Ionian Islands

Location

The culture of the Ionian Islands, influenced by conquerors with a higher cultural level compared to the Turks who dominated the rest of Greece, was never interrupted. On the contrary, it experienced great development while the rest of the country was in the darkness of ignorance. This cultural flowering was expressed mainly in the literature, painting and music of the Ionian Islands.

The dance and music style of the Ionian Islands stands out strongly from that of other regions, even the Aegean. In the Ionian Islands, the dancers maintain the “light” style found in the Greek islands, but the grace and elegance are much more evident, both in men and women. This is mainly due to the general Venetian influence exerted by the islands.

The Western, and especially the Italian influence, also marked the music of the Ionian Islands. The Ionian cantada, which is completely different from the traditional folk songs of the rest of Greece, is based on the structure and melody inspired by Italian music. At a time when musical activity in Turkish-occupied Greece was almost non-existent, the first Greek art music appeared in the Ionian Islands, creating a tradition that formed the foundation for modern Greek music.

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Dances

Explore traditional Greek dances