Patti's Blog - Advocate for Elders, People with Disabilities and Their Families

Greek Dance 2009-2010

TO:                      ST. NICHOLAS OPA DANCERS & PARENTS
FROM:                 ST. NICHOLAS DANCE GROUP INSTRUCTORS                
RE:                      DANCING 2009-2010
DATE:                 September 2009

Well…it is that time again to start planning  our Greek Dance Program. Last year’s performances at OPA Fest were a huge success and this year we will strive for even more entertainment, talent and great new dances. A great big THANK YOU!  To everyone who participated at OPA FEST!

We will begin our Greek dance lessons program in January 2010. We will kick off our dance program with our annual Greek Dance Retreat. We are still working on the details, but will let you know once we have everything finalized. We are tentatively planning to bring back the instructors from the DORA STRATOU DANCE THEATRE from Greece, like last year.

In order to accommodate our new caterer and their schedule, we will be moving our dance practice to Tuesdays this year. We will begin our registration campaign in November and December 2009 to prepare us for our exciting new program in 2010.  Once we collect all the registration forms, we will then begin to configure the dance teams.

Even though our large group of dancers have not been rehearsing, our high school and college team have been performing all summer long. They performed at the Assumption Festival, St. George Festival and some private functions as well. We have quite a few upcoming performances as well…                 

·        October 3, 2009                

Mid Afternoon      All World Market, Southfield hosted by  The International Institute of Detroit

·        October 4, 2009                

Mid Afternoon      Holy Cross Dinner Dance        

·        December 5, 2009             

Mid Afternoon      Noel Nights, DIA 

I am also working with another committee to possibly have some kids try-out for America’s Got Talent program, with an international segment. So we are keeping very busy. If you can believe it , I already have some venues scheduled for 2010.

Please feel free to share this information with our friends and we welcome them to join us for Greek Dance Lessons in 2010. As always please feel free to call me with any questions.

‘OPA!

Tina Souphis

Maria Menounos's Greek Christmas

Patti's Comments:  As you know I am Greek, and I love our holiday celebrations - apparently I am not the only one!

From People.com: (click for entire article)

Food was very important," says Maria Menounos of her family's Christmas gatherings, which typically began with mass in their hometown of Medford, Mass., the night before. "It didn't matter where we were financially; the holidays were the holidays. Weeks before, we would start making pastries."

Why I am proud to be Greek

Patti's Comments:  And people think I should be embarrassed by my loud laugh!

Why I am proud to be Greek:

Because nights in Greece finish in the morning.
Because we drink our coffee slowly and not in "gulps".
Because flirting is our national pastime.
Because we go out almost every night, even if we are penniless.
Because we respect our Grandmothers sometimes more than our wives.
Because we know how to "spend" better than we know how to "save".
Because we never visit others empty-handed...we bring a cake or a bottle of wine.
Because we do not share the cost of gasoline with those traveling with us.
Because the word "filotimo" (helping someone because it is the right thing to do) doesn't exist in any other language.
Because whenever foreigners cannot find a word, they bloody steal one of ours!
Because we always make it, albeit in the last moment.
Because we love and hate with passion.
Because we spend our bad and low times with our friends and family; not with therapists and counselors.
Because Socrates, Plato, and Aristo tle were Hellenic and we still quote them!
Because we invented the theatre.
Because we gave birth to Democracy.
Because we jump-started science.
Because we are proud of our culture, not of our wars.
Because when we were building the Parthenon, the others were still sleeping under trees.
Because when others created wars, we created the Olympic Games to stop wars.
Because we don't use ketchup or mayonnaise with our food!
Because we get angry quickly, but forget about it even more quickly.
Because Greek men are not ashamed to cry.
Because we dance when we are sad and party when we are happy.
Because we work to live and we do not live to work.
Because 97% of the cosmic stars are named after Hellenics.
Because although we know danger well, we dare.
Because when you shout "adelfi" (brother) in the streets, everyone turns around.
Because "Greeks do not fight like heroes; heroes fight like Greeks."  (Winston Churchill, 1941)
Because we speak loudly and laugh even louder!
WHAT MORE IS THERE TO SAY?   No one will love you more deeply than a Greek.

Yia sas!

Our Greek Story

And on a personal note...

From Malista.com:

Besides the movies "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and "Moonstruck" - (both of which I love and think give a glimpse of what it is like to grow up in a Greek family) - I thought this documentary might be of some interest to our Greek friends, and especially all the patient non-Greek boys that married us Greek girls, and you know who you all are!