DANCE DURING THE CLASSICAL PERIOD IN GREECE ATHENS AND SPARTA

PhD GEORGIOS LIKESAS and PhD IOANNIS MOURATIDISOF

Department of Physical Education and Sport Science

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

Key words: dance, music, movement, Classical period, Athens, Sparta

Introduction

Music, dance, movement, visual arts and the theatre have always played an important role in people's lives. The arts are a means of expressing their inner world and, at the same time, form an integral part of ritual processes related to their life in society at large.

From antiquity to the present, philosophers and educators have emphasized the important role that arts have played in formulating people's characters; and how they positively contribute to their overall development as regards knowledge, perception, creativity, psychokinetic energy, and emotional and social advancement. This holistic and anthropocentric approach of ancient times pointed towards new ways of comprehending movement and dance, through dance education.

In ancient Greece, philosophers like Plato and Aristotle considered the arts, and particularly dance, under the prism of their didactic value within the general education of future citizens wishing for a dignified existence. In the poems of Homer and Pindarus and in the ancient tragedies, the content of the word "dance" signified a merging of "music", i.e. singing - choral poetry and "circular dancing". Dance, according to Plato., also constituted a coming together of dance and choral poetry - singing. According to Georgiadis, after centuries the word "dance" lost its ancient Greek meaning, especially during early Christian times, and was split up into "dance", a rhythmic movement of the body, and "chorus", i.e. singing.

Ancient philosophers were most concerned with issues related to the influence of the arts, which they viewed as conveying the most important elements of their cultural heritage. They also reviewed the effect of the arts on the development of traditional values and on shaping the ideal citizen in relation to his cultural environment. "The notion of music as an autonomous art form comes from the postclassical period. Music, as a unit that consisted of poetry, singing, instrumental accompaniment and dance, involved the whole person and influenced man not as art does in the modem sense of the word (Fine Art) but as a reformulating force. Which explains why it was used as a means of education?"

According to the above, the ancient word "mousike" includes the notion of music, poetry and dance, i.e. physical movements, expressions, gestures, positions of the body, that all share a common theme, rhythm. One of the main purposes of art was to contribute to a balanced, integrated development of society. The significance of the term "mousike" was much broader in antiquity. Ancient Greeks generally thought of education as a harmonious fostering of the soul, the spirit and the body. Socrates expressed the desire to be taught dance and paid a lot of attention to good rhythm, the allurement of music, the grace of movement and the dancers' performance. Lucian links dance to the creation of the world and describes it as a "beneficial" and "useful" pastime. He believes that dancing combines the actions defined by one's spirit and dictated by one's body; he also considers it the best and most rhythmic form of exercise which makes the body flexible, slender, light, agile and strong.

The ancient Greek term "mousike" (music) corresponds to three unified elements: "movement", "reason" and "sound"'. According to Plato and other Greek philosophers, music is not just a flurry of sounds put together by man but something deeper and multi-faceted. It is the harmonious relationship among the three forms of human expression: movement (of the body), reason (of the mind) and sounds (of the emotions). These three constituent parts of the ancient Greek

word "mousike" - language (singing, recitation), dance (expressive movement)

and music (musical performance) - correspond to the three elements that comprise human existence: the spirit, the body and the soul.

Plato (427-347 B.C.) believes in the strong positive influence of "mousike" on the soul and emphasizes its essential, significant contribution to education (along with gymnastics) in developing and shaping people's personality. According to his opinion, "mousike" (the union of movement, music and reason) should possess a central role in the overall education of young people with the aim of achieving unity of soul, spirit and body.

For Aristotle (384-322 B.C.), being occupied with music is important because it provides a "pastime" (paidia) and "rest" (anapafsis), and encourages proper conduct (diagogin). Furthermore, it is also particularly valuable since it can affect the morality (ethos) and the soul of the citizens. The aim of this research is to bring together and process relevant information concerning the most important dances and music related to religion, warfare or drama, that were presented at public celebrations during the Classical period in Greece.

Most of the information comes from inscriptions (mentioned frequently in the relevant bibliography) concerning Spartan and Athenian festivals from the Classical period that refer to specific types of dance, classified according to their content.

Religious dances

In ancient Greece, religious festivals would last for several days with the Greeks honoring their gods through rituals, sacrifices, special processions, song and dance.

