This dance originates in the village of Alona (formerly Armensko) in the Florina district of the province of Macedonia in northern Greece. Alona is well known for its fine musicians and dancers, as are its neighboring villages of Akritas (Buf) and Kratero (Rakovo) with which it shares common musical and dance traditions.
This dance is attributed specifically to the Tsotso family of musicians, the ancestral patriarch of the clan being the first clarinet player of the region, and his wife a well-respected dancer. The dance is basically the same as the common Puscheno or Levendikos of the region, but done to a simpler 2/4 time signature. It is also called Aloniotikos or Armenskoto after the village of origin.
The dance has been taught by Michael Ginsburg, Joe Graziozi, and Simos Konstantinou. Dance notes…
Cafe Shalom is a monthly Israeli Folk Dance party based in San Francisco. All levels of dance experience are welcomed. Guidance happily provided for beginners. More details…
Smile Dancers
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