TOP (FIRST) DANCER IN VLACH ''POGONISIOS'' DANCE

In the dancing form of the open cycle, which occurs predominantly in EPIRUS, we see at the top, at the beginning of the cycle, the first dancer or ‘brostaris’.  
This dancer is the one, who controls the movement of the cycle and he is the only one who is free to do the dancing figures, he wants. Thus, he can make variations of basic steps, ‘rap’ (knock) his feet or  jump, turn on the spot, or bend his knees,  etc.  
The steps  of the rest  dancers in the circle are all simple and well balanced, so that their bodies  dance  in harmony, but  not in complete uniformity.
  So, in short, the first dancer expresses his individuality, while the rest the collective spirit. In traditional society, he was particularly appreciated by the social community, something that reflected not only himself but his relatives, too. He was what we call 'the brave' (‘leventis’ in Greek).
   It is an amazing word (‘leventis’) of the Greek vocabulary that can hardly be translated into another language. His ability was to make his body 'talk’ with the musicians, to tell stories, to narrate! His dance shows that he is in love, that he sighs for something and he wants to fight for it. A good dancer can also dance his great sadness, to relax, and be redeemed (get free), even for a little time.

  The fact that the young people at the age of marriage could dance very well, was an important criterion that they were strong and healthy; one of the important criteria of wife-husband selection, in traditional society.
  An old, traditional   little revelry (‘glendi’ in Greek) with authentic dancers can flood people with a lot emotions, both to those who are involved directly in it and to the viewers (who make ‘sergiani’= Greek word), too.
  These little celebrations are rare now!  Such ‘raves-up’ (gledia in Greek), from my village and other villages of Epirus during last decades, come to my mind!
  And there! The dancer! The ‘protagonist’ (star), with his friends, his relatives and his fellow villagers with a ‘sirtos’ (dancing while holding hands) POGONISIOS, heavy, on the spot place, ’without any leaf to move’!  The clarinet, the song and the mood of the whole company, all these help to the ‘redemptive draft’ of his soul. During this first dancer’s interpretation, everything contributes, so that he can escape from his body, mumbling or shouting the words (lyrics) of the song!
  Heavy and imposing harmony, ‘Dorian’ (simple), Byzantine, priestly tone! During the   time evolution   of the song and dance, the old acquaintance of the musician and the dancer is shown from boyhood. The common life experiences are interpreted by both sides.
  "Pots, i nu pots zbats skopolou, tse io voi? (Vlachic-armanian words) = Can or can’t you play the song that I want?” the dancer says, other times, to the musician who does not know him and does not ‘dance’ him well. He (the dancer) sometimes stops him playing or makes a dissatisfaction grimace when he does not enjoy the song the way he likes.
  But in most cases the dancer and the main (usually clarinetist) musician 'talk' face to face and go together to the music path of 'POGONISIOS' dance. The dancer sometimes   asks another melody in the same ‘POGONISIOS’ dance because at that time  it ‘comes’ to his mind and the musician carries out his wish’.
  Ηe dances his great regret, thus managing to defeat the laws of nature,  he becomes  winner, having won his personal ‘catharsis’ through the ceremony  of dance.
  Later, the main musician ‘instead-proposes’ adjusting the melody in another way more suitable than his so his far course and narration (i.e. bringing the dancer where he wants as an artist). The dancer 'obeys', (with a good sense), assimilates the new melody, leaves himself ‘sweetly’ in the hands of the musician and finds an opportunity for improvisation and free expression.
  His soul rejoices, reaching an absolute pleasure, a feeling difficult to describe with words.  A feeling, that I had the pleasure to experience, but I'm not sure if  it is the same as the feelings of an authentic old dancer from Kefalovriso (Mitsinte in Aromanian), a village  in Pogoni  area (here we have different parameters, different  life experiences,  different time, another environment, etc.) 

04.12.2010   Article in   the topical journal 'LAOS' Veria, Greece.
By John Tsiamitros, teacher of traditional dances, translation in English by John Tsiamitros, too.