Dionysus was worshipped as the God of fertility, vegetation and wine. During the Classical period, festivals in honor of Dionysus had all but lost their religious character; however, some old elements of worship remained that revealed the initial nature of these celebrations. In Athens the most important festival in honor of Dionysus were the great or kat asty (in the city) Dionysia. Peisistratus was probably the one who introduced this festival to the Athenians, as he believed that by favoring such popular cults he would become better liked by the farmers and the lower classes of Athenian society. The kat asty Dionysia were celebrated in the spring, from the eighth to the thirteenth day of Elaphevolion, which was the month that started in mid March and ended in mid April.

On the second day of this festival, there was a procession of young men and women who sang the "dithyramb", a song in honor of Dionysus. The emblem of the procession was a phallus, the symbol of fertility. In the evening and at night, groups of citizens "ekomazon" around the city streets, i.e. they wandered about merrily, dancing, singing and taunting one another. The next four days were dedicated to dramatic performances.

The kat'agrous (rural) Dionysia were a festival held during the Poseideon, the month that started in mid December and ended in mid January.

On the day of the festival, farmers from small settlements and from Athens also would flock to the larger municipalities on carts used to transport agricultural products. It was common for people to paint their faces or disguise themselves and shouts the so-called "skomata ex amaris" at friends or even strangers. Apart from these processions, a custom known as the "askolia" was also practiced in many rural Dionysia. This involved bringing sacks (ασκόςan) made of animal hides to the local theatres, that were then blown up and covered with oil to make them slippery. The young farmers who took part in this game, not only had to stand but also to jump or dance on top of the sacks without losing their balance. This cycle of rural Dionysia gave birth to "dramd', but the rural festivals still continued as rituals, meant to safeguard or increase the annual harvest.

One of the oldest and most important Dionysus festivals were the Anthesteria, relating Dionysus to "Proimi Anoixi" (Early Spring) and the first blossoms. This festival was celebrated during Anthesterion, the month that started in late February and ended in early March. During the Anthesteria, Dionysus was worshipped in a totally different way than in the rural Dionysia, whose character was more ecstatic.

Another such festival of an ecstatic nature that was related to Dionysus and grape-harvesting were the Lenea. They were held on the 12^th day of Gamelion in Athens and Lenaeon in Greek cities of Asia Minor (the month that started in mid January and ended in mid February). The Lenea were also related to the Maenads who also bore the name "Lenae" (the verb lenaezo means to take part m Bacchic dances). According to a lexicographer's testimony, the Leneaon was an enclosed large area of worship in Athens, where the temple of Lenaeus Dionysus was located. Lenae and Bacchae came to worship Dionysus at this sanctuary. First they decorated an ancient "xoano" (wooden statue) of Dionysus and then danced holding torches, thyrsus, drums and flutes. A very frequent theme found in the pottery and sculptures of the Classical period are Maenads dancing ecstatically in honor of Dionysus, either alone or in groups.

According to Lawler (1984), these Maenads were taking part in a dance related to the worship of Dionysus, known as "oreivasia" (mountain climbing). This wild dance was performed on winter nights in the mountains and forests. The women would scream and pull at their hair, holding torches and thyrsus. They are often depicted wearing multiple items of clothing or animal hides, some playing a double flute or drum. They often carried small forest animals or snakes, which they would sometimes cut up. It was believed that the Maenads were in a state of divine frenzy that was described as "enthousiasmos" (en-in, theos-God, iasmos-cure. We also often find Maenads painted on vases whose hands are totally covered with cloth, moving them up and down and imitating birds' wings. According to Lawler (1984), such illustrations of women, dancing in long dresses with their hands covered, are a common theme in Greek art, mainly of the Hellenistic period. Some believe that these dancers are Nymphs or some other supernatural being; some others that they are dancing in honor of Demeter or Persephone, Adonis or Dionysus. There is also the opinion that they may be male dancers dressed in women's clothes at the Maemaktiria. The "covered hands" seem to be a religious motif, possibly borrowed from the East. However, according to Lawler (1984), it is also likely that these women do not represent a specific group of dancers, but are simply proof that Greek women usually dressed solemnly when taking part in dances.

