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The Greek dances and traditions of each place are worth a special mention and analysis. From Macedonia to Crete and from Pontus and Asia Minor to Eptanisa, it is an endless journey of music, dances and songs.
Our own journey to the Music Courtyards will start from Ikaria, which is renowned among the Greek islands not only for the beauty of its landscapes and the hospitality of its inhabitants, but also for its traditions and its customs. The festivals of the island are a very alive tradition even today, as are all kinds of feasts.
Through the seminar we will try to look into a
feast, a festival. What did the Ikarians dance, what do they dance and how do they dance? On which occasions did they dance and why?
A journey into the music and dance tradition of Ikaria and the influences it has received through time, a journey that who knows where it will take us…
Maria Pittaka comes from Kampos Ikarias. In 2005 she graduated from the Department of Physical Education and Sports Science of the University of Athens with a diploma
majoring in Greek Traditional Dances. She prepared her thesis through on-site research in her place of origin on the subject: "The Ikarian dance-Structural, Morphological and Typological analysis".
In 2002 she attended the musicological conference organized by the Festival Ikarias with the theme "The music, songs and dances of Ikaria". She also attended the conference which was organized by the cultural committee of the municipality of Argyroupoli in the context of the 10th Student meeting with the theme: "Traditional dance in education".
From 1999 to 2011 she was a member of the Greek folk dance team of the Kallithea Municipality’s cultural organization with
Mr. Vassilis Karfis as her dance teacher. Thus, she participated in many dance and cultural events.
From 2005 to 2011 she worked on her subject for many cultural associations and municipalities of Attica,teaching various age groups and supervising the annual music and dance performances. She also had the opportunity to organize teaching seminars at the Hellenic-German community dance club "Amalia" in Hagen, Germany. She has been living and working in Ikaria for the last ten years.