Symbolism of

Greek flag

• The flag of Greece (popularly referred to as the "sky blue-white" or the "blue-white" and in Greek: "Γαλανόλευκη" or "Κυανόλευκη"), officially recognized by Greece as one of its national symbols, is based on nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white. There is a blue canton in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the established religion of the Greek people of Greece and Cyprus. According to popular tradition, the nine stripes represent the nine syllables of the phrase "Ελευθερία ή Θάνατος" ("Freedom or Death"), the five blue stripes for the syllables "Έλευθερία" and the four white stripes "ή Θάνατος". The nine stripes are also said to represent the letters of the word "freedom" (Greek: Ελευθερία). There is also a different theory, that the nine stripes symbolize the nine Muses, the goddesses of art and civilization (nine has traditionally been one of the numbers of reference for the Greeks).[1] The official flag ratio is 2:3

GREEK TRADITIONAL

DANCES & COSTUMES

11th SPECIAL EDUCATION PRIMARY SCHOOL OF EASTERN

THESSALONIKI

GREEK COSTUMES

• The clothing of Greece was directly influenced by the mild climate of the Mediterranean. The summers were hot with little rainfall, while winters were mild but wet with temperatures rarely dropping under 40 degrees F (4.4 degrees C). The mountainous areas of Greece often experienced the same summer climate, but in the winter, the weather was cold and sometimes even snowy.

• These environmental factors affected the dress of the region, and because of the consistently seasonable weather, dress did not drastically change through the year. Most historians agree that the only change of dress into winter was a type of blanket garment that was the precursor to the shorter cloak worn by the Romans.

• http://greekdancersmn.com/Costumes.html •

MAN COSTUME: Evzonas/ tsoliasThe present-day ceremonial uniform consists of the following items:

•"Farion", a scarlet [fez] with a long black silk tassel, with the National emblem of Greece –”ethnosimo” on the front.•“Ypodetes” (υποδήτης), a white shirt with very wide sleeves.•“Fermeli”, the waistcoat. Various traditional designs are embroidered on it in white or gilt thread. The yellow stripes (if any) indicate the military rank of the wearer. Sergeants have two stripes and corporals have one•Krossia”, fringes in blue and white, the colors of the Greek flag• Foustanella a cotton kilt made from 30 meters (98 feet) of white cloth, with 400 pleats, representing the 400 years of Ottoman occupation. The foustanella derives from the traditional uniform of Continental Greece.

• A black leather cartridge belt which has a bayonet belt holder case.

• Periskelides, white woollen stockings, two on each leg.• Epiknemides'' unofficially called ''kaltsodetes''

(καλτσοδέτες), the garters. They are made of black silk.• Anaspastos'' (lang-el), inside garter which holds the

''periskelides'' in position.

• Doulamas, ("doulamades"), a long tunic/ coats which is the everyday uniform. There are winter and summer versions. The basic color of the winter ''doulamas'' is [navy blue] and it closely resembles the service uniform worn until 1910, while the summer version is light [khaki], and similar in design to the field uniform adopted by the Evzone regiments after that date.

• Tsarouchia / shoes /(singular: tsarouhi), red leather clogs with black pompons ( foundes). Under the sole, depending on the size, there are 60 to 120 nails. On average each tsarouchi weighs 3.5 kilos (7.7 pounds).

Cretan IslandWomen's costumes • There are several different kinds of

women's dresses depending on from which region they originate. Like with the men's costumes they vary over time also. Some of the elements in the costumes date back to Byzantine times (12th century). But there are two basic variations: The 'Sfakiani', from the area of Sfakia in western Crete. The "Anoghiani", which was designed in the middle of the 17th century was mainly worn in the province of Mylopótamos, the neighbouring province to Geropótamos where our holiday house is. [next…]

Women's costumes from Anogeia CretaThe Anoghia Costume consists of a red draped half skirt, a (sartza), worn over white 'vraka'type trousers. Tied around the waist the woman wears an embroidered double apron called a (brostopodia).She also wears a jacket in dark coloured felt richly adorned with gold embroidery. Tied around the head the woman wears a (skoufoma) a red kerchief decorated with a cotton fringe. A red wool sash is worn around the waist and a knife with silver sheath is tucked into the belt. This knife indicates that the woman is betrothed or married. Finally, she wears a necklace of cold coins. Boots are also worn by the women, though these are a little shorter than those of the men. Or they wear high heel black shoes.

Greek Traditional Dances

• Greek dance Horosis a very old tradition, being referred to by authors such as Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch and Lucian. There are different styles and interpretations from all of the islands and surrounding mainland areas. Each region formed its own choreography and style to fit in with their own ways. For example, island dances have more of a "watery" flow to them, while Pontic dancing closer to Black Sea, is very sharp. There are over 4000 traditional dances that come from all regions of Greece. There are also pan-Hellenic dances, which have been adopted throughout the Greek world. These include the syrtos, kalamatianos, hasapiko and sirtaki.

Kalamatianos from Peloponnese

• The Kalamatianós Dance is one of the best known dances of Greece. It is popular Greek folkdance throughout Greece, Cyprus and internationally and is often performed at many social gatherings worldwide. As is the case with most Greek folk dances, it is danced in circle with a counterclockwise rotation, the dancers holding hands. It is a joyous and festive dance; its musical beat is 7/8, subdivided into two sets of 3 and 4 beats. The steps are 12: 10 steps counterclockwise ("forward") followed by 2 steps clockwise ("backwards"). Depending on the occasion and the dancers' proficiency, certain steps may be taken as jumps or squats. The lead dancer usually holds the second dancer by a handkerchief, this allowing him or her to perform more elaborate steps and acrobatics. The steps of the Kalamatianós are the same as those of the Syrtos, but the latter is slower and more stately, its beat being an even 4/4.

Pentozali dance from Creta Island

• The Pentozali or Pentozalis is the trademark folk dance of the island of Crete. It takes its name from its five ("pente") basic steps and its sprightly and ultimately very fast pace ("zalos" being a rare Greek word for "jump"). The name can thus be translated as "five-jumps", its typically Greek wordplay implying that dancing it can make one jump five times over. Also in the spirit of wordplay, "zali" means dizziness, and the name of the dance can also be understood ("five-dizzy") as one that can make the dancers dizzy five times over.

VIDEOS

• PENTOZALIS:• http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=7dYhi4tW2Zk • KALAMATIANOS:• http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=wvul9U03Bvg