Apart from the Maenads, other deities also related to God Dionysus are depicted on vases dancing in his honor, like the Panes, the Sileni and the Old- Sileni. In general, studies of such paintings have shown that the dances were spirited and violent due to the ecstasy of the dancers. Often, the Maenads are holding small dead forest animals or snakes in their hands (a sign that animals were sacrificed during rituals); and very often they also appear with covered hands imitating the movements of birds. Dancers sometimes seem to have animal hides flung over their shoulders, and are holding lit torches or thyrsus. They are dancing in groups or in a procession, in couples or alone.

There is usually a Maenad, a Selinus or a forest shepherd playing music while they dance. The most common musical instruments are the double flute, castanets and drums (that the Maenads usually hold in their hands while dancing), the lyre and the barbitone.

It seems that the ancient Greek gods generally loved dance. It was an integral part of their celebrations, which is why the ancient Greeks believed that it played a major role in the worship of their gods, particularly those related to agriculture and fertility. One such deity was Demeter, the goddess of the land.

The nature of these religious dances was relevant to the goddess honored by them. Dancers used to move slowly in circles around the god's altar in labyrinth-like patterns (syrtos dance). They held on to each other by their hands, wrists, clothes or a piece of rope.

Another religious dance was the "Geranos", a very popular dance in Delos that was performed in honor of Ariadne. According to tradition, Theseus must have been the first to dance it in Delos with fourteen young men from Athens, on his way back from Crete after defeating the Minotaur. The different patterns of movement in this dance seemed really complex, as if the dancers were pretending to wander through a labyrinth. Pollux wrote, "they used to dance geranos all together, with the dancers in a row behind one other. Theseus' best men were at the two ends and they danced the geranos first around the Delian altar, imitating the way out of the labyrinth". The lead dancer was known as the "geranoulkos".

Other religious dances performed by women were the "dances with a veil", where the dancers were fully covered by a veil except for their faces. Many such dancers have been depicted on pottery items.

On parts of a surviving relief, believed to be copies taken from the marble vessel of Hephaestus, there are two groups of three women dancing the syrtos who are related to the birth of Erichthonios. It is thought that the group on the left are the Ores or Charites, while the group on the right are the Aglavrides. Hauser named them Ores because of the green shoots held by the lead dancer. According to mythology, the Ores (Hours) were daughters of Zeus and Themis, sisters of the Moires (Fate); some other rare sources refer to them as being daughters of Helios (the Sun) and Selini (the Moon).

They usually appear as a threesome and are connected to some classical deities, mainly Dionysus and Hermes. The green shoots held by the lead dancer also characterize the Charites (Graces). According to Hauser, it has been proven that these women correspond to the Aglavrides and the Acropolis of Athens, where the Charites rather than the Ores were worshiped. Charites comes from the word "charis" that means charm, gratitude or preference. Like Eros (Love), Ores (Hours), Niki (Victory) and Moires (Fates), the Charites also belong to that category of deities that are personifications of abstract notions, and play an important role in worship and methodology. They are very much like the Ores, but their true significance extends far beyond physical growth and reproduction to the creation of beauty, the arts, human actions, happiness and the gratitude that results from the later .

Hesiodos refers to the three Charites-Aglaea, Euphrosyne, Thalia - as daughters of Zeus and Evrynome. Each season they were related to all the major deities of vegetation, but mainly to Aphrodite.

On the other hand, the Aglavrides are considered to be the three daughters of the Athenian King Kekrops. Their names were Aglavros or Agravlos, Herse and Pandrosos; their brother was Erysichthon. They are referred to as Aglavrides, Kekropides or deities of the Drosia (Dew) The Charites, Aglavrides and Ores are all deities related to vegetation and usually appear dancing in threesomes. Their dance seems to reflect the dances of Athenian women.

War Dances

Most researchers of dance, and especially dance in ancient Greece, make reference to war dances. This term includes all those dances that are performed holding weapons and imitating the movements of warriors and fighters.

The most important kind of war dance in ancient times was the pyrrhic dance. It was an impressive, fast dance that was performed either by a single person or by one or more pairs of dancers in armour (shield, and sword or spear). They imitated warriors' movements whilst in battle, in defense and in attack. According to tradition, the pyrrhic dance originated from Crete, where goddess Rhea had hidden her newborn son Zeus, so that his father Cronus wouldn't find him and eat him. Zeus was placed under the protection of the Cretan Curetes that used to lull him to sleep with their dances. The sound of little Zeus' cry was covered by the clash made by the Curetes' weapons whilst dancing. Roman poet Lucretius describes how the Curetes danced to protect little Zeus, his words carved on a Roman relief. The scene is also depicted on a series of reliefs, known as the Campana reliefs.

