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Our troupe performs in several different
types of costumes, depending on the type of dances performed. The Makedonomahi, meaning freedom fighter, is from Macedonia, the northern most region of Greece. This costume is also known as the Pavlos Melas. Pavlos Melas was a general from Athens who faught for the freedom of Macedonia, against the Ottoman Empire. |
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The Gida, is one of the most striking Greek costumes.
It is worn in the fifty or so villages of the Roumlouki district in the plain of Yannitsa. The most striking feature of this costume is the unusual headdress (katsouli). It is generally regarded as a sign of pure Hellenic descent and bears a resemblance of an ancient helmet, which according to local tradition has been worn since the days of Alexander The Great. Alexander, in order to reward the women of this district for their gallant
conduct during a battle, is said to have bestowed the helmets of his fallen soldiers, to the wives who fought in their stead. |
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The Foustanella (Tsolias). It was established by Otto, the first King of Greece, as the formal court dress in the middle of the 19th century, prevailed in the urban centers of Moreas (Peloponnese) and Roumeli (Central Greece). This dress was originally the military outfit of the Greek chieftains. The waistcoat is called the “fermeli” and has panels hanging from the back. The men wear a white shirt with puffy sleeves under the fermeli that closes in front. The “foustanella” is the pleated skirt that is made of approximately 400 pleates called “langolia”. Each pleate representing one year of slavery under the Ottoman Turks. The Foustanela has changed in the meaning of detailed work, the length of the “fousta”, and, sometimes, the number of jackets worn. The sleeves have become decorative, resembling wings without the function of sleeves. After all the changes, it has become the standard Pan-Hellenic male costume worn today. |
The Kato Panagia, or Asia Minor female costume is worn on the Aegean coastline. Villages and towns of Asia Minor created a civilization and tradition that remained deep in people's mind and heart even after the 1922 disaster. The costume consists of a black sleeveless dress, a fine white shirt with rich cotton handmade lace at the edges of sleeves, black wool jacket with narrow sleeves lined with red fabric and gold trim decoration and the white headkerchief with floral decorations. (ΚάτωΠαναγιά) |
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The Vraka of Hania, Crete is a colorful, male, island costume. Unlike the mainland costumes, a vraka is worn instead of a foustanella. The word ''vraka'' means generally the male Crete costume although this kind of trousers worn by the islands inhabitants of Greece. The men’s costume is made of heavy wool felt to protect against the cold and is embroidered with black cord. On their heads they wear the black crocheted "mandili" in mourning for the loss of the capitol of the Byzantine Empire, Constantinople (present day Istanbul). The tassels dangling in their eyes are said to represent tears for the people lost in the explosion of the monastery at Arkadi in Crete. When the mandili is lowered it is a sign that they are not to be approached. |
The women’s cretan costume consists of the poukamisa (underdress), the vraka (bloomers), the apron and the sartza in the back. There is also a vest which is elaborately embroidered in gold thread with motifs depicting sea-life such as fish and calamari. There is also a zonari (belt) around the waist, and a mantili (scarf) on the head. The vraka was later worn long to the ankles, because during the Ottoman Turkish occupation the Cretan women wanted to hide their legs from the eyes of the Turks. The sartza was originally a full skirt, but because it became bothersome while doing chores in their daily lives, they did away with the skirt but left a colorful piece in the back to brighten the costume without getting in the way while working. |
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Pontian, Male Costume. Like Greece, Pontos (which is a bigger area) not only changes it’s costume from state to state but in many cases from village to village (same as its traditions and habits). The most traditional men’s costume from Pontos is comprised of a black wool jacket, vest, and black wool pants which are characteristically baggy in the seat. The pants are baggy in seat to give comfort to men while riding horses. They wear black boots and a belt with riffle bullets and a knife. On their heads they wear a black headpiece called “pashlik.” The decorative trim and pashlik can be found in various colors, which represent the region the man is from. |
The Pontian dress is an urban costume, in accordance with the eastern models which began life in the center of Hellenism at that time, Constantinople. Underneath the ladies wear a fine silk chemise, the bodice and sleeves of which are trimmed with crocheted lace, and then a pair of silk or satin breeches. Next comes the well-known urban style kavadi, also known as zipouna, open at the front and with two side openings down to the hips. This garment is always lined and decorated round the hem with silk ribbon and delicate embroidery. Round the hips a large silk scarf is worn, trimmed with fringe of silk thread, folded into a triangle. On top of this goes a sleeved waistcoat, originally of black felt and later of dark-colored velvet decorated with silver stitches. From the wedding day onwards the bride wears a silk- covered disc decorated with a row of little coins that hung across the forehead. |
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