It was a nice surprise when the students of I.T.A.S.S. welcomed us with songs! Listen to an aspiring singer!
Keep smiling, keep shining!
When the Greek eTwinning group arrived in L' Aquila, the students welcomed us with a beautiful song "That's what friends are for". Now we want to tell them to 'keep smiling, keep shining'.
A song written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager
THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR
Lyrics
And I never thought I'd feel this way
And as far as I'm concerned
I'm glad I got the chance to say
That I do believe I love you
And if I should ever go away
Well, then close your eyes and try to feel
The way we do today
And then if you can remember
Keep smilin', keep shinin'
Knowin' you can always count on me, for sure
That's what friends are for
For good times and bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for
Well, you came and opened me
And now there's so much more I see
And so by the way I thank you
Whoa, and then for the times when we're apart
Well, then close your eyes and know
These words are comin' from my heart
And then if you can remember, oh
Keep smiling, keep shining
Knowing you can always count on me, for sure
That's what friends are for
In good times, in bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
Oh, that's what friends are for
Whoa... oh... oh... keep smilin', keep shinin'
Knowin' you can always count on me, for sure
That's what friends are for
For good times and bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for
Keep smilin', keep shinin'
Knowin' you can always count on me, oh, for sure
'Cause I tell you that's what friends are for
For good times and for bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for (That's what friends are for)
On me, for sure
That's what friends are for
Keep smilin', keep shinin'
Earthquake in L' Aquila
ReutersWe were shocked and devastated about what happened in L' Aquila! The news about the terrible earthquake that hit the city of our friends went around the school from mouth to mouth. It was just a week ago that we were all together in L' Aquila, going around the city and visiting the places that were now in rubble. We tried to find out whether our friends were OK. When we found out they were alive, we were relieved but we can't stop worrying about them. We know they were going through a hard time.
Dear friends
We are so sorry! You have lost friends and relatives in the earthquake, your homes are in ruins. We are sending you our sympathy and we want to do anything that will help you. We know what it is like to suffer from an earthquake, because Greece is a country with many earthquakes, too. We hope your everyday life will soon come back to normal. We are thinking of you all the time!
Kalamatianos
'Kalamatianos' is a folk dance which is danced at every social gathering in Greece. Its name means a dance from Kalamata, a town in Peloponese, but it can be found all over Greece. Both men and women dance in an open circle and the style depends upon the music to which it is being performed. It has 12 basic steps and the metre is 7/8. A handkerchief may be held between the lead and the second dancer. The leader may also improvise on the basic steps by adding turns, spins and other variations.
Matina and Nada
Matina and Nada
Syrtos - Ballos
'Ballos' is the typical island dance in Greece. Its melody is generally joyous and lyrical, expressing the people of the Aegean islands. The name 'ballos' comes from the Italian word 'ballo' meaning dance. There is a reason for this. Between the 13th and 16th centuries, the Aegean islands belonged to several western European families or cities, like Venice, after the conquest of the capital of the Byzantine Empire, Constantinople by the Crusaders. During this time 'Ballos' came to life.
'Ballos' always follows 'Syrtos' dance, which is of Greek origin. First the dancers move in an open circle holding hands, like in 'Kalamatianos', then they break in couples. When the couple is a man and a woman, 'Ballos' becomes a ritual and is a way of flirting.
The traditional musical instruments that accompany island dances are the violin, the lute and a kind of drum.
Matina and Nada
'Ballos' always follows 'Syrtos' dance, which is of Greek origin. First the dancers move in an open circle holding hands, like in 'Kalamatianos', then they break in couples. When the couple is a man and a woman, 'Ballos' becomes a ritual and is a way of flirting.
The traditional musical instruments that accompany island dances are the violin, the lute and a kind of drum.
Matina and Nada
Hasapiko
This is a traditional Greek dance. The name comes from a word meaning 'butcher', because it was a dance of the members of the butchers' guild during Byzantine times. It is performed in a straight line. The musical instrument that is gives the rhythme is the bouzouki. There are similar dances in other countries: 1) 'Kasapsko Horo' in Bulgaria, 2) 'Kasapsko Kolo' in Serbia, 3) 'Arkan' in Ukrania', 4) 'Hora' in Israel and 5) 'Debke' in Arabia.
'Hasapiko' served as a base for 'Syrtaki', when it was shown in the well-known 1964 film "Zorba the Greek". 'Syrtaki' is a mixture of 'Hasapiko' and 'Syrtos'. You can watch a scene from the film with Anthony Quinn and Alan Bates dancing here
Matina and Nada
'Hasapiko' served as a base for 'Syrtaki', when it was shown in the well-known 1964 film "Zorba the Greek". 'Syrtaki' is a mixture of 'Hasapiko' and 'Syrtos'. You can watch a scene from the film with Anthony Quinn and Alan Bates dancing here
Matina and Nada
Break the Ice
Ismini, Stavroula, Evita, Caterina, Angela and Eleftheria prepared a modern dance routine to welcome our Italian guests. Alexandros made this video. Enjoy it!
The Greek National Holiday
On 25th March, Greek people celebrate their national holiday. It commemorates the beginning of our War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution, against the Ottoman Empire in 1821. It was a long and bloody struggle and it lasted till 1829. Finally, in 1832, Greece or Hellas became an independent state, the first nation among the peoples of the Ottoman Empire.
Due to Greece's classical heritage, there was tremendous sympathy for the Greek cause throughout Europe. Many wealthy Americans and Western European aristocrats took up arms to join the Greek revolutionaries. Many more also financed the revolution. Painters and poets, among them Delacroix and Byron, were inspired by the battles and the Greek bloodshed and depicted the Greeks and the Turks fighting. This movement is called "Philehellenism".
However, there were revolts before 1821. One important figure of the time before the Greek Revolution started was Rigas Feraios, the most influential of the
writers and intellectuals. Deeply influenced by the French Revolution and the Italian Carbonari, he was the first who conceived and organized a national movement aiming at the liberation of all Balkan nations—including the Turks of the region—and the creation of a "Balkan Republic". He published a series of revolutionary articles, but eventually he was arrested by Austrian officials in Trieste in 1797 and was killed. He is depicted in the 1 cent Greek coin.
Our school celebrated our national holiday on 24th March with songs and a theatrical play about Rigas Feraios. Here is a video with parts of the event:
The Greek team
Due to Greece's classical heritage, there was tremendous sympathy for the Greek cause throughout Europe. Many wealthy Americans and Western European aristocrats took up arms to join the Greek revolutionaries. Many more also financed the revolution. Painters and poets, among them Delacroix and Byron, were inspired by the battles and the Greek bloodshed and depicted the Greeks and the Turks fighting. This movement is called "Philehellenism".
However, there were revolts before 1821. One important figure of the time before the Greek Revolution started was Rigas Feraios, the most influential of the
writers and intellectuals. Deeply influenced by the French Revolution and the Italian Carbonari, he was the first who conceived and organized a national movement aiming at the liberation of all Balkan nations—including the Turks of the region—and the creation of a "Balkan Republic". He published a series of revolutionary articles, but eventually he was arrested by Austrian officials in Trieste in 1797 and was killed. He is depicted in the 1 cent Greek coin.Our school celebrated our national holiday on 24th March with songs and a theatrical play about Rigas Feraios. Here is a video with parts of the event:
The Greek team
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