The Curetes' dance was said to cause fear; they were the sons of the Earth (gegenes), who always held copper shields. The use of these weapons in dance gave birth to war dances. The pyrrhic dance soon spread to the rest of Greece, particularly to the Doric states and Laconia. In the 6^th century BC, it was brought to Athens as part of the Panathenea festival, and was performed by children, young and older men.

In later years, the pyrrhic dance was downgraded to a symposium dance; it was danced by naked heterae holding shields and spears. According to Lawler (1964), at the beginning of the 4^th century B.C. the heterae often performed an alternative version of the pyrrhic dance, with a helmet and shield or even with the Dionysian thyrsus. In Xenophon, there is mention of a symposium where a dancer with a light shield performed the pyrrhic dance in a light and airy manner.

In Athens, the pyrrhic dance had a milder character, due to its Dionysian elements; the dancers carried thyrsus (reed sticks with leafs of ivy or vine) instead of swords and shields.

The origin of the word "pyrrichi" (πνρρίχη) has not yet been determined. According to Aristoxenus, the dance was named pyrrhic after a Lakonian hero or dancer named Pyrrhicus; Athenaeus adds that during his time this name still existed in the state of Laconia. Some other authors argue that the name Pyrrhicus comes from Pyrrhus, the second name of Neoptolemus, who was the son of Achilles. Tradition has it, that Neoptolemus was the first to dance the pyrrhic dance after his victory over Evrypylos, an ally of the Trojans.

The pyrrhic dance had a very important educational role and that is why special attention was given to the songs that accompanied it. These were either sang by the dancers themselves or, in most cases, by other performers. The verb "pyrrichizo" meant "to perform the pyrrhic dance".

Inscriptions and bibliographical data reveal that the main characteristics of the pyrrhic dance involve dancers with spears, shields and helmets, whom we see performing war-like movements, particularly when the pyrrhic dance is performed by a single dancer, man or woman. As a rule, the pyrrhic dance was accompanied by a double flute and rarely by castanets. Apart from the pyrrhic dance, "Gymnopaedid" and "Emvatered" (a marching song) were also war dances that were danced in Sparta.

Symposium dances

We are able to get very important information on symposium dances in ancient Greece from the iconography of the time. In addition, many literature sources even before the classical period, describe symposiums where the entertainment included dance and music; which seems to indicate that for Ancient Greeks it was unthinkable to organize a symposium that did not include singing and dancing. The dances were performed either by professionals (both men and women) or by the participants themselves, during or at the end of the symposium or even on their way home ("komos"). It should be noted that many lyric poets wrote poems on subjects linked to the symposiums' themes, e.g. on wine (Skolia), on love etc. and these were often sung to entertain all those present. Many interesting illustrations provide us with information on the music and dances performed during the symposia. In one we find symposiasts lying on couches listening to a female flute player, the avlitrida. Another vase painting shows a hetaera at a symposium, dancing naked to the sound of the castanets in her hands.

Frequently, the participants walked home after the symposium singing and dancing in procession. These processions were called "komoi" and can be seen on many vase paintings. At the Louvre Museum in Paris there is a kylix that depicts three young men, two dancing and the third playing a double flute. According to Weege (1925), this is a representation of a "komos".

Acrobatic dances

Scenes depicting the performance of acrobatic dances are very rare. Those that do exist usually involve symposia, where acrobatics performances were a common form of entertainment for the participants. They were usually performed by specially trained young girls, either slaves or hetaerae, who were dressed lightly or were naked so that their movements were not restricted. Apart from performing acrobatics they also knew how to dance, sing, play music and were an integral part of the entertainment at such gatherings.

Dances of Eastern origin

Ancient Greeks used to dance a lively dance of Persian origin, during which they occasionally bent their legs in "oklasi"; the dance was called "oklasma". The following movement was very typical of this dance: "body bent slightly, head bowed, hands raised high above the head and touching, with the index fingers extended." In the Anabasis, Xenophon refers to this dance in his description of dances characterizing it as a short dance. In several different vase paintings, we see men with oriental outfits performing the dance in baggy trousers, long sleeved tops and Persian hats. From one moment to the next, they are either sitting on the ground, then jumping in the air, sitting cross-legged and then jumping up high once again, always with their hands raised together. Women dancers have also been depicted in the same way, usually wearing oriental outfits. It was common for them to perform this dance during the Thesmophoria celebrations in honor of Demeter Thesmophoros.

