A seminar in the heart of the tradition from the Greek islands From July 21st to July 31st, 2009 Tradition, dance, music, history & culture from the Cyclades

Nikos Kazantzakis, who once lived for a year It is in Naxos that you will celebrate, enjoy in the village of Eggares, and where he wrote and share the Aegean life and pleasures, “Anafora sto Greko”, “Report to El Greco”, during 11 days and… 11 nights ! wrote the following about Naxos : Naxos is the greatest and the greenest island in the Cyclades, with many fertile and Αν ο παραδεισος ηταν cultivated valleys, and more than 40 traditio- « nal, typical villages. At the top of the island, στην γη, θα ηταν εδω the Mount Zas dominates, being the highest » mountain in all of the Cycladic Islands. On the seaside, many endless, beautiful “If paradise were on earth, beaches lead Naxos to be the Cycladic Island it would be here, in Naxos” with the longest coast, with 148 kilometers. Chora, the main city, has an impressive 5,000-year history, with traces from all In July 2009, the periods : Cycladic, Classic, we propose a fes- Hellenistic, Byzantine, and tive, musical and cultural seminar in Naxos, Venetian. The island has the living and vibrating heart of the Cyclades, more than 500 churches, the very center of the the Greek archipelago, 40 towers & castles, 130 and also the center of the musical and cho- windmills & watermills. reographic life for the 30 Cycladic Islands.

After a whole year of intense Naxos is the preparation, & with the strong real heart of partnership of the Naxos the musical community, the Council of Drymalias, and the Cultural and choreographic Associations of the life of the Cyclades, villages, we propose a and succeeded in preserving a unique 11-day seminar, very rich, very lively and very in the rhythm of the unique patrimony. Naxos is the Welcome “nisiotika”, in the rhythm of the Cycladic Island with the stron- waving, flowing and swaying gest dance and music tradition, to Naxos ! music from those unique Greek and this extraordinary heritage islands. radiates within the whole Aegean Sea and within Greece, Welcome Naxos welcomes you with making “nissiotika” synony- its huge marble portal, the mous with “naxiotika” and vice- to paradise ! “portara”, vestige from the unfi- versa. nished Apollon temple, which was supposed to be the biggest This seminar has the objective temple, ever, in antique Greece. to enable you to discover, share, Νικος Καζαντζακης This symbol tells you, at your live and deepen the Naxian life arrival, the richness, depth and and culture. Therefore, our part- greatness of the Naxian or Naxiote ners for this seminar will be true culture. “Naxiotes”, with deep, long and strong Naxian roots. We will not “land”, drop or It is in Naxos, in Nyssa, that Dionysos, ∆ιονυσος “parachute” in Naxos a program being God of vine and wine, was born. , foreign to Naxos. the twice-born God, once from his mother Semele, once from his father’s thigh, Zeus, gave to mankind the vine, wine, drunkenness, ecstasy, trance and rapture. Dionysos married Adriane “in Naxos”, and they both lived very happy in the island. The songs, the music and the dances were “dionysiac” ! A whole pro- gram… and soon your program ! DURING 11 DAYS, BE A “NISIOTIS”, BE A “NAXIOTIS” A UNIQUE, ORIGINAL, AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCE This is a unique invitation to the νισιωτικα, to the “nisiotika”, these unique For the first time in Naxos, a seminar is dances from the Aegean Sea. prepared and organized with the Naxiotes. 11 One of the greatest civilizations was born days to be shared with them, to be spent in in the Aegean Sea, long ago. the villages, and to be “immersed” in the Thanks to the antique writer Homere, we Naxian tradition, this famous “παραδοση”. have an explanation to the word “Aegean”. In Our goal consisted in being as close as pos- old Greek, “aisso” was meaning “jumping”. sible to the islanders, to their daily “aix”, the goat, is a close word, life, to their history and culture. because it is the “jumping” ani- Therefore, we started prepa- mal, and the Greek animal, too. ring this seminar with them, from Metaphorically, the Greeks the beginning, step by step. All name “aiges” the big, large the thinking, all the ideas, all the waves of their sea, their initiatives & decisions have been “This island had a great sweet- “jumping” sea, teased and made in a close relationship with fiddled by the meltem, this the Naxiotes, so that we may ness, and a lot of