Village fairs (panigyria), dance and social groups in the village of Faraklita, Kefalonia, Greece

The aim of this project is to understand the small community of Faraklata, a village on the Ionian island of Kefalonia, Greece, by studying the village fairs (community festivities in honour of individual saints) of Agia Paraskevi and Profiti Ilia and their dance practice. Dance constitutes a major element of the village fairs. The observation of the dancers at each fair leads unavoidably to the question: to which social group do they belong to. The participation of inter-families in the village fair and the dances that take place, reveal a coexistence and competition between two social groups as defined by their family origins.