Summary:
Customs, traditions, music and dance are an important cultural element for the identity of each place, while at the same time they are deeply rooted in the consciousness of the whole society. However, as everything evolves, people's needs, habits and capabilities change, which brings about transformations in various areas of life, including the music and dance tradition of the place. The aim of this study is to investigate the transformation of the music and dance tradition of the island of Corfu during the period 1945-2024 in the context of the fair. More specifically, an attempt is made to analyse the transformation of the music and dance tradition in the context of the fair on the island of Corfu in the light of its temporal definition, its geographical orientation, as well as its social context and functional environment. The data collection is carried out based on the principles of field ethnographic research in dance under the terms of "participatory observation", the analysis of ethnographic data based on the concepts of "participatory" and "performative" dance, and the interpretation through "dense description" and the terms "first" and "second existence". Four time periods (1945-1960, 1960-1980, 1980-2000 and 2000-2024) emerged from the results of the research, while the island of Corfu was divided into three sections (North, Middle Corfu and South). Thus, the music and dance repertoire for each period was formed in each geographical area. As has been established, the ability to move from one area to another inside the island, the establishment of a full orchestra, the habitation of the island by no islanders especially in its southern part of the island, and the establishment of cultural associations, played an important role in the formation of the music and dance tradition.
Keywords:
dance ethnography, Greek traditional dance, the existences of dance, participatory and presentational dance and dance event
