‘Antikristi’ (Dances facing each other)

Dances include men’s dances, women’s, mixed and solo with show of talent, comic, playful etc
In the men’s dance category, the most known are the men’s ‘antikristi’ - called ‘kartzilamades’ (from the turkish word karşı which means opposite, facing each - other). ‘Kartzilamades’ are dancing suites, which are one of the most representative kind of dances in the cypriot repertoire, and they consist of five parts or moves that have the names: first, second, third, fourth and mpalos; these moves apply to both men’s and women’s dancing suites

Men’s ‘antikristi’ dances are more lively and give the chance to the dancers to show their artistic and physical abilities, both in dancing and in singing. They are danced by two persons, who are placed “provocatively” opposite each other, since this dance is competitive; the two dancers wanted to show which of them has more manliness, gumption and artistic interpretation. At the third ‘antikristo’ the dancers beside their dancing abilities, had to sing two-verse songs (called ‘distiha’), for a specific subject which are known as ‘tsiattismata’.

The women’s ‘antikristi’ are characterized by their modesty and their subtle moves. They are danced by two women that stand opposite each other and move their hands in a way that suggests they are sewing or making crochet. The third woman’s dance is also the wedding couple’s dance; the new weds danced this dance in honor of the wedding guest on the last night of the wedding feast. During the time that the couple was dancing, the musicians were singing appraisal, wishful and supportive songs, where the quests were ‘giving’ money to the couple (‘ploumizo’) either by hanging notes on the bride’s dress or the groom’s costume or by putting money in a tray - plate.
[ Source: Αβέρωφ, Γεώργιος: Τα δημοτικά τραγούδια και οι λαϊκοί χοροί της Κύπρου. Λευκωσία, Πολιτιστικό Ίδρυμα Τραπέζης Κύπρου, 1989. ]