research and firsthand experience, my methodology encompasses a multifaceted approach aimed at uncovering the cultural nuances and significance of Greek folk dance.
In essence, my research into Greek folk dance is a labor of love, fuelled by a deep-seated admiration for the beauty and resilience of this cherished tradition. Through my interdisciplinary approach and immersive experiences, I strive to illuminate the cultural significance of folk dance in Greece and contribute to its preservation for future generations to embrace and enjoy.
My research methodology is characterised by its comprehensive and interdisciplinary nature, drawing upon elements of musicology, anthropology, and ethnography. Each trip to Greece involves meticulous planning, as I meticulously research areas and regions of interest, seeking out villages and local communities where folk dance traditions thrive. Upon arrival, I engage in immersive experiences, participating in festivals, workshops, and cultural events that celebrate Greek heritage. Bio continued in comments

Meet us on the dance floor: Getting to know Vasiliki Malamatos. Vasiliki Malamatos is the director of Epanastasi Dance T...
01/12/2024

Meet us on the dance floor: Getting to know Vasiliki Malamatos. Vasiliki Malamatos is the director of Epanastasi Dance Troupe at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Fort Worth, Texas; and the founder & director of Rizes HDF. Epanastasi is a young-adult competitive dance troupe that she started back in January of 2024 and is an official ministry of the St. Demetrios parish in Fort Worth, Texas. Epanastasi will be hosting Rizes HDF on January 25: a parish level event encouraging dance groups within the Denver Metropolis & beyond to attend for a first ever HDF event in the area. Vasiliki grew up on the East Coast & has been dancing all of her life. She grew up in New Jersey & attended the Ascension Fairview parish where she competed at their own HDF: “Sights & Sounds”. At the age of 17, she & her family moved to Florida where she completed her final year of GOYA & Dance at the Tarpon Springs Parish with Levendia. She then moved to Boston, MA where she attended Hellenic College Holy Cross from 2016-2020 where she met her husband, Theodore Malamatos. They got married in Florida & relocated to Fort Worth, Texas in February 2022 for his job. Vasiliki is first generation Greek & was raised in a home where Greek tradition & culture was always prevalent & important. Vasiliki & her family are Vlachoi (Vlachs) from Thessalia. Her father was born and raised in a Vlachochori (Vlach-speaking village) called “Kalochori”, located just outside of Larisa. Vlachika was her fathers first language, & their village of Kalochori still practices their Vlach customs & traditions (ex: speaking Vlachika, Vlach music & dance at their annual Panigiria, etc). Her mother is from a village in Trikala called “Mavrelli”, located north of Kalambaka. Vasiliki is very proud of her Greek Vlach roots. She visits her villages in Greece as often as she can where she spends her summers with family. While there, attending every Panigiri is always on the list of things to do. She was raised listening to her region’s music, so she loves all things Klarino, Epirotika, and Thessalika. Continued in comments below.

We are so honored to share this week’s episode with you!  is so masterful and creative in her Couture Grecque collection...
18/11/2024

We are so honored to share this week’s episode with you! is so masterful and creative in her Couture Grecque collection, enjoy learning a bit more about her and this amazing artistic venture! Eleni Koubi is a Greek fashion designer who founded her own brand in 2021.
The philosophy behind the clothes is that the garment a person wears is not only meant to meet their physical needs and to highlight their beauty, but is an expression of their personality and cultural identity.

The brand is promoting sustainability through garments that are not mass produced but instead a few pieces are launched in each collection that are created ethically and made mostly from natural materials, such as cotton, wool or silk, in order to minimize waste.

Greek folk tradition and the Greek elements are the dominant sources of inspiration for the designs, since the designer believes that Greek culture is an endless source of inspiration and an expression of timeless values. Beauty is the dominant value of the Greek culture and every fashion piece aims to capture this essence. The values of the Greek elements are not only historical but have the ability to shape the aesthetics of people over time through generations.

