By Peter Tantalos.
Celebrating an end to the year that was, the Greek Orthodox Community of SA (GOCSA) Dance Academy hosted their inaugural 2023 Glendi at the GOCSA Olympic Hall on Saturday, December 2.
The sold-out event, titled “ΣΤΗΝ ΥΓΕΙΑ ΣΑΣ – A Traditional Glendi,” was a traditional paniyiri style event providing attendees an edifying night of traditional Greek music and cultural richness.
The main highlight of the evening was the traditional band, featuring an ensemble of accomplished Greek musicians from Melbourne.
This included Zois Tzikas (Percussion, Davul), Katerina Stevens (Violin), George Athanasakos (Clarinet), Joseph Tsombanopoulos (Gaida, Kavali, Vocals), Stav Thomopoulos (Vocals), George Kiriakidis (Trumpet, Accordion), and Tony Iliou (Laouto).
The cultural repertoire of the interstate band was vast, embracing the essence of traditional Hellenistic culture, spanning from mainland Greece, through to the Greek islands and onto the coast of Asia Minor.
The GOCSA Academy, established in 1980, enjoys the reputation as one of the longest running and successful dance schools in Australia. The academy focuses on training students in the traditional folk style dancing, preserving the Greek culture for past, current and future generations of Australian Greeks.
During the event, GOCSA Dance Academy Coordinator, Hellas Lucas, expressed gratitude to everyone in contributing to the preservation of Greek culture through the academy – from the students, parents, teachers, and the artistic director of the academy, Yianni Oikonomou.
In the spirit of commemorating the dance academy’s growth and success in 2023, the younger members of the academy were presented with achievement certificates. These certificates recognised their dedication to pursuing their cultural connection and their commitment to learning Greek dances and customs.
Following the awards ceremony, the young students, brimming with cultural pride, showcased a selection of their learnings from the year and performed three cultural dances supported by the live band.
Reflecting on GOCSA’s strong youth foundation, Hellas remarked that, “Our events always attract a lot of young people and it is pleasing to see that second, third and even fourth generation of Greek Australians [are] still maintaining Greek traditions and culture through dancing.”
Once formalities concluded, the lights dimmed and the band sprung to life, inviting attendees to the embrace their cultural tradition and engage in a night of dancing and celebration.
The prevailing sentiment of the evening was one of deep enchantment, not only for the immersive cultural experience of live music and dancing but also for the joyous coming together of family and friends to celebrate 2023 and the successes of GOCSA’s dance academy.
If you would like to enquire about the GOCSA Dance Academy please follow the link here or contact Hellas Lucas at 0407 617 967.
*All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Peter Tantalos.
