Choros (dance)

The word Horos is a derivative of the name Horus who is the Egyptian Sun God born to Isis and Osiris. Horos and Horus represent the SUN.

Horus was often the ancient Egyptians' national patron god. He was usually depicted as a falcon-headed man wearing the pschent, or a red and white crown, as a symbol of kingship over the entire kingdom of Egypt.

Horos, khoros, choros (χορός) means "dance" in Greek language. This word occurs in the names of numerous Greek dances, which may be literally translated as "dance of..." or "dance from...". Sometimes the word may be omitted, e.g., both "Hasapikos choros" ("Dance of butchers") and Hasapiko may be seen in use.

In Ancient Greece dance and song were inseparable parts of celebration and theatre. In fact the word choir originates from "choros" as well (see Greek chorus).

A chorostasi

Many Greek villages have a flat place chorostasi/horostasi (Χοροστάσι) where dances, weddings and other events take place. The term chorostasi denotes "threshing floor", i.e., the place where the threshing of wheat was done, and after the end of harvesting it was clean and empty and hence a natural place for celebration. Therefore it is claimed that chorostasi gave both the name choros and the circular arrangement of the movement in the dance.

The dances Horo (Bulgaria) and Hora (Romania) (both from Balkans), and Horon altogether with horos have an ancient origin.

See also

• Horus
• Khoreia.
• List of dances sorted by ethnicity