A Neo-Traditional Post-Folklore Revival Movement? The Case of Greece through the Lens of a Folk Dance Club on the Ionian Island of Lefkada

The folklore revival movement in Europe has been variously studied mainly in the former communist countries, but less so in countries such as Greece where scholarly discussion on its possible transformation over time is very limited. My particular aim in this chapter is to study the transformation of the folklore revival movement in Greece, through the lens of a folk dance club on the Ionian island of Lefkada. In spite of its relatively small size and population, Lefkada has a large number of dance clubs, and the distinction of holding the oldest International Folk Dance Festival in Greece since 1962. Both factors are indicative of the extensive presence of the folklore revival movement on the island. This chapter examines the dance performances of 'Apollo of Karya', the island's first dance club which is still operative today, in two examples of folklore festivals over a period of twenty years. The transformation that takes place is suggested to be indicative of the way the folklore revival movement itself might be construed as a tradition. In conclusion, I suggest approaching this transformation as a kind of neo-traditional post-folklore revival movement.