peacefulness.All mens' faces legendary Greek wind. build with them a really genuine, Therefore, the sea became authentic seminar. were looking good. Melons, peaches, grapes and “Aegean”… We will meet with many figs were countless.The sea was quiet. I look at This sea is the liquid link bet- Naxiotes, and we will go to the ween between 3 continents : places where their tradition was those people : they have never been worried by Europe, Africa, and Asia. It has born : the villages in the moun- an earthquake, nor by a Turk, and their eyes been the place of birth for many cultures & tains and in the valleys, the small fishing har- civilizations. bours, the places where this tradition is trans- were not burnt. Here, freedom had switched off The main archipelago in the Aegean Sea is mitted and shared, with passion, strength and the fever for feedom, and life was just flowing, the Kyklades, with more than 30 islands, from authenticity. the biggest (Naxos) to the smaller ones : We will danse in the villages : morning, like a sleeping and happy water; and if sometime Andros, Tinos, Syros, Mykonos, Naxos, afternoon, evening, night. We will not be in it was a little troubled, it was never facing a Paros, AntiParos, Ios, Thira/Santorini, Milos, an hotel for the dances, we will not be dis- Sifnos, Serifos, Kythnos, Kea, Amorgos, connected from the Naxos daily life. Our tea- storm nor a hurricane. Serenity was the very Anafi, Folegandros, Thirasia, Iraklia, ching will be where the Naxiotes dance, or first gift from the island, and I was feeling it, Kimolos, Schinoussa, Donoussa, Koufounisi, learn dancing : the squares in the villages, in Keros, Poliegos, AntiMilos, Glaros, Rinia, front of the church, the school or the “kafe- while dawdling in Naxos... Delos, … neio”. This will be a step from us towards the Nikos Kazantzakis This archipelago has been and still is the Naxiotes, and a friendly way to have them be well, the hearth and the melting pot for a with us, and able to react, interact, or simply popular culture, and for a lively tradition. join us ! This exceptional heritage has been preserved Our teachers, our choregraphers, will be in Naxos, thanks to the attachment of the first rank dancers, having a name, a fame, and Naxiotes to their island, to their land, to their a high respect within Naxos, but also within village, to their roots. And the dances, so Greece and abroad. Each one is coming from beautiful, so fluid, so flowing, are “waving” a specific village, and we will have our tea- like the sea, like life… ching in the village where each teacher is The Aegean Sea is everywhere : around the coming from. islands, but also in the heart, the soul, the The dances in Naxos, the “nisiotika”, were blood and the mind of all Aegeans, which is born from a unique alchemy between old ins- why their dances have this unique style and truments from Naxos, and newly-come ins- rhythm. Once you have seen, listened to or truments in the 20s, such as violin and lute, dances those dances, you cannot forget them, when refugees arrived from Asia Minor, esca- they are inside you. ping from massacre, torture and extermina- Most of those dances were born in Naxos, tion. A unique fusion took place with old before being spread to other islands. naxian instruments, such as “tsambouna”, Today, for the first time, we suggest a semi- flute and drum. nar within Naxos, with the Naxiotes, in the The result was a very attractive and fasci- villages where they were born, with dancers, nating music, which spread out of the islands teachers and musicians from those villages, to the rest of Greece, and then to the rest of too. the world, being a companion to all emi- It will be for you the unique opportunity grants, and a symbol of the so much loved to meet with the Naxiotes, to live a rare expe- Aegean Sea. rience in a Greece still preserved, authentic, ancestral, forgotten, and magical … We will also learn dances from other It will be for you the unique way to share Kyklades, around Naxos : beautiful, yet unk- nown or forgotten dances from Sifnos, moments that will turn out to be rare, warm, Serifos, Kythnos, Amorgos, Mykonos, Paros, joyful, and unforgettable… We will be, you Rodos, etc. will be every day with the islanders, with a community that has been tightly associated to this seminar, which will be theirs, as much as it will be yours. THE NISSIOTE υφος seen. It is at the top of “Mount Zas”, that has THE NAXIAN his name, that Zeus received the thunder and υφος the lightning, and