We are so excited to hear that the Greek Folk Dance Festival (GFDF) will be hosting its next Greek folk dance event, focusing on the regional area of Pontos. They bring 4 talented musicians from Greece to delight us with the wonderful and breathtaking sounds of the Pontian Greeks.
Anyone with an appreciation of Pontian music and dance will know this is an absolute must attend event. For dance enthusiasts and the Pontian community of London this is a very exciting time! A chance to show what it means to feel like a Pontian, and be a Pontian Greek. Let the drum bass reach deep into your hearts and the sweet sound of the Lyra take you to a different place, and together let's dance a full weekend like never before in London.
Of course, not everyone knows Pontian dancing, and some possibly don't know what a Pontian Greek is. Thats, ok, at Figoura we teach you all about Pontian Greeks and dancing, we teach how it is important that the dancers dance as a unit; kinetic distinction is not centered on the lead dancer unlike many other Greek dances. The leader however, instead calls out guttural sounds which are signals to the dancers. The music of Pontos is typically characterized by the sound of the Pontic lyra which is accompanied by the large drum or Ntaouli, and in more recent times the use of other instruments to help fortify the overall ambience are used as well.
Authentic Pontic dancing is characterized by small, quick, precise steps, arm swings, syncopated knee bends, and abrupt pauses. The rhythm of these dances can seem difficult, especially for those who are completely new to it. Don't worry, thats why we are here to teach you the right way to both move and feel the dance.
Pontian dances are just one of the many regional styles we teach at Figoura, and our students love them! For anyone with an interest in Pontian music and dance, we highly recommend attending this event. We are expecting to see many of our students there too.
For updates on the event visit the GFDF Facebook page where you will find details including how to purchase tickets.