- Text: One of the most important staples to emerge out of modern Greek culture has been the evolution surrounding its dancing, specifically the introduction of its most sacred dance, the zebekiko. Greeks are a deeply soulful people that wear their hearts on their sleeves. This mentality could almost be considered the ethos of the country and it is perhaps best metabolized by what is sometimes called the dance of death. Today, the zebekiko is one of the most important dances that each Greek is responsible for mastering. It is performed at almost all life cycle celebrations including but not limited to weddings, birthdays, festivals and even funerals. Originally though, the zebekiko emerged as a niche, countercultural dance that was about rejecting authority, confronting mortality and engaging with personal sorrow. In the 20th century, it became increasingly popular in the villages across Greece. Zebekiko was the dance primarily practiced by men, often in taverns. It was a niche practice, born out of the working class. The 20th century of Greece was marked by repeated calamity events. The blue-collar men who lived through those different watershed moments became jaded, alongside the whole country. Zebekiko was almost a way to physically express the spiritual and existential battles of multiple generations.
- Informant’s Context: My husband, George, was a beautiful zebekiko dancer. It was something he learned through watching his father and brothers dance, the latter of which he had two. He was an extremely inspired man. The dance was always about expressing something within the man – their sorrow, their attitude, maybe their freedom. A man must perform the zebekiko in order to prove himself as a man. He dances alone, in front of the whole taverna, and shows what he’s capable of. This was common in the villages when we grew up and became popular with my generation and my parents generations (1940s-1960s). The dance of zebekiko was considered very sacred, something that shouldn’t be interrupted by other people. One time, when my husband was very young and we were still in Greece, I watched him zebekiko at one of the village tavernas. A drunk man tried to interrupt his dance and – wow. My husbands head lit on fire! He yelled at the drunkard, cussed him out and told him to be quiet. Of course, George was young back then. He never would’ve done such a thing later in his life. That’s how much people valued the dance though. It was something that we Greek people originally created when we were under the Ottoman empire as a colony. The dance was about defying their authority, proving that Greeks couldn’t be truly controlled or contained. It’s said that when rebels against the empire were originally on the battlefield and realized they had lost, they would lay down their weapons and dance the zebekiko in front of the enemies, right before the Ottomans would shoot them down. It was meant to show that even in the face of death, Greeks had no fear. Greek people are very proud, they want to show that even before they’re going to be shot dead, their enemies cannot destroy their lust for life. That’s why it’s sometimes called the dance of death. The dance continued to exist after we won our independence. It became about the personal battles and sorrows every man faces in their life, not just freedom from the Ottomans. It became about dancing despite whatever hardship one is facing, and there were many for the Greeks back then. A lot of wars in the 20th century, a lot of economic trouble in the country. That’s why my husband and I, along with so many people from our generation, immigrated away from Greece. Today, the dance is practiced by both men and women. Now its practiced everywhere, not just taverns – weddings, birthdays, panagiris (festivals). Despite these evolutions, the fundamental values and meaning behind the dance remain the same.
- Collector’s Interpretation: I believe the folkloric origins of zebekiko are beautiful. What clearly began with a few rebel figures during the Ottoman occupation of Greece increasingly became part of the ethos of the whole country. The legendary accounts of fearless death became the basis for a national, cultural phenomenon. If anything, the zebekiko epitomizes the potential of folkloric culture. By standing proud in the face of death, these rebel soldiers were in a way immortalized. Through word of mouth, these fighting Greeks who embraced death became forever etched into the imagination, ethos and culture of their nation. It’s a strange, almost paradoxical phenomenon that could only materialize in a folkloric society. As was clearly stated by the informant, the dance represents a fearlessness in the face of calamity. It spits in the face of nihilism and laughs at death itself. No matter how dire the situation, or how deep the sorrow runs in the individual, their spirit remains strong and fearless, almost tempting the forces of darkness to try and destroy them. It embodies the attitude of a country which has always fought relentlessly for its independence and identity, whether that be in their struggle against the Ottoman Empire, in their battle against the axis forces of world war two or in their war against the Persian empire during antiquity. Greece has always danced against the insurmountable odds and prevailed.
Fields
AGE: 85
Date_of_performance: May 5, 2025
Informant Name: Confidential (EZ)
Language: Greek/English
Nationality: Greek/Canadian
Occupation: Retired
Primary Language: Greek
Residence: Canada