Artemis was also a goddess whose primordial character was that of goddess of vegetation. According to a testimony by Strabo, Artemis' festival in Sardis was celebrated with a harvest dance called "kalathos" (basket), during which men danced inside baskets; a custom that we meet later in many other Athenian festivals in Demeter's honor.

Theatre Dances

Amongst the measures that tyrants adopted at times to increase their popularity, was the promotion of informal religious festivals that were really becoming popular with the lower classes, particularly in the country side. During the times of the Peisistratides family rule, Dionysus acquired a prominent position amongst Athenian festivals. The most glorious of his festivals, the "Great Dionysia", is connected to the emergence of drama, which in its three forms (tragedy, satire and comedy) constitutes the highest intellectual achievement of the

Classical period

Aristotle indirectly attributes the birth of tragedy to the worship of Dionysus, since he relates it to the dithyramb, a choral song with narrative elements that was always considered to be of Dionysiac origin; even when it began to appear in festivals dedicated to other gods also.

According to Herodotus, a major role in the evolvement of the dithyramb was played by Arion, a poet from Mythimna in Lesvos, who in the early 6^th century tried to enhance the worship of Dionysus in the court of Periandros, tyrant of Corinth. In his hands, the dithyramb was artistically transformed into an autonomous poetic genre, with a prevailing narrative element based on myths not necessarily pertaining to Dionysus. It is believed that Arion gave to dithyrambic dance its characteristic circular form moving around the altar of Dionysus, from which the term "kyklikos choros" (circular dance) emerged, used widely to denote a group of dithyramb singers and dancers. In the year 534 BC, Peisistratus (tyrant of Athens) established the "kat asty" Dionysia", whose principal feature was a contest in tragoedia (τραγωδία: ωδή-τράγωυ = goat song). Two different genres of poetry were therefore created. The tragoedia became the origin of tragedy and the dithyramb became a solemn, beautiful choric song and dance. This deviation from the spirit and location of the guardian God set the specifications for the creation of a dramatic genre relevant to tragedy, i.e. the "satiric drama" ("satire" vs. "satyr play"), that restores some of the original atmosphere of this dramatic contest. Thus, the "satiric drama" became the counterweight to tragedy, by revealing the other identity of Dionysus, the one related to the circle of life, joy and love.

Music, poetry and dance in ancient theatre created a harmonious unit. Dance was used in combination with singing in order to bring life to the lyrics of a song. The word choros (dance) had a broad meaning for the ancient Greeks. It included every gesture and posture that could represent a variety of events or objects and its function in the theatre was to give emphasis to the poet's lyrics. According to Plato, dance was born from the instinctive human need to accompany words and song with expressive body movements. Music in ancient theatre had mainly the form of a choral song.

In the ancient theatre, dancers in tragedies, comedies and satire wore masks. The dance in tragedies was called "emmeleia", in comedies "kordax" and in satire "sikinnis". Compared to the pyrrhic dance and the satiric "sikinnis" and "kordax", "emmeleia" was renowned for its noble, dignified and restrained character. Athenaeus wrote that "gymnopaedia and emmeleia are solemn, modest dances". He also adds that "with the Greeks kordax is vulgar while emmeleia is solemn".

The dancers in satiric plays were always dressed as "Satyrs". The "sikinnis" was a very noisy dance with quick, lively movements and jumps. The "Kordax" was danced by dancers disguised into different kinds of animals, like birds, frogs etc. It was a humorous dance that could become quite common, vulgar or even obscene.

Dances of Sparta

One of the most important dances in Sparta was the pyrrhic dance, performed by young men during the festival of Dioscuri (Castor & Pollux). In the time of Athenaeus (2^nd-3^rd century BC), the pyrrhic dance was still being performed in Laconia and considered an excellent preparation for war and military service; all men in Sparta learnt how to dance it from the age of five.

Apart from the pyrrhic dance, the Spartans, who were particularly fit, knew two more war dances from which they were taught new martial techniques, "Gymnopaedies" and "Emvaterea" (marching-songs).