Michelle is a member of the Greek American Folklore Society based in Astoria, Queens. Michelle was born in Los Angeles, ...
30/10/2024

Michelle is a member of the Greek American Folklore Society based in Astoria, Queens. Michelle was born in Los Angeles, grew up in Athens, with roots in Volos, then moved to San Diego at the age of eight. She proudly both Greek and Filipina but for the purposes of this podcast will focus on the Greek American experience. After moving to the US she found community in the St Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church and first FDF was in Anaheim 1997 (?) and continued dancing while in grad school with the St Sophia GOC in Los Angeles. When she moved to New York she joined GAFS and is always seeking to build connections across the various religious and cross-cultural organizations. She has taught various age ranges and people of different backgrounds, with a core belief that this dance, this joy, is for everyone. When you dance with Michelle, the circle is always open.

A new episode out tonight! Continuing our highlight of the   Haralambos (Harry) Koutroumanis was born and raised in Tamp...
28/10/2024

A new episode out tonight! Continuing our highlight of the Haralambos (Harry) Koutroumanis was born and raised in Tampa, FL, and moved to Charlotte, NC, in 2023 after graduating from the University of Florida in Gainesville with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Finance. His folk dance research primarily focuses on the island of Crete.

Harry gained interest in Greek folk music and dance through the Cretan Sillogo of Clearwater in 2017, and also began dancing with the Hellas Dancers of Holy Trinity Clearwater. Despite having no Cretan origin, he fell in love with the sound and style of Crete. He attended his first HDF in 2018 with Hellas Dancers, and competed with them at FDF 2019. He later joined Afieroma in Gainesville and competed at HDF from 2022-2023. He is currently a co-instructor for Charlotte’s adult HDF team, Filodoxia.

Much of Harry’s initial knowledge of Crete consisted of the typical Pan-Cretan, modern style of dance, which has been widely adopted as “Cretan Dance”. After attending FDF, he began to realize that Cretan dance has deeper roots than the typical 5 or 6 “Dances of Crete”, which spurred him to begin questioning what he had learned of Greek Dance in general. Harry began collecting research on the customs and traditions of Crete, with a primary focus on the Noumo of Rethymno. He traveled to Crete in the summer of 2024 to conduct his own first-hand research on the area of Rethymno.

His goal as a researcher is to preserve village-specific idiosyncrasies in dance and music, and to study how the same dances from the same areas have evolved over time. Harry emphasizes the different styles of dance and music, primarily within Crete, throughout specific timeframes and how they’ve changed.

Today is international podcast day! We’re celebrating you! Thank you to our guests who have joined us over the last 7 se...
30/09/2024

Today is international podcast day! We’re celebrating you! Thank you to our guests who have joined us over the last 7 seasons to share their stories along with our dedicated listeners across the globe. A huge special shout out to our behind the scenes “advisors”, thanks for pushing us to do more. We are so humbled by your love and can’t wait to show you what is next!!!

Moving right along in  , the season of guest names’ starting with “ch”, Charlie Kleto was born in Charlotte NC and is no...
25/09/2024

Moving right along in , the season of guest names’ starting with “ch”, Charlie Kleto was born in Charlotte NC and is now living in Miami FL working as a physical therapist. He began dancing in Charlotte when he was in kindergarten and competed in his first HDF in 7th grade. Charlie began directing in 2011 and took his first group to compete at HDF 2012. While directing for Holy Trinity in Charlotte, he was also competing with Thrylos in the advanced senior category. Over 6 years ago Charlie moved to Miami for graduate school and very soon began directing the high school group at St George in Hollywood FL. 4 years ago, Charlie created Filiki Etaireia, the adult dance group in South Florida with dancers from Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, and Boca Raton Florida. HDF 2025 will be his 4th competition with Filiki Etaireia in the advanced senior category.