those gifts, given by an Dance is not limited to steps, nor reduced eagle, enabled him to reign on Olympos, and to a rhythm, or a comnination of moves. on all other Gods. Now it is your turn to come to Naxos, and Steps and moves are to dance what respira- to receive, live and share the magic of the tion and breathing are to life : a minimum, a island, so that you may make yours a tradi- necessity, a basis to start from. tion, a culture, a music and a lifestyle that But breathing does not mean living, and will make your daily life dance and sing… moving does not mean dancing. Dance is an inner vibration, a body lan- guage telling feelings and emotions. A DENSE PROGRAM, It is the “nisiotic” sensitivity which is ALL IN PASSION, expressed through the “nisiotika”, and this is ALL IN MUSIC because this sensitiveness is unique to the “nisiotes” that no-one from outside the We will dance 8 days : 2 days in each main islands can dance the “nisiotika” as a “nisio- village for the Naxos tradition : Komiaki / tis”. The “nisiotes” have their own style, Koronida, Koronos, Kinidaros, Damarionas. their own character, their υφος. At the end of each mini-seminar in each Those differences can be seen between village, we will have a dinner in the village, islands, between villages from a same island, followed by a “glenti”, with a group of musi- between families from a same village, etc. cians from Naxos who will be with us during For example, in Naxos, every main village the 11 days. Those musicians are first-rank has its own “vlaha”, the dance for Carnival. players, being in the heart of genuine Naxos Therefore, there are at least 7 different “vla- tradition. has”, and not only 1, 2 or 3… On the very last night, we will have a major Also, if a dancer will be tired, or drunk, or “glenti” too, with all our friends. in love, or sad, or all this combined, he will Every night, we will have dinner within a “I had met with a rich man not dance in the same way ! local taver, serving traditional and delicious A good musician, typical food from Naxos. from Naxos, Sir Lazaros. He had a mag- playing “violi” or On one night, we will go to nificent orchard, one hour distant from the city “laouto”, will be able to a πανηγυρι in a village. feel all those slight dif- Also, another night, we will of Naxos. He invited us, and we stayed two ferences, and to “play” have a private concert from a weeks.What an abundance, what a beatutude ! with the first dancer, as master of Naxos music. well as the lead-dancer Loyal and faithful to his Trees were loaded with fruit ! Naxos was the will play with the island, he has not left it, land of plenty. Crete was becoming a tale, a dis- musician… whereas some others have, For example, in to make a wealthy living tant and troubled cloud. No more fear, no more Komiaki or Koronida, a from “nisiotika” music in Greece and cry, no more blood, no more fight for freedom : village being 5 kilometers distant from abroad. Apeiranthos, you may hear a lead-dancer tell We will have our own bus, to take us to all everything was fading away, melting, and disap- a musician, half-joking : “do not play apei- our places. We will sleep in a nice, calm, pearing within the torpor of the Naxian felicity. ranthitika !”, which means the same music family-owned hotel, close to the sea, with a and the same dance, yet with light differen- very good standard of comfort : each room Nikos Kazantzakis ces between the two villages. Every village is has an independent bathroom, a fridge, a paying high attention to its genuine tradition safeguard, a balcony with a view on the and style. Aegean sea, plus TV and air conditioning. The seminar has been designed to help Rooms will be for 2, 3 or 4 people. Single you absorb this unique υφος, and be impre- rooms may be available, with an extra-cost. gnated and permeated with this beautiful We will have two days without dancing and and flowing style, so that you may become a teaching, so that we may take advantage of real islander, a real “nisiotis” or “nisiotissa”, the beauty of Naxos, and tour in the island a real “Naxiotis” or “Naxiotissa”. with our own bus. Therefore, after the seminar, the “nisiotika” On the first day of rest, we will go and will have for you much more sense, much meet with other main figures of the Naxos more strength, much more meaning, much tradition : more taste and flavor : you will dance them We’ll meet with Vangelis, who makes from inside, with passion, energy and “tsambouna” for Naxos, and many