Posts

The Zonaradikos is a traditional Greek dance from the region of Thrace in northeastern Greece,  and it’s always a favorite among our Omilo students!

During our intensive summer courses on the Greek islands, the Greek dance lesson is a highlight of the afternoon activities. Whether you’re eager to join in and learn the steps yourself, or prefer to relax with a glass of wine while watching your fellow students dance to lively Greek music, it’s always an enjoyable and memorable experience.

It’s no secret that Greeks love to dance, and every region of Greece has its own unique style of traditional dances.

Island dances are typically joyful and rhythmic, often reflecting the gentle flow of the sea.
In contrast, Cretan dances are known for their speed and complexity,
while dances from the mountainous mainland tend to be slower and more grounded, with a heavier feel.

One particularly distinctive category comes from Thrace, in northeastern Greece.
A great example is the Zonaradikos ; a lively and much-loved dance that continues to bring people together, both in villages and on the dance floor during our Omilo programs.

The origin of the Zonaradikos

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If you’re learning Greek and love Greek music, the film Eftihia is a must-see! This moving biopic offers a unique opportunity to discover the life and legacy of one of Greece’s most influential female lyricists, Eftihia Papagiannopoulou. Watching this film is not only a great way to enjoy Greek cinema but also to deepen your understanding of Greek culture and enrich your vocabulary.

Who Was Eftihia Papagiannopoulou?

Eftihia Papagiannopoulou (1893–1972) was one of the most important female figures in the Greek music scene. She wrote lyrics for hundreds of laika and rebetika songs, many of which remain popular today and are still performed in tavernas, concerts, and festivals all over Greece.

She was born in Aydin, near Smyrna (modern-day Izmir) in Asia Minor, and fled to Greece after the destruction of Smyrna in 1922. Arriving in Athens with her two daughters, she would eventually become a beloved, though often underrecognized, figure in Greek music history.

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Mariza Rizou’s  Greek summer melodies, blend together nostalgic retro vibes and elements from jazz, swing, folk, pop and Latin music. A beautiful and ideal mix, to enjoy in a holiday setting.

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Did you ever experience a Winter in Greece?  Many people think it is always summer in Greece, but this Winter Song, proves it wrong.
It might be not a known Greek Song, but the singer D. Savvopoulos is  very known !

Not all songs need to be about love, or the pain not to be loved… :-).  And not all songs always tell you the truth!

For example, the big hit “It is never cold in Greece“/ Δεν κάνει κρύο στην Ελλάδα” is a very popular song…but does it tell you the truth ?

At Omilo, we know better, and we have experienced several winters in Greece! Not only in the mountains, but also in Athens…
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Learning Greek songs is always a popular activity during the 1- and 2 week  Omilo  courses.
There is a reason why we named our Greek Programs “Omilo Greek Language and Culture“, back in 1996!
There is no language without culture, and at Omilo the culture is as important as the language!
One of the activities usually incorporated in our intensive 1- and 2-week programs are “Learning Greek songs”.
Many students learning Greek, started their Greek Language Journey by listening to Greek music.
Greek music is very diverse, and there are many different styles. Impossible to get bored with Greek music!

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A Greek Rebetiko song by Tsitsanis, brings us some decennia back in time, but stays also very contemporary.
Greeks, whenever they were facing difficulties, which is still something happening very often, have found a way to overcome and even to celebrate!
The following Rebetiko song,  by known composer Vassilis Tsitsanis, is an example of how Greeks deal with difficulties!

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Mikis Theodorakis (1925-2021), is one of the most important Greek composers known abroad.

He has composed thousands of Greek songs, (mostly Laika and Entechno style),  symphonic music, music for operas, ballet, and chamber music, etc..

To read more about his life and career, click here.

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Since 2005 Omilo welcomes every summer many students from all over the world on the island of Syros.
Our students have three things in common: they love Greek culture, they want to learn the Greek language and they want to explore the “real Greece”.
For that reason, we chose to organize our summer courses in Syros.  

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Valentine day became the international day for romance, but in fact, any time of the year, is a good time, to listen to Greek Love Songs or a Love story! Do you agree?
In general, Greeks are romantic! And this reflects in many love songs or real love stories…
Let’s take a look…

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Yiannis Ritsos is one of the most famous and internationally acknowledged Greek poets, with many of his works having been translated and published in many languages.
He worked tirelessly and his output was enormous; he has published more than one hundred poems and poetry collections as well as some novels, plays, articles, and translations.
Today, Ritsos is considered one of the great Greek poets of the twentieth century, alongside Constantine P. Cavafy, Kostas Kariotakis, Angelos Sikelianos, Giorgos Seferis, and Odysseas Elytis. Let’s have a closer look into his life and work.

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