HOLMDEL — The renowned Hellenic Dancers of New Jersey (HDNJ) will present “Journey to Greece Through Dance,” 3-5 p.m. on Sunday, March 17, at Holmdel High School, 36 Crawfords Corner Road, with a performance of traditional Greek folk dance.
Part one of the program will showcase traditional folk dances of Ionian Islands such as Rouga, Kefalonitikos Syrtos, Lemonia and Zagarakia, and is the first time the troupe is presenting a full suite from this region.
Part two is a “pikilia,” or assortment of folk dances from throughout the Greek world, including Karpathos, Rhodes, Crete, Macedonia, Thrace, Cappadocia and Cyprus. Many of the dances featured are not seen outside of the regions in which they originated.
Proceeds from the performance will support this all-volunteer nonprofit dedicated to preserving Greek culture through presentations of the traditional folk dances of Greece.
All tickets for the event are $20, and will be available at the door. Advance reservations can be made by contacting Cheryl Bontales at 732-796-1006 or [email protected].
This year, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties/Hurricane Sandy Relief and Project Hope for Greece, a project of the Greek American Foundation.
For more than 40 years, the Hellenic Dancers of New Jersey has researched, presented and preserved over 300 folk dances, songs and traditions from mainland Greece, its islands Cyprus and Asia Minor, and passed them on to two generations of Greek Americans. The dance troupe is currently comprised of first-, second-, third- and fourth-generation Greek Americans ranging in age from 16 to 45. For more information about the Hellenic Dancers, contact Arete Bouhlas, publicity coordinator, at 732-236-2108, [email protected] or visit the website www.hellenicdancersofnj.org.