Tonight at midnight,  shares her story and experiences on the podcast!                     Jersey born and SoFla raised,...
18/09/2024

Tonight at midnight, shares her story and experiences on the podcast! Jersey born and SoFla raised, Chloe started folk dancing at the age of 15 with the Kamaria Dance Troupe at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Ft. Lauderdale, FL under the direction of Stephanie Balaskas and later, Emmy Louvaris, and competed at her first HDF Competition in 2007 in Clearwater, Fl. She continued on to direct her first festival group during her undergraduate years at Florida State University at the Holy Mother of God Greek Orthodox Church in Tallahassee, FL.

In 2013, Chloe moved to Charlotte, NC where she joined the Thrylos Dance Troupe under the direction of Sarantos Kaperonis, competing at both HDF & FDF; whilst also directing festival & HDF competition groups at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral.

While, her specific dance research interests focus on the refugees from Asia Minor, Turkey, & Eastern Thrace, her passion for Greek Folk Dance centers around the love and respect of community.

“Dance is love. Dance is connection. I have made some of the best friendships of my life through dance, going to workshops, and attending HDF!”

You’ll find Chloe announcing - your group potentially- on the HDF stage, or shouting “yaaaassssss” off stage. She’ll also make her return to the directors chair for this upcoming competition in 2025!

When she’s not on the dance floor, Chloe owns and operates her MedSpa suite, The Iron Orchid Aesthetic Haus, in Cornelius, NC…….while also waiting until the last minute to pack for every HDF weekend. ✌🏻😎

Michael Chambers from Knoxville, TN is our second guest of season 7. Tune in to learn about how he has made a home for h...
15/09/2024

Michael Chambers from Knoxville, TN is our second guest of season 7. Tune in to learn about how he has made a home for himself in Crete, and is dabbling in being a luthier in the Smokey mountains. Thanks for being on it was so great to learn about you and your interests!

We’re back with season 7! Can you believe it? We had such a beautiful time chatting with Charissa about dance in Denver ...
08/09/2024

We’re back with season 7! Can you believe it? We had such a beautiful time chatting with Charissa about dance in Denver and the conference! Charissa’s bio is in the comments. Thank you Charissa for your patience as we are using a new recording platform for season 7

We’re back! We had a great time getting to know ._.harrington on episode 5 of this season’s podcast. Niko is from the Ka...
03/08/2024

We’re back! We had a great time getting to know ._.harrington on episode 5 of this season’s podcast. Niko is from the Kansas City area, plays Cretan lyra, bouzouki and co-directs with his sister. He’s a firefighter and paramedic and when we recorded this, he was deep in fire academy! Thanks Niko for taking time to hang with us and for keeping traditions alive!

If you don’t have plans for Columbus Day weekend, definitely consider heading to   for the  ! We had a great time gettin...
15/04/2024

If you don’t have plans for Columbus Day weekend, definitely consider heading to for the ! We had a great time getting to know John and Evangelia, along with their plans for October and the structure of their dance program!The Metropolis of Boston Dance Group (MYDG) is a not-for-profit Greek folk dance group founded in 1989 by Niki Dimotaki-Sokolove under the auspices of His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios and is the only dance group in North America certified by the Dora Stratou Dance Theatre of Athens, Greece.

The mission established by founder Niki Dimotaki-Sokolove and His Eminence was to instill the culture and tradition of Hellenism and the appreciation of this great heritage in the Greek Orthodox youth of the Boston Metropolis through fellowship, learning, folk dances, and songs. The program of instruction was designed by Kiria Νίκi to emphasize the authentic aspects of Greek folk dance, including music recorded with regional instruments and costumes hand-sewn by ελληνοράφτες. Today, under the direction of Dr. John Pappas, the Program strives to maintain the established mission and uphold the authenticity of our heritage while building upon the foundations set by Niki Dimotaki-Sokolove and His Eminence.

Kefi conference

The Metropolis of Boston Dance Group is thrilled to announce the first ever international dance conference in Boston which will take place October 11-14, 2024. Participation from multiple states in the US and regions of Canada are expected to attend.

