r/greekmusic

Hello! I am 100 percent Greek and I am getting married to a man who is not Greek. We have decided to have an American Dj instead of a Greek Dj but we want Greek music. We went with an American DJ so my fiancée and his family would not feel isolated at the wedding and it feels more like a Greek event instead of a blended cultures event.

Can you help me come up with the best playlist for Greek music for the wedding. I want to be able to teach the dances to him before the wedding so when they come on he knows exactly what dance we will be dancing!

I need help coming up with songs and the dances that go with the song.

When I’m at a Greek dance I know the song just by listening to it not by the title and I pick up the dance quickly just from muscle memory. I am embarrassed to ask Greek friends just because of the shame of “ not being Greek enough” ( not sure if anyone can relate lol)

Thank you so much! ( write a tldr for a Reddit post )

TL;DR: I’m Greek, my fiancé is not, and we’re using an American DJ for our wedding. I need help creating a Greek wedding playlist with the correct dance for each song so I can teach him beforehand. I recognize the songs and dances by hearing them, but I don’t know many of the titles!

Update: thank you for the help already! Some things I forgot to mention originally:

-both sides of my family is from Karystos, Evia. But I’m not looking for traditional dances from Karystos rather Greek songs that most Greek Americans can recognize and dance to!

- a greek American Dj is something we looked into that can play Greek and American pop music but we could not find one and went went with an American DJ so I have no other option but to make a playlist. I agree that would have been ideal but not what I am able to do!

Here is what I have so far:

Kalamatiano

* Orea Pou Einai seems like the most fitting

Ikariotiko

* Agapi Mou Stin Ikaria

Hasaposerviko/Sirtaki or some other fast-paced style

* Can’t find any songs that I recognize on Spotify yet, so suggestions would be amazing!

Zeibekiko

* Den Thelo Tetious Filous

Tsifteteli

* More modern, so then we can transition into American pop music

Ίσως ο πιο ιδιαίτερος χορός της Καλύμνου είναι ο Μηχανικός.

Κάποτε , πολλοί κάτοικοι της Καλύμνου ήταν σφουγγαράδες. Βουτούσαν με τη βοήθεια του Σκάφανδρου.

Η χρήση Σκαφάνδρου , όταν γίνεται χωρίς προσοχή μπορεί να προκαλέσει τη λεγόμενη " νόσο των δυτών ". Συμπτώματα της νόσου των δυτών είναι η τοπική παράλυση σε μέρος των ποδιών.

Θεματολογία του χορού του μηχανικού είναι η δυσκολία με την οποία περπατάνε οι παθόντες από τη νόσο. Ο ένας χορευτής μιμείται τις κινήσεις του μηχανικού , ενώ κάποιος άλλος το φίλο του που το σηκώνει και το βοηθάει να περπατήσει.

Χορεύεται από τη δεκαετία του 1940/50 στη Κάλυμνο. Τότε ενώ μεν έμαθαν τη χρήση του Σκάφανδρου το οποίο ήταν πολύ βολικότερο σε σχέση με τη σκανδαλόπετρα που χρησιμοποιούσαν πριν. Όμως οι νησιώτες είχαν άγνοια των κανόνων ασφαλείας οπότε πάρα πολλοί ήταν εκείνοι που " τη πάτησαν " από τη νόσο των δυτών.