In Pogoni, people dance for what pains them, for what they long for… and for all those who are absent. The Pogoni dance is a kind of mystagogy, expressed in the native land of the Pogoniots through the Doric costume and the dancers’ austere expression.

The people of Pogoni have managed to preserve memory through tradition, passing it down to younger generations as a sacred legacy. All of this has contributed to making the Pogoni dance the foundation for every dance motif.

The music of Pogoni is equally austere, aiming to convey the mood of charmolypi (a blend of joy and sorrow). The social position, especially that of women, is also expressed through dance, distinctive costumes, and demeanor, always guided by the principle of equality within the community.

The workshop will cover the most characteristic dances of the Pogoni region, offering a brief historical overview as well as a semiological analysis of the Pogoni costume.

Tasos Tziakos is a graduate of the Department of Informatics at the University of Ioannina.

He currently serves as President of the Paliopyrgos Community in the Municipality of Pogoni, from where he also hails. He is also the President of the Union of Pogoniotes of Epirus.

For many years, he has been a dancer with the Lyceum of Greek Women in Ioannina.

He has conducted numerous seminars focusing on Pogoni (Dance, Music, Costume) for various cultural and dance associations both in the Ioannina region and throughout Greece (Attica, Evrytania, Achaia, etc.).