Dance workshops will be led by instructors from Greece who preserve the authentic styles of the dances of their region.

It’s eclipse day, so why not launch another episode of season 6, fitting for the day, as we dove pretty deep in this one...
08/04/2024

It’s eclipse day, so why not launch another episode of season 6, fitting for the day, as we dove pretty deep in this one with Kristina, founder of .mas. Yia Mas is founded by Greek American Kristina Maria Headrick. After witnessing the effects of Greece’s devastating financial crisis on friends and family, Kristina felt compelled to share more about the country’s culture and support Greece by bringing Greek wellness products to America.

Yia Mas marries Kristina’s Greek upbringing with her research on Greek philosophy, dance, design, and culture. Kristina’s curiosity and appreciation for self-inquiry inspire her to share Greek folk remedies and ancient traditions and promote Greece beyond the usual diaspora narrative.

Kristina holds a degree in history from the University of Virginia. She has extensive experience studying yoga and meditation (200-hour RYT, 100-hour meditation teacher training with Nalanda Institute of Contemplative Science, 75-hour training with Katonah Yoga, and the Mentorship program at Sky Ting Yoga in NYC). With a background in writing and digital marketing, her work attempts to bridge the gap between our increasingly digital realities and tactile experiences. She balances digital work with teaching movement and meditation, including in corporate and co-working space settings in New York City.

We’re back tonight with another episode! Thank you  for joining us for season 6 of the podcast! Kaeli McEnteer was born ...
07/04/2024

We’re back tonight with another episode! Thank you for joining us for season 6 of the podcast! Kaeli McEnteer was born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina and has been Greek dancing for 15 years. She has just begun directing, having just concluded her first year as director of the Raleigh adult dance troupe “Ischis”. She grew up heavily involved with her home parish of Holy Trinity where her passion for dance was unlocked. Over the years Kaeli has expanded her knowledge of traditional dance through her former directors, going to HDF, doing her own research, attending workshops, and getting involved with other parishes. Kaeli is extremely passionate about dances from the region of Thrace and also enjoys the islands. Outside of Greek dance she is currently a Doctor of Physical Therapy Student.

We’re back! Season 6 of the  launches tonight! We had a great convo with Andonis Platis about how he came into his resea...
07/04/2024

We’re back! Season 6 of the launches tonight! We had a great convo with Andonis Platis about how he came into his research, what he recommends for successful research. Andonis Platis is the adult director for Orpheus Hellenic Folklore Society based out of Chicago, IL. A seasoned cardiac medical device professional, he began his career as a perfusionist and researcher in the field of heart failure while also teaching for the community of Saint Demetrios in Tucson, AZ; his hometown. His “καταγωγή” is from the Axaia region near Aigio and Kalavryta. Since college, Andoni found Greek dance as a passionate hobby with on-going research and field studies with particular attention to the Aegean and Ionian islands. His particular interests lie in the role of the female lead within song and dance as well as mentoring aspiring instructors through research guidance and leadership skills. He has attended numerous workshops in America, Canada and Greece, conducted field research and been a part of FDF/HDF since the age of 12. He is married to Elpida and has 3 children, Georgia, Yianni and Areti.

Before leaving Athens, a visit with  was a must. Kosta joined us for a podcast least year and said something in his epis...
14/03/2024

Before leaving Athens, a visit with was a must. Kosta joined us for a podcast least year and said something in his episode that really resonated with me. To paraphrase, we don’t own any of the customs and traditions that we love in Greek dance so much, they don’t belong to us, rather to our culture and we are the keepers of that culture and those traditions 💙💙

Today a visit to the  with  Katerina! I wish I could convey how amazing it is to meet people from the podcast in person,...
13/03/2024

Today a visit to the with Katerina! I wish I could convey how amazing it is to meet people from the podcast in person, there are not enough words! In ‘s words “here’s to the future and how it all started” 💙💙

We love you  ❤️❤️❤️❤️
12/01/2024

We love you ❤️❤️❤️❤️

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