"Gymnopaedies" was the annual ten-day ceremony or festival held in Sparta to honor Apollo. It was originally dedicated to the memory of the Spartans who died in the battle of Thyrea.

During the ceremony, naked adolescents and boys performed physical exercises and dances around the statues of Apollo, Artemis and Leto; their movements imitated wrestling and "pankratio" (pankratio= pancratium, which includes wrestling and boxing). The lyrics and music were written by famous writers of that time like Thalitas and Alkmanas. The nature of the dances and festival was particularly solemn, dignified and glorious. "Gymnopaedies" was of such great significance in Sparta that men who were not married could not attend it, as a kind of punishment. The magnitude of the Spartans' appreciation of this dance is proven by a testimony that once, when the Spartans heard that their army had been defeated in Lejktra, they first had to fully perform all these dances before going into public mourning. In the "Life of Lycurgus", Plutarch mentions the lyrics of the songs of the three dance groups (boys, adults and seniors, all dancing naked and chanting hymns).

Another important Spartan dance were the Emvaterea, where the soldiers' marching was accompanied by a marching song (emvaterio melos). It seems that the melody was played on a flute, while the lyrics were recited by the soldiers who marched to its rhythm. It was also called "enoplion melos" (εv- with, όπλιου-arms, melos-song performed carrying arms) According to Athenaeus, "the Spartans were warriors and their children deeply studied the emvateria meli, also known as enoplia". The Laconians also recited the poems of Tirtaeus at war, while they marched. Plutarch mentions that "the emvaterioi" (marching) rhythms encourage bravery, courage and disdain of death and were also used in dances accompanied by the flute, to rouse the warriors". "Emvatirioi kiniseis" (marching movements) were a kind of war dance.

Apart from war dances, Spartans also had other kinds of dance. One of these was "hormos" which, according to Lucian, is a circular dance performed by a mixed group of dancers (boys and girls) in a pattern resembling a necklace.

The lead dancer was an adolescent who imitated war-like actions in a youthful way. A young girl followed him with modest and restrained movements. Thus, Lucian concludes, prudence and bravery were well combined in "hormos".

Another primarily Spartan dance was "vivasis", a form of dance contest attended by both girls and boys. Pollux reports that the competitors had to jump really high (either on one leg alternatively or with both legs) and touch their buttocks with their feet. The winner was judged upon the number of successful jumps and got the prize. Pollux mentions an inscription concerning a girl who won after one thousand jumps. Similar to this was the "eklaktismd" dances which, according to Pollux, "were women's dances during which the dancers had to jump bending their legs above their shoulders".

In Arcadia in the Peloponnese, the "kidaris" dance was performed in honor of "Demeter Kidaria". This dance is referred to by Athenaeus, who states: "emmeleia was solemn, like kidaris for the Arcadians and alitir for the Sicyonians".

Every year at the festival of Artemis, the well-known "dance of the Caryatids" was performed in Caryes (hence its name), a location between Laconia and Arkadia. Lucian reports that "the Lacedaemonians, the so-called best of all Greeks, were taught the Caryatids' dance (υα καυατίξουν) by Pollux and Castor and now they do everything to music, even make war, by the sound of the flute and in rhythm". It was danced by young ladies from the best Lacedaemonian families, who wore short, knee-length dresses and a basket- shaped head dress, made of pointed reed leaves weaved together.

The Caryatids are usually portrayed dancing on tiptoe, with very grand, expressive and varied movements of the hands. According to Lawler (1964), it was really common in celebrations of fertility deities like Demeter, Artemis, Athena and Dionysus for a beautiful lady of good family to be chosen as the one to carry a basket full of sacred items on her head during the religious procession.

The teaching of dance

Ancient Greeks considered dance as one of the three pillars of their education, the other two being music and poetry. In fact, Plato argued that these three arts should be taught in combination and not individually.

Thus, there was a close connection between dance and physical education, since both involved the teaching of rhythmic movement and were accompanied by a musical instrument. The themes of most Greek dances were taken from mythology, a fact that also contributed to the students' intellectual development. Aristotle believes that a young person should be taught dance so as to receive important lessons in morality and be prepared for a dignified existence. Dancing was part of the education only of those young people whose parents could afford to pay the tuition fees. It is worth noting than on most vase paintings of this period depicting the teaching of dance, it is usually girls who are learning to dance, while the boys exercise.

