PANCRETAN GATHERING, MAY 26, 2007

The Pancretan Association of America, Pseloretes Chapter of Detroit, know how to throw a party.  Over the Memorial Day weekend, they celebrated their annual get together with food, friendship, music, and above all, dance. 

With a mission to promote and develop social ethnic and cultural relationships and mutuality among all Cretans and their descendants residing in the United States and Canada, the Pancretan Association is also committed to inspiring and encouraging good citizenship and offering moral encouragement and assistance to members when needed.

At their Madison Heights chapter, Saturday May 26th, the group came together in a joy of life celebration, something at the core of Cretans throughout the world.  After rousing words from several speakers, and a phenomenal meal, the dancing began.  These are traditional dances (some dating back to Minoan Crete, representing the elements of the fast-moving sea and the wild nature of the Cretan mountains), sensual, sensitive and disciplined, where young and old come together to revel in the pentozali, the syrtos, the sousta, and the liveliest of all, the pidikto wherein a leading male dancer leaps in the air, hitting his thigh and boots, supported only by a handkerchief held by a second dancer.  The method of movement, supported by the Cretan lyre, is very much an example of the closeness of the Cretan people.

This was also seen in the recent birthday celebration of 93-year-old Diana Verykokakis, where friends and family gathered to pay honor to this marvelous woman.