ASTORIA – Sometimes you choose your family, and sometimes your family chooses you. No matter how your family comes together, there is something indescribable that pulls you together, through hard times and good times, laughter and tears, births and deaths. The Greek American Folklore Society (GAFS) has been maintaining this family through traditional Greek dance and folkloric arts in the heart of Astoria, Queens, for the last 41 years. On March 16, GAFS celebrated this accomplishment at their annual dance. The program began with mezedes and wine, followed by a buffet dinner and desserts. GAFS expressed their thanks to the Buccaneer Diner and Mediterranean Foods for their generous donations as they have supported the organization for many years.

The audience beamed with pride as the youngest dancers took the dance floor, and they were further amazed as a seemingly endless line of the adult dance group entered the stage. The group could not do it without the leadership of Vaia Allagiani, and the tireless work of all the volunteers.

After the performance, the dance floor remained full all night with dancing by the entire community as the capable musicians played until the morning hours.

Music was provided by Aetos Entertainment and guest musicians, featuring Yiannis Mandas on Cretan lyra, Mixalis Mavroudis on laouto, Yiannis Kiriazis on bouzouki, Yiannis Balkis on keyboards, Christos Tiktapanidis on Pontian lyra, Dimitris Stefanidis on lyra/daouli, and joining from Greece on clarinet was Yiannis Margaritiadis. They played songs from Crete, Pontos, Epirus, the Dodecanese, Ikaria, as well as modern laika, tsiftentelia and zeibekika.

GAFS invites everyone to join them at their weekly dance practices or at a future event.

More information is available online: https://www.greekamericanfolkloresociety.org/