Syrtos

We continued our conversation from the Ethos 2026 panel, with some new guests to try to connect to what research means in Greek folk dance, and how that research is presented on stage. Lots of discussion and laughs later, it's safe to say we need a part 3, 4, 5 to this. Thank you to our guests: Dean Avdalas, Dimitris Dallas, Bobby Garofalis, and Andonis Platis!

In collaboration with the Hellenic Performing Arts Foundation, the 2026 Ethos Conference panel discussion centered on bringing research to stage. This episode features the recorded panel. For more information on the Ethos virtual conference and to view other presentations please visit www.hellenicperformingarts.org Panel Guests: Charlie Kleto Dean Avdalas Bobby Garofalis Moderated by: Paul Calzada

Bess Stathakis is an Atlanta native with a lifelong passion for Greek dance and culture. She serves as the Director of the Atlanta Greek dance program, instructs as well as dances with the Atlanta adult dance group, and is a member of the management team for the Hellenic Dance Festival. She is deeply committed to preserving and celebrating Hellenic heritage as she desires to continue to honor and...

Ellie Falaris Ganelin is the director of the Kombos Collective, which she founded in 2011 under the name Greek Chamber Music Project (GCMP). She is a classically trained flutist who welcomes other traditions into the fold, including jazz, Latin, Balkan and klezmer music. She is active as a performer of chamber and orchestral music in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is committed to making classical...

Join Vaia and Michelle from GAFS to learn a little more about the 2026 βήματα Ελευθερίας event in Astoria, Queens! For more information, and group pricing, including a preferred hotel rate and registration discount visit the GAFS website: https://www.greekamericanfolkloresociety.org/ Episode music: Kostas Mitsis

​Georgios Glynatsis is the director of the Afieroma dance troupe at St. Elizabeth the Wonderworker Greek Orthodox Church in Gainesville, Florida. This year marked his debut directing Afieroma on the HDF stage, where he presented suites from Kalymnos and Kremasti, Zarakas. A second-generation Greek-American, Georgios was raised in Tarpon Springs, Florida, deeply immersed in Kalymnian culture and tr...

The conversation explores the Heritage Museum of Epirus, its collection, educational initiatives, and the personal connections to Greek culture and heritage. Maria Constantinides shares insights on the museum's mission, the significance of its artifacts, and the impact of educational programs. Heritage Museum of Epirus 25-14 Broadway Astoria, New York website: https://anagenesisny.org/heritage-mus...

Anthe Mitrakos is a journalist, communications expert, and editor at Portes Magazine. A proud Greek-American at the helm of Portes for over a decade, she is recognized as an ambassador for Hellenic culture, history and art. https://www.portesmagazine.com/ https://www.portesmagazine.com/aristonfoundation Episode music: The Anemos Music Project

Duygu Gün is a Turkish-American creative producer, musician, and curator dedicated to preserving folk culture and fostering intercultural connections through arts and culture. Her work bridges tradition and contemporary practice, using music, film, and participatory experiences to build community across cultures. In 2019, she curated Sounds Like Home: Longing and Comfort Through Lullabies as a Cur...

Dimitri was first on the podcast during Season 4, we're excited to learn a bit more about how he has grown the Meraki Laographic Arts program over the past two plus years!

From Las Vegas to Athens: Getting to know Dr. Panagiote Tsolis Dr. Panagiote Tsolis was raised with deep roots in the Greek American community of Long Beach, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada, for Las Vegas served on the Parish Council and as Folk Dance Board President for St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church. Passionate about his heritage and global business, he now serves as the Director o...

Izaki Metropoulos is a Chicago-born, third-generation Greek American violinist-- and the first musician in his family. Nearly two decades ago, he began exploring Greece’s violin traditions, crossing genres from Nisiotika to Rebetika. His path has ranged from taking first place at age 10 in the Midwest Fiddle Championship to appearing as an operatic tenor soloist with the Berkshire Symphony Orchest...

