Mykonos is often defined by celebrity sightings and endless parties, but beneath the glamour lies a deeply rooted cultural heritage. On Palm Sunday, the island’s Old Port transformed into a stage for the 15th annual celebration of the Mykonian Hasapiko—a dance that serves as a living pulse of local identity. Dancers of all ages linked shoulder-to-shoulder, forming a human chain that moved with leventia (proud grace).
Unlike the standard version of the dance, the Mykonian Hasapiko is distinguished by its intricate footwork and demanding synchronization.
At the center of this revival is Giannis Vlasopoulos, a professional dancer and Mykonos native who teaches the craft pro bono. For Vlasopoulos, this is an act of resistance against the tide of rapid tourism; it is a way to ensure the island’s traditions aren’t lost to time.
Supported by the municipality and local media like Mykonos Live TV, the event officially signaled the start of the tourist season with a powerful reminder: Mykonos remembers its roots.
Hasapiko on Mykonos and throughout Greece
The name hasapiko is derived from the Turkish word kasap (butcher). It originated in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) during the Byzantine period and was originally a dance performed by the members of the Butchers’ Guild of Constantinople.
Historically, it was not a mere social dance but a mimetic war dance. The butchers would use meat cleavers or swords to simulate combat movements, moving in tight synchronization. These movements were meant to demonstrate martial prowess and readiness for battle, often performed in a rhythmic, measured cadence that allowed the dancers to act as a unified, impenetrable block.
The most famous version of hasapiko is syrtaki. Created in 1964 for the film Zorba the Greek, the Syrtaki combines the slow, heavy steps of the classic hasapiko with the accelerating tempo of the hasaposerviko.
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