Hasapiko

HASAPIKO
Greek

PRONUNCIATION: seer-TAH-kee

TRANSLATION: Butchers' dance

SOURCE: Dick Oakes learned this dance in the Greek community of Los Angeles. Athan Karras, a prominent Greek dance researcher, also has taught Hasapiko to folk dancers in the United States, as have many other teachers of Greek dance.

BACKGROUND: The Hasapikowas called Makellarion Horon (makellarios is the Greek word for "butcher") during Byzantine days because it was adopted by the butchers' guild in Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey). The dance is also spelled Hassapiko (Hassip is Turkish for "butcher"). It is also known as Grigoro (fast) Hasapiko, or simply Zoero (lively). The dance is mostly known outside of Greece because of its being danced during the Syrtaki in the film Alexis Zorbas (titled Zorba the Greek in America). The Hasapiko is sometimes referred to as Hasaposerviko, whose basic step is based on that of the fast Hasapiko. Other dances that have a similar dance motif are the Arkan of the Ukraine, Hora of Israel, the Debka of the Arab countries, the Kasapsko Horo of Bulgaria, the Kasapsko Kolo of Serbia, the Lesnoto of Macedonia, and the Soorch Bar of Armenia.

MUSIC: Any fast hasapiko or hasaposerviko music.

FORMATION: Lines of mixed M and W with hands holding neighbors' shldrs in "T" pos. The dance also may be seen being danced with hands joined with elbows bent and held at shldr height in "W" pos (although this is not as stable).

METER/RHYTHM: 2/4

STEPS/STYLE: The dance has a happy, joyful, high-spirited, and carefree nature.

MEAS MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCTION

None or at the discretion of the leader.

THE DANCE

1 Step (or leap) R swd (ct 1); Step (or leap) L across in back of R (ct 2);

2 Step (or leap) R swd (ct 1); hop R, swinging L across in front of R (ct 2);

3 Step (or leap) L swd (ct 1); hop L, swinging R across in front of L (ct 2).

Repeat dance from beg.

VARIATIONS

Several variations are danced, such as:

Cross in front (instead of back) on meas 1;
Double-time leaps on meas 1;
Pas de Basque (triplet) steps on meas 2 and 3.
The leader also may release his hand hold and

Dance a CW turn on the two steps (or leaps) on meas 1, or even
Signal for the entire line to dance a CW turn on the two steps (or leaps) on meas 1.

Copyright © 2003 by Dick Oakes

HASAPIKO Greek

PRONUNCIATION:	seer-TAH-kee

TRANSLATION:	Butchers' dance

SOURCE:	Dick Oakes learned this dance in the Greek community of Los Angeles. Athan Karras, a prominent Greek dance researcher, also has taught Hasapiko to folk dancers in the United States, as have many other teachers of Greek dance.

BACKGROUND:	The Hasapikowas called Makellarion Horon (makellarios is the Greek word for "butcher") during Byzantine days because it was adopted by the butchers' guild in Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey). The dance is also spelled Hassapiko (Hassip is Turkish for "butcher"). It is also known as Grigoro (fast) Hasapiko, or simply Zoero (lively). The dance is mostly known outside of Greece because of its being danced during the Syrtaki in the film Alexis Zorbas (titled Zorba the Greek in America). The Hasapiko is sometimes referred to as Hasaposerviko, whose basic step is based on that of the fast Hasapiko. Other dances that have a similar dance motif are the Arkan of the Ukraine, Hora of Israel, the Debka of the Arab countries, the Kasapsko Horo of Bulgaria, the Kasapsko Kolo of Serbia, the Lesnoto of Macedonia, and the Soorch Bar of Armenia.

MUSIC:	Any fast hasapiko or hasaposerviko music.

FORMATION:	Lines of mixed M and W with hands holding neighbors' shldrs in "T" pos. The dance also may be seen being danced with hands joined with elbows bent and held at shldr height in "W" pos (although this is not as stable).

METER/RHYTHM:	2/4

STEPS/STYLE:	The dance has a happy, joyful, high-spirited, and carefree nature.


MEAS	MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION


	INTRODUCTION

	None or at the discretion of the leader.

	THE DANCE

1	Step (or leap) R swd (ct 1); Step (or leap) L across in back of R (ct 2);
2	Step (or leap) R swd (ct 1); hop R, swinging L across in front of R (ct 2);
3	Step (or leap) L swd (ct 1); hop L, swinging R across in front of L (ct 2).

	Repeat dance from beg.

	VARIATIONS

	Several variations are danced, such as: Cross in front (instead of back) on meas 1; Double-time leaps on meas 1; Pas de Basque (triplet) steps on meas 2 and 3. The leader also may release his hand hold and Dance a CW turn on the two steps (or leaps) on meas 1, or even Signal for the entire line to dance a CW turn on the two steps (or leaps) on meas 1.

Copyright © 2003 by Dick Oakes