other authenticity. Greek islands, including Paros, Mykonos, This is what makes a good dancer, maybe : Kalymnos, Karpathos, etc. He will show he or she went through a deep and major them all, telling the differences, playing, and work, enabling him or her to dance the sharing his life-long passion with you. He is a dance from inside, with all his feelings, true magician. without leaving the meaning, the soul and We’ll visit an old mill making oil with olives the spirit of the dance. The dance will be We’ll see an old weaving shed, making this sublimated, because the dancer expresses it very traditional Naxos cloth, used for clothes with pureness, letting people around feel, and house. A Naxos old say tells that women see, hear and enjoy the real essence of the have so much passion when they weave that, dance. many years later, you may still listen to their It is in Naxos that Zeus, or Zas, Ζευς or songs, if you put your ear close to the Ζας, was raised, in a cave that still can be cloth…

We’ll see an old peasant, who makes his OUR TEACHERS, cheese, his wine, his raki, so that you may DANCERS taste them, but also bring them back home, & CHOREOGRAPHERS to face the cold winter days… We’ll visit a very old distillery of Kitron, Four first-rank masters of the Naxos and the old and legendary liqueur of Naxos, Kyklades tradition will be with us : made of citron leaves. We’ll see an old mine of emery, this • Sofia, helped by Katerina, for the rare stone, which contributed once dances from Komiaki. Sofia is a to the wealth of Naxos, but also to highly respected expert for tradi- the pain and suffering of many tion. She has been interviewed by islanders : you will hear them in the the press, the radio, the TV. She words of many traditional songs, if learnt dancing with her father, when you listen carefully. 2-year old ! An old say in Naxos tells that children start dancing before On the second day of rest, we’ll birth, receiving vibrations from the try to go sailing to small Kyklades, mother… close to Naxos, such as Ηρακλεια, • Apostolis, for the dances from Σχινουσα, Κουφουνησι, Κερος, Koronos. κτλ Apostolis lives in Athens, . This will be possible if the and is heading a group of dancers wind is not too strong. being students, from all regions and cities of Grece. Yet, he is still very much lin- ked with his village, as all people from Naxos, A PROGRAM OPEN TO and he comes back every summer, to be in EACH AND EVERY ONE : Koronos, with the rest of his family, and all WELCOME TO his friends. He happens to tour from hamlet NON-DANCERS, to hamlet in Naxos, to dance with the inhabi- tants, and make sure that the small kids start WELCOME TO THEIR learning and dancing very early. FRIENDS AND FAMILY! • Vicky, for the dances from Kinidaros. Kinidaros, among all, maybe is the most People who do not dance will be able to “dancing” or “danceful” village. The wide have other activities (not included in the “Konitopoulou” family (see all CDs for seminar) : “nisiotika” in Athens…) are from this place. • Walking tours in Naxos, with a photogra- Vicky started and directed a school in pher knowing many hidden, secret places of Germany for Greek and traditional dances. the island She now came back to Greece, and she does • Sailing a lot for the cultural life of her village. • • Visit of other Kyklades, by boat : ∆ηλο, Manolis, for the dances from Damarionas. Παρο, Αντιπαρο, Μυκονο, κτλ. Manolis created a group of dancers in Agios Ioannis of Renti, close to Peiraeus (Peiraias), • Museums, churches, castles and old villages of all ages, in 1990. Almost 20 years later, he inside Naxos • has a group of 600 dancers ! He has been Biking & cycling invited abroad, and has danced and perfor- • Windsurfing med in many countries : China, Russia, North • Horseriding America, Bulgaria, Germany, Africa, etc. In • many international festivals, he represented Submarine activities, diving Greece. He has never danced in France, yet, • Fishing nor with French dancers. • Tanning on the beach…

All this seminar, of course, is a non-profit and a non-lucrative event. All expenses are being re-charged at cost, For More informations : so that the people from Naxos may be paid for their time and work : hotel, taverns, musi- cians, dancers, teachers, bus rental, bus driver, www.nisiotis.gr etc. www.νησιωτης.gr www.nisiotis.fr Contact : www.nisiotis.com ¤ (00) (33) (0)6 03 78 28 77 www.nisiotis.net Philippos / Φιλιππος i [email protected] www.nisiotis.eu www.nisiotis.org www.nisiotis.info