It is also very common to find representations of girls learning how to dance accompanied by a double flute. The instructor is usually holding the narthex, a rod that symbolizes the teaching profession.

Greeks thought very highly of dance masters. They were not viewed as professionals but rather as servants of the gods. Thus, the dance masters in ancient drama were considered to be Dionysus' servants. In many cases, poets were also dance masters like Aeschylus, Kalliphronos, Pratinas etc. And Sappho, the greatest poetess of ancient Greece, was said to have taught young girls how to dance and led dances based on her own lyrics.

There were also professional dancers during the Classical period who belonged to the lower classes; their performances, however, were also greeted with much enthusiasm by the Greeks. Most of them were either slaves or free persons. Some of the slaves were Greeks captured at war or abducted and sold as slaves; they came from Thrace, Syria and Asia Minor. Often, young slaves (mainly little girls) were bought by "procurers" who were either free persons or foreigners. They ordered the other slaves (or free persons or foreigners) to train these young slaves in dance, acrobatics, singing and playing music, and then hired them out to wealthy patrons.

Conclusions

This truly intriguing and "enchanting" flashback into the distant past, with the aid of various sources and ancient texts, clearly highlights the significant role that music and dance played in formulating the glory of the soul and spirit of the ancient Greeks. Although there is an irreplaceable lack of technical information, we are nevertheless told about the rich vocabulary used, the esteemed place they held and the solemnity and love that ancient Greeks felt towards dance. The study of the relevant iconography proves that dance in ancient Greece was neither a primitive nor a simple pastime. It formed an integral part of all celebrations and events. All everyday activities and even their metaphysical concerns were connected to "orchisis", i.e. dance and music, the most popular art forms during that period. The whole philosophy of that time was actually based on the quest for "armonia" (hannony) through music and "gymnasis" (exercise) of the body and soul through dancing.

Their essential role in providing inner peace and balance is also obvious from the fact that music and dance accompanied even the hardest moments of their lives, war and death.

Dance, music and poetry managed to influence and formulate the education of ancient Greece and lead to one of the most fundamental elements of Greek aesthetics, "armonia" (hannony).

This love of the ancient Greeks for dance has been transmitted to modern Greeks as a heritage to this day. Dance still holds almost the same meaning for Greek people today, despite the centuries that separate us from antiquity.

Abstract

From antiquity to the present, philosophers and educators have emphasized the important role that arts, and dance in particular, have played in formulating people's characters; and how they positively contribute to their overall development as regards knowledge, perception, creativity, psychokinetic energy, along with emotional and social advancement.

This holistic and anthropocentric approach of ancient times pointed towards

new ways of comprehending movement and dance, through dance education. Dance, music and poetry were the three elements that influenced and shaped the education of the ancient Greeks, leading them to one of the fundamental principles of Greek aesthetics, "harmony".

The aim of this research is to bring together and process relevant information concerning the most important dances and music related to religion, warfare or drama, that were presented at public celebrations during the Classical period in Athens and Sparta.

