| Alternative Names |
'Nyfiatikos' is an English transcription from Dimitris. 'Nyfiatikos (from Kozani)' is my attempt at distinguishing it from other dances of the same name. |
|---|---|
| Formation | Winding line (or open circle) with leader at the right hand end. V-hold. |
| Dance Structure | Short sequence repeated throughout the music. |
| Music Structure | 3 counts/bar, 7 beats/bar, varied length phrases. Dance crosses phrase structure. |
| Music Speed | 100 counts/min. |
| Translation | 'Bride's dance'. |
| Props | Handkerchief for the leader (not vital). |
| Source | Dimitris Triandafyllidis & Angie Saravelaki in Dimitris's 'The Greek Experience' course in Norwich, UK, 2002/11/30-12/1. |
Disclaimer: Mistakes are quite likely in the notes and no guarantees are made as to accuracy (this was written up from brief notes made seven years earlier). There may be other versions of the same dance or other dances with the same name. Music may differ, particularly in speed, introduction and duration, between performers. The division into parts, bars & counts might not be standard. These notes of the dance are freely distributable (under GPL or CC-by-sa) in so much as the note's author's contribution but the choreography and/or collection were by other people and so their copyright might apply to the dance itself. Better than using notes, go to a dance class where it is taught by Dimitris Triandafyllidis or Angie Saravelaki.
A very low energy traditional Greek wedding dance from the Kozani area of Greek Macedonia.
Traditionally it would be lead by the bride dancing slowly around the village in a heavy costume that would get heavier as those visited pinned gifts of money on it. It is of the Syrtos category of dances.
The dance is regularly in 4 bar phrases which crosses the music as the music has varied length phrases. The recording from that course had its phrases of 3, 3, 5, 5, 3, 3, 5, 5, 4, 4, 4, 4, 3, 3, 5, 5, 4, 4, 4, 8, 3, 3 & 4 bars respectively. The music is in 7 beats per bar (mostly, but not always, grouped 2+2+2+1) when expressed in Western musical notation but I find it easier to count a bar as "ONE two Three a" (where the 'a' is shorter than the other counts).
The bride/leader has her free right arm placed with the forearm horizontal and the palm on the torso about solar plexus position. The handkerchief is decoratively held by the hand dangling down infront.
Style: Very small steps. Steps low & flat footed. Body upright. Calm & dignified
Summary: None.
Start when the music starts or wait through a multiple of 4 bars before starting (probably not vital as it crosses the music anyway but, by starting the dance there, the dance sequence & music phrase ends coincide 11 times out of 24, better than for any other choice of start time for the recording I have).
Summary: R side, L close, R side. L across infront, R side, L close. Back R, L, R. Back L, pause, close touch R.
| Start | Facing centre of the circle. Weight on L foot. | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
||||||||
| 2 |
|
||||||||
| 3 |
|
||||||||
| 4 |
|
The steps backwards have to be very small because there is only one forwards step to cancel out them out to in the in-out direction.