George Papadopoulos was born and raised in Anthousa, Kozanis, Greece, leaving and coming to America as a young adult.  Missing his homeland and his love for the culture and traditions, he created the Sons & Daughters of Alexander the Great Dance Group in 1972 to continuously promote the Greek Culture, history, and traditions of dance.  The Sons & Daughters of Alexander the Great is part of...

We sat down with the man, Danny Staveris, for part one of what hopefully becomes a two part series. Enjoy!         This episode is marked explicit. 

Vicky Hioureas holds a PhD in Byzantine history from Princeton University. She has been a part of the FDF program since 1991, for which she conducted ethnographic research in villages throughout Greece and in Trapezounta (Turkey), and produced a CD for the last gaida player of the village of Asvestades, Theodosis Logaroudis, called Σμιλεμένη Πνοή. Vicky is the founder of Palaiologue , a clothing c...

Today we sat down with Vikki and Lefteris from Dionysos Hellenic Cultural Society to talk about their group and the upcoming Greece in the Rockies Hellenic & Cultural Dance Conference. www.greeceintherockies.com for more information!   Episode music: The Anemos Music Project

Efstathios 'Steve' Pilidis is the Director and Youth Advisor for the Pan Macedonian Youth Dance Group of Philadelphia. Born and raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia, former dance instructor for numerous GOYA dance groups as well as active participant with the Macedonians for over 20 years with the goal of preserving Hellenism and the Orthodox faith for future generations in our community.

Bobby Garofalis is the Director of the Hellenic Youth Dancers at Saints Constantine and Helen in Newport News, Virginia. With over 35 years of experience in Greek dance, he began as a dancer in 1990 and rose to become choreographer, director, and now lead administrator — overseeing 4–5 active youth and adult groups, including the award-winning troupe Enosis. Widely respected for his expertise in t...

Andreas Seas, is the co-director for the Koinonia dance group in Raleigh North Carolina. He was born in Akrotiri, Cyprus, to two dance teachers, and has been active as a dancer, researcher, and community organizer ever since. His goals as a dance instructor are to preserve Hellenic culture and simultaneously spark interest and curiosity in the next generation of dancers. When he isn’t dancing, And...

Harry Koutroumanis and Paul Calzada share about the 2025 Gnosis research trip through the Hellenic Performing Arts Foundation to Karpathos and Crete. Learn a bit about their work, and its connection to the Foundation's mission. For more information visit www.hellenicperformingarts.org or @hellenicperformingarts

Vasilios Aligiannis has an extensive and impressive resume within the Greek folk dance community. He is the founder and lead instructor of the Hellenic Lyceum Sydney. Below are excerpts from his remarkable CV. "My lifelong passion for Greek folk dance has led me on a remarkable journey of exploration and discovery throughout Greece. With over twenty five visits to this captivating country, I have...

Vasiliki Malamatos is the director of Epanastasi Dance Troupe at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Fort Worth, Texas; and the founder & director of Rizes HDF. Epanastasi is a young-adult competitive dance troupe that she started back in January of 2024 and is an official ministry of the St. Demetrios parish in Fort Worth, Texas. Epanastasi will be hosting Rizes HDF on January 25: a parish...

Eleni Koubi is a Greek fashion designer who founded her own brand in 2021. The philosophy behind the clothes is that the garment a person wears is not only meant to meet their physical needs and to highlight their beauty, but is an expression of their personality and cultural identity.  The brand is promoting sustainability through garments that are not mass produced but instead a few pieces are l...

Michelle is a member of the Greek American Folklore Society based in Astoria, Queens. Michelle was born in Los Angeles, grew up in Athens, with roots in Volos, then moved to San Diego at the age of eight. She proudly both Greek and Filipina but for the purposes of this podcast will focus on the Greek American experience. After moving to the US she found community in the St Spyridon Greek Orthodox...

Haralambos (Harry) Koutroumanis was born and raised in Tampa, FL, and moved to Charlotte, NC, in 2023 after graduating from the University of Florida in Gainesville with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Finance. His folk dance research primarily focuses on the island of Crete. Harry gained interest in Greek folk music and dance through the Cretan Sillogo of Clearwater in 2017, and also began da...