The senior dancing group of the Cretan Association of Sydney & New South Wales made a lasting impression on the Greek island of Crete this month.
The dancing group, along with their teacher Paul Spanoudakis and Cretan Association President Emmanuel Vitetzakis, were on Crete from June 30 to July 7 as part of a special trip.
During the week, the Cretan youth drew large crowds at iconic spots on the island as they performed traditional Cretan dances in their new ‘stoles’ (dancing costumes).
Local band Viglatores Chania organised for the dancing group to perform at the Old Harbour in Chania, at Anogia Rethymno, Elafonissi, and Seita Limani, as well as during numerous panigiria, music shows and even a traditional strata.
Mr Spanoudakis wrote on Facebook that he was incredibly proud of his students.
“I know how much effort they put in each and every week and it definitely showed in each of their performances in Crete as they mesmerised all that watched,” he wrote.
The group has now joined the Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand on a 14 day tour of Athens and Crete.
So far on their tour, the youth have travelled to Salamina – one of Greece’s largest naval bases – and enjoyed a concert by Greek singer, Konstantinos Argiros.
In Athens, they have also had a private tour of the Hellenic Presidential Palace, where they met with Greece’s President Katerina Sakellaropoulou.
Later, the group visited the Hellenic Presidential Guard Evzones headquarters, followed by a visit to the Acropolis Museum, the Parthenon and Panathinaiko Stadium.