NOTES

1. ALEXIADOU, K., Carl OrffMusic and Movement Education. Modem Aristotle, Athenaion Politeia, 1999, pp.5-7
2. GEORGIADES, Th., Musik und Rhythmus bei den Griechen. Zum Ursprung der abendlaendischen Musik. Rowohlts Deutsche Enzyklopaedie. Muenchen. 1958, pp. 37-38
3. Kindergarden. Athens, Vol. 9, pp. 171-175
4. KYMINOU - PRIDAKI, A., The Social and Educational Philosophy of the Orff Pedagogic Project. Musical Education. Minutes of 1st Pan-Hellenic Congress of E.E.ME Thessaloniki, Vol 3, 1998, pp. 18-22
5. LUCIAN, The dance, pp. 7-71
6. MOURATIDIS, I., Issues of Physical Education philosophy -Introduction to Philosophy. Thessaloniki, Christodoulidi, 1992
7. NEUBECKER, A.I., Music in Ancient Greece. Trans. Sirnota-Fidegi. Odysseas. Athens, 1986, pp. 96-99
8. PLATO, Republic B., p. 376d-e
9. PLATO, Laws 2. 654a-b
10. THEMELIS, D., Traditions of Music History. University Studio. Thessaloniki, 1981, pp. 13-14
11. Religious dances
12. History of the Greek Nation. Ekdotiki Athinon S.A. Athens, 1970, p. 254
13. LAWLER, B.L., The Dance in Ancient Greece. Adam & Charles Black. London, 1964, pp. 85-86
14. LAWLER, B.L., The Dance in Ancient Greece. Trans. Dirnitriadi- Psaropoulou, M. Traditional Dance Centre. Athens, 1984, pp. 86-111
15. LAWLER, B.L. 1984. ibid, p.76
16. LexiconlconographicumMythologiae Classicae. Vol. 23, pp. 195-196, 24. Lexiconlconographicum Mythologiae Classicae. ibid, p. 196
17. Lexiconlconographicum Mythologiae Classicae. Vol 45, pp. 283-284
18. LIKESAS, G., Labyrinthic dances in ancient Greece. Way of Life. Athens, pp. 313-322
19. MICHAILIDIS, S., Encyclopaedia of ancient Greek Music. National Bank Educational Foundation. Athens, 1989, p. 83
20. PLATO, Laws 7, pp. 802d-e, 2 p. 669c
21. POLLUX, 4, 1991, p.l0l
22. WEEGE, F., Der Tanz in derAntike. Berlin, Niemeyer, 1925, p. 61
23. WEEGE, F., 1925, pp. 61-64; p. 65
24. War Dances
25. ARISTOXENOS, pp. 35 - 36
26. DOUKA, S., The relation between ancient Greeks and war dances. 2002
27. HOMER, Iliad. 16. pp.617-618; pp. 636-637, 730
28. HOMER, Odyssey. 11. pp. 97-103
29. MICHAILIDIS, S., op.cit.,1989, pp. 272-273 ; p. 273
30. Minutes of Jst Pan-Hellenic Congress on Athletic history and Philosophy. Kyriakides Bros. Thessaloniki, p. 157
31. LAWLER, B.L., 1964, p. 133
32. LUCIAN, The Dance p. 8
33. STRABO, 10.3. pp. 6-8, 11; pp. 19-23, 29
34. XENOPHON, CyrouAnabasis, 6. 1. pp.5-13
35. WEEGE, F., op.cit., 1925, p. 118; pp.122-123; p. 135
36. WEHRLI, F., Die Schule des Aristoteles. Basel. Athineos, 1967, p. 630b-e, n
37. Dances of Eastern origin
38. LAWLER, B.L., op.cit., 1984, p. 9
39. MICHAILIDIS, S., op.cit., 1989, pp. 227-228
40. XENOPHON, CyrouAnabasis. 6. 1. pp.5-13
41. WEEGE, F., Der Tanz in der Antike Niemeyer. Berlin, 1925, p. 58; pp. 97-98
42. Theatre dances
43. ARISTOTLE, Poetics. 1449 A, pp. 9-15
44. ATHENAEUS, op.cit., pp.630e, 631d, 28; 631d, 30
45. History of the Greek Nation., 1970, p. 352
46. History of the Greek Nation. Athens, C2, 1970, p. 353
47. LAWLER, B.L., op.cit. 1984, pp. 84-85
48. PLATO, Laws. 2, pp. 670d. 7, pp. 798d-816e
49. XENOPHON, CyrouAnabasis, 8, p. 20
50. Dances of Sparta
51. ARISTOTLE, AthenaionPoliteia, 8. pp. 5-7
52. ATHENAEUS, 14. 628 c-f.; 631d, 30
53. BECK, A.G.F., Album of Greek Education. The Greeks at School and at Play
54. Cheiron Press. Sydney, 1975, p. 55
55. LAWLER, B.L., 1984, pp. 106-107
56. LAWLER, B.L., op.cit., 1964, pp. 95-96; pp. 109-110; p. 127; pp. 128-129
57. LUCIAN, The Dance, 10, 12 pp. 273-274
58. Encyclopaedia of ancient Greek Music. National Bank Educational Foundation. Athens, p.161
59. MICHAILIDIS, S. op.cit., 1989
60. PLATO, Laws, 2. pp. 672c, 654a-b, 7. pp. 815-817
61. PLUTARCH, Laconic Apophthegms. pp 238b 16 '62
62. POLLUX, 4, 102; 104
63. WEEGE, F., op. cit.1925, p. 38