Karsilama, Karşılama:
Greek and Turkish Music and Dance

The karsilama (kαρσιλαμά) is a traditional Anatolian (Greek and Turkish) dance which has many versions, birth places, speeds and variations. In fact, the Greek karsilamas is one of my favorite Greek folk dances, and I am known for incorporating it into my own belly dance teaching and performances.

Many people state or assume that the karsilama dance was brought to Greece by the Greek Anatolian refugees fleeing the genocide in the early 20th century. I personally, do not agree with this theory. Why? Because this dance existed not only in Anatolia, but also was found in Cyprus, various other islands, and the Greek mainland. Before the Anatolian refugees came to Greece, the Greek mainland and islands were under occupation for over 400 years by the Ottoman Turks. It is only natural that music and movement arts were constantly flowing and in transit much earlier than the 20th century.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Panayiota Bakis Mohieddin (the author of this page) poses in a traditional Anatolian Greek folk costume. It comes from the region of Pontos, which was located in northern Turkey, on the southern shore of the Black Sea.

The name of the traditional karsilama dance should not be confused with the incorrect Americanized word “karshlama” or "kashlimar", which American belly dancers often present in a derogatory way. I am very dismayed when I hear Western belly dancers abbreviate karsilama as “Karsh”.

Among the Greeks of Anatolia (which is part of my heritage), it was customary for traditional Greek weddings to begin the procession at the home of the bride, as opposed to the bride meeting the groom at the church steps. The couple does not travel alone. Their close family, friends, and local musicians escort them.

This tradition still continues today not only among some Greek Anatolians, but also generally throughout the Greek mainland and the islands. Different locations use their own local traditional songs.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Panayiota, the author of this article, sits with two musicians - a kemence (lyre) player on the left, and a daoul player (drummer) on the right. The garments and the instruments all represent traditional Pontian culture from Anatolia. It was taken backstage at the renowned Dora Stratou National State Folk Dance Theater of Greece, 2019 summer performance season, on Philopapou Hills, near the ancient Acropolis where the Parthenon stands.

Karsilama (Greek) or karşılama (Turkish) is a traditional Anatolian dance that wedding parties do socially as part of the procession.

In the Greek language the correct term is karsilama (kαρσιλαμά), pronounced as "kahr-see-lah-mah". Although the root word of karsilamas is actually of Turkish origin, mainland Greeks and Greek diasporans have been using this term for thousands of years. The Turkish pronunciation is kahr-shı-lah-mah, the "ı" is slient with an "uh" sound). The Turkish term "karşı" describes welcoming or facing one another.

We Greeks also often refer to it as andikristos (aντικρυστός), pronounced "ahn-dee-kree-stos". The term andikristos is broader than just the karsilama regional dance. An andikristos dance is done in partner formation, and can refer to various partner dances throughout mainland Greece and the Greek islands. Even our 2/4 or 4/4 time signature tsifteteli (Greek belly dance) can be referred to as an andikristos dance in its traditional form. The Greek term andikristos translates as partner dance, in which the partners face each other, at about arm's distance length.

Some scholars claim the dance term karsilamas is incorrect, as Karci is noted as a 3-stringed musical instrument. I personally still use both terms as it's quite common to label dances either by their regions, rhythms, and even instruments!

Although the karsilamas dance was originally used only as part of wedding processions, today it is also enjoyed in various social settings, engagements, and gatherings. It is often done as a partner dance between either a man and woman, two women, or two men. It has distinctive movements, arm positions, footwork patterns, knee accents, airy spins, and more. It is truly an absolutely stunning dance form and one of my favorites.

