Evia (Euboea)

This second largest (though little-known) Greek island, lies parallel to the mainland of Attica, to which it was once joined. The syrtos-ballos dances are performed here, with local variations in the steps. One type of syrtos danced here, the Kavodoritikos, is always performed to the tune of the same name, which derives from an area in the sea to the south of this long island, known as 'Cavo Doro', where a strange vortex of currents is known to have beleaguered many ships. It is danced with the crossed handhold known as 'stavroto', mentioned above. Violin and laouto are the main traditional instruments. Yiorgos Koros, one of Greece's best known violinists, comes from Evia, and is famous for his virtuosity and ability to play music in many regional Greek styles. Both his recording of Kavodoritiko and of the Skopos tou Gamou (or Patinadha tou Gamou)-a famous wedding tune played on many islands with different variations on each-are exceptional, and include the santouri among the instruments. They also include the toumbeleki (dumbek, or goblet shaped lap drum), a percussion instrument used increasingly in recordings of various kinds of traditional Greek music (though not included in most earlier recordings, and not part of the island tradition).