Each January, during Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, Greek parishes across the United States converge for the Hellenic Dance Festival, a distinctive competition that preserves cultural heritage through performance. This year, students from St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox team demonstrated exceptional skill and commitment to tradition.
The annual festival requires parish dance groups to prepare two performance sets representing dances and customs from specific regions of Greece. Participants compete within age-based categories, judged on technical execution and cultural authenticity.
Three specialized awards recognize excellence before overall rankings are determined. The costume award honors groups that incorporate authentic traditional garments from their chosen Greek region. The vocal award recognizes the most authentic singing within each category. The folk expression award celebrates the most compelling presentation of Greek cultural traditions on stage. Following these distinctions, groups receive overall placements of platinum, gold, silver, or bronze.
St. Nicholas Tarpon Springs fielded multiple successful teams this year. The parish’s “Asteria” ensemble, captured both the folk expression and costume awards for their age category. Their presentation of the “Afousis” dance and song earned them bronze placement overall.
Meanwhile, the parish’s presence extended beyond Tarpon Springs. Ms. Glynatsis, dancing with the “Αφιέρωμα” troupe representing St. Elizabeth Greek Orthodox Church in Gainesville, helped secure the folk expression award for their “Θανάσης” dance performance. That group achieved platinum status in their category.
The Hellenic Dance Festival serves a purpose beyond competition. It creates space to engage with Greek heritage, learning traditional movements, songs, and customs that connect to generations of Greek culture. We are so proud of our students and all the participants in this event.
Plato Academy Tarpon Springs participating students:
Matrona Anapliotis – 5th grade,
Zoi Konstantinidis-Kokalidis – 5h grade,
Kostas Kokkinidis – 6th grade,
Eleni McNeal – 5th grade,
Kalliope Papadopoulos – 4th grade,
Dementra MacConnel, a 4th grade student from Plato Academy Trinity participated with the team of St. George Greek Orthodox Church in New Port Richey that won the bronze medal award,
and,
Ms. Niki Glynatsis (our middle school social studies teacher at Plato Tarpon Springs).