In karsilamas, the women might hold a mandeeli (μαντήλι, a hankerchief) and men might hold a komboloi (κομπολοί, string of worry beads). This varies according to personal preferences, with participants doing what they feel like in the moment. For theatrical stage performances, of course, these details may be standardized.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Panayiota is wearing traditional attire of the Pontian region of Sanda (Σάντα). Today, that region in Turkey is now called Dumanlı (Ντουμανλί). This photo was taken in Athens on May 19, 2020, on the 101st anniversary of the Anatolian Greek Pontian Genocide Remembrance Day. Her dance colleague is wearing the Pontian men's costume which is used for dancing the Serra. This dance refers to guerilla warfare. Not everybody performing this dance includes the bullets on the costume, but the year this photo was taken, their belts featured the (fake) bullets. For many years the men had stopped wearing the bullet look. The bullet look is considered "Adartiko" style.

Not all 9/8 songs from Turkey or Greece are considered to be Turkish Romany dance, nor are they all karsilama dance. For example, another Greek folk dance called zeibekiko is often done to 9/8 music.

In our Greek cultural dance and music arts, we may refer to our folkloric works in various ways. For example, the name of a dance may also be known by the name of the song associated with it. It may also be identified by its rhythm, such that the name of the dance is also name of the rhythm it is danced to. This is common in our ethnic communities and our way of passing down our traditional arts to the next generations.

Another example I will mention briefly is the chifteteli. Belly dancers in North America use the word to refer to a musical rhythm or a string chord; however, they also misuse it to label a segment of the 5-part American belly dance routine. The correct information is that for people in the culture of origin (Greeks and Turkish people), chifteteli is actually a folkloric and social dance. But this, of course, is a whole other discussion for another time.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: This photo shows another view of the Pontian costume Panayiota was wearing in the above photo with the musicians.

The folkloric karsilama dance of Anatolia is an ancient dance that was and still is a part of Greek culture. There are many different versions and names of this dance, such as:

• Politiko karsilama (from Constantinople, which is often referred to as "Poli")
• Smyrneika (from Smyrna) karsilama
• Thrakiotiko karsilama (from Thrace)
• Pontiakos (the Greek from Black Sea region of Turkey, Pontos) karsilama
• Cypriot karsilama
• and many many more.

According to one of my Turkish dance mentors, Tayyar Akdeniz, Turkish people also refer to karsilama according to the region. He said, "This topic is very important and respectable about our cultures. This dance comes from many different regions in Turkey, including the Roma. For example, we have Trakya karsilamasi, Giresun karsilamasi and many other different ones."

Tayyar's credential is that he has been a dancer, musician, and director of folkloric troupes for 25 years in Turkey. He has performed and traveled extensively around the world with the Turkish State Folk Dance Ensemble and several other distinguished dance companies from Turkey.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Panayiota wears traditional dress that represents Kato Panagia (Κάτω Παναγιά) in southwestern Turkey. Today this area is known as Çiftlik. It lies south of present-day Izmir.

An example of an old karsilama song is "Sire Na Pis Tis Manas Sou" (Σύρε Να Πεις Της Μάνας Σου), which was a traditional song of Asia Minor. The lyrics feature a few Turkish words, but mostly are Greek. The Anatolian Greeks of Asia Minor generally all spoke Turkish. My great-grandparents were fluent in the language.

Most people around the world know very little about the Greeks, Armenians, and Assyrians who once lived in Turkey in large numbers. The culture of Turkey today isn't simply "Turkish", it's the result of hundreds of years of people from all these groups living together as a community. Through my articles and song translations I hope to introduce you to the rich cultural legacy of the place my ancestors called home.

• Translations of Lyrics for Popular Karsilama Songs
  • Marinella (Marinella)
  • Ouzaki, Ouzaki (Ouzo, Ouzo). Same melody as the Turkish 9/8 song "Mastika", but with Greek lyrics.
  • Paradehtika (I Acknowledge)
  • Pou Ine Ta Hronia (Where Are The Years)
  • Soultana Pilea (Sultana of Pilea)
  • Ti' Fotia Pou 'Hees Anapsi (The Fire You Turned On). Same melody as the Turkish 9/8 song "Rampi Rampi", but with Greek lyrics.
  • Ti Lozani Ti Kozani (What is the Difference Between Lausanne and Kozani?)

• The Misirlou "Folk Dance": Folklore or Fakelore? History of this line dance that's popular in U.S. folk dance circles.