There are more than 2,000 Greek dances, which exhibit common regional characteristics, but can also differ greatly from village to village, especially in mountainous regions (which is also reflected in the costumes). Usually, open circle dances with a variety of arm positions are danced, whereby there are also partner dances and line dances. Various classical depictions show that dance was already practiced in antiquity and has retained characteristic traits until the present day—the extent to which an unbroken depiction of this is possible remains to be seen. Various institutions throughout the world and the Dora-Stratou-Theater in Athens, which identifies itself as a living museum, have taken on the task of researching the dances in the villages, recording them on film, and practicing them in theater dance groups to preserve them. Playing a crucial role in this are the preservation and representation of the dance context, the history, and the costumes.
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