The Tsakonikos or Tsakonikos horos ( "Tsakonian dance") is a dance performed in the Peloponnese in Greece. It comes from the region, chiefly in Arcadia, known as Tsakonia. It is danced in many towns and villages there with little variation to the steps.
In Ayios Andreas, it is performed as a mixed dance in an open circle, with the hands held up (ñóúñöàangaze, in Greek). The most popular songs for the tsakonikos are "Sou ipa mana kale mana" and "Kinisan ta tsamopoula".
The dance is performed to a (3+2) rhythm in an open circle which slowly winds in upon itself, forming a snail-shaped design. This labyrinthine formation is, according to legend, linked to the Crane dance of Theseus in Greek mythology, who slew the Minotaur in the Labyrinth of King Minos. It has also been linked to the slaying by Apollo of the Python at Delphi.
ÃÂùýá¿ÂÃÂñý ÃÂá½° - úù á¼Âüὰý á¼Âüìý.
ÃÂùýá¿ÂÃÂñý ÃÂá½° - ÃÂÃÂñýÃÂÃÂÿàûñ.
ÃÂùýá¿ÂÃÂñý ÃÂá½° ÃÂÃÂñýÃÂÃÂÿàûñ úùâ ὠûñ ÃÂá½° ûõòõýÃÂÃÂÃÂÿàûñ.
ÃÂñὶ ÃÂìýâ ÃÂÃÂὸý ÃÂá½² - úù á¼Âüὰý á¼Âüìý,
úñὶ ÃÂìýâ ÃÂÃÂὸý ÃÂÃÂÃÂñ ÃÂñÃÂñûì.
ÃÂñὶ ÃÂᾶýâ ÃÂÃÂὸý ÃÂÃÂÃÂñ ÃÂñÃÂñûì, ÃÂÿὺ õἶý
ÃÂá½° úÿÃÂïÃÂÃÂùñ ÃÂá½° úñûì.
ÃÂù á¼ÂúõῠÃÂÿààÃÂùὰ - úù á¼Âüὰý á¼Âüìý,
úù á¼ÂúõῠÃÂÿààÃÂùìýõù üïñ òÃÂÿÃÂî.
ÃÂù á¼ÂúõῠÃÂÿààÃÂùìýõù üïñ òÃÂÿÃÂî, üïñ ÃÂùóñýî, üïñ ÃÂñÃÂõùýî.
ÃÂÃÂñÃÂîúñýõ úù á¼Âüὰý á¼Âüìý,
òÃÂñÃÂîúñýõ ÃÂá½° ÃÂÃÂìüùúñ úñὶ ÃÂ' á¼ÂÃÂÃÂÃÂñ ÃÂÿààÃÂÿàúìüùÃÂñ.
ÃÂìÃÂÃÂõ úÿÃÂá½¶ - úù á¼Âüὰý á¼Âüὰý
üìÃÂÃÂõ úÿÃÂïÃÂÃÂùñ ÃÂÃÂìúñûñ.
ÃÂìÃÂÃÂõ úÿÃÂïÃÂÃÂùñ ÃÂÃÂìúñûñ, ÃÂÃÂõóýῶÃÂÃÂõ ÃÂá½° ÃÂÿàúìüùÃÂñ
(figurative translation)
So they went, the Tsakon youth
So went the Tsakon youth and all the lads
And off they go - aman aman
And off they go to yonder Mahala, where
the girls are fine
And there they were caught in - aman aman
And there they were caught in a rain
And there they were caught in a rain, a slow, a shy (rain)
They were soaked - aman aman
Soaked were their tsamika (dances) and their white shirts
Girls, gather - aman aman
Girls, gather quick
Girls, gather quick, (to) dry their shirts.