Greek and Balkan dance tunes

On Saturday evening, April 13, at 7:30 p.m., join us for a live music party with a wonderful band from Seattle, Drómeno. The band will start with a concert performance, and continue with numbers from Greece, Macedonia and Bulgaria, definitely meant to be danced to, and dance teacher Thea Huijgen, from Lopez, will be teaching and leading dances during that set to make sure they are.

On Saturday evening, April 13, at 7:30 p.m., join us for a live music party with a wonderful band from Seattle, Drómeno. The band will start with a concert performance, and continue with numbers from Greece, Macedonia and Bulgaria, definitely meant to be danced to, and dance teacher Thea Huijgen, from Lopez, will be teaching and leading dances during that set to make sure they are. Christos Govetas and Ruth Hunter take Greek music to the limit and beyond, with Bulgarian-flavored dance tunes from Thrace, all the way across to the Serbian-style Macedonian tune from the Northwest. Christos brings his authentic voice and earthy clarinet style from his homeland in Eastern Macedonia.

Christos was born in a small town in northern Greek Macedonia called Proti.  He started playing music at the age of 10 – Bob Dylan that is – and before he even spoke English. He moved to the United States in 1978 at the age of 16 and got interested in folk music .

Christos first met Ruth Hunter, at East Coast Camp when it was held at Buffalo Gap over a Labor Day weekend. Magic flared, and they were married in an elaborate traditional village wedding in Christos’ hometown in Greece in the summer of 1995, bringing back many traditions that had not occurred in years (some of them are still being carried on today).

Hunter started her musical career in Santa Cruz as a founding member of the Bulgarian vocal and instrumental girl-group Medna Usta. She brings her long history of Bulgarian singing and accordion playing to the duo.

Christos and Ruth have two children, Eleni and Bobby, who both play music in their band, Drómeno.

Bobby is the drum dude – excellent daouli player (double headed drum – like Bulgarian tupan).  He finally had some lessons last year, though he has already been playing for several years.  He first performed at age nine.  He is also now playing baritone (horn) in school and he has played a trap set (drums) as well.

Drómeno is rounded out with Nick Maroussis on laouto and guitar and Peter Lippman on trumpet for a recipe of an authentic, Balkan-style dance party. The group is equally comfortable playing music from Northern Greece and Albania as well as  Bulgarian and Macedonian dances.

Christos also has been playing music with two local Lopezians – Stanley and Kip Greenthal. One year, Stanley and Kip were playing at the Dusty Strings Christmas party.  Stanley told Christos he was playing Patroula, a song in 11/8 rhythm, and asked if Christos would play drum with them.  Friendship – musical and otherwise – blossomed from there.  Christos has collaborated with Stanley in music from the Balkans, Breton, and also Stanley’s own musical creations. Local dance instructor, Thea Huijgen, is already teaching a series of Balkan dances on Tuesdays at the Lopez Grange. April 13, she will lead the dances played by Drómeno, with brief instruction. She encourages anyone in the audience to give the dancing a try.

Kathy Sandstrom contributed to this article