What is "hasapiko"

The hasapiko (, , meaning “the butcher's [dance]” from “ butcher”) is a Greek folk dance from Constantinople. The dance originated in the Middle Ages as a battle mime with swords performed by the Greek butchers guild, which adopted it from the military of Byzantine era. In Constantinople during the Byzantine times, it was called in Greek μακελλάρικος χορός (''makellárikos horós, ''"butcher's dance", from μακελλάρioς “butcher”). Some Greeks, however, reserve the latter term only for the fast version of the dance.

The slow version of the dance is called χασάπικο βαρύ / χασάπικος βαρύς (''hasapiko vary ''or ''hasapikos varys, ''"heavy hasapiko") and generally employs a meter. The fast version of the dance uses a meter. It is variously called γρήγορο χασάπικο (grigoro hasapiko, "quick hasapiko"), μακελλάριος χορός (makellarios horos), χασαποσέρβικο (hasaposerviko), the last two terms in reference to Serbian and other Balkan influences on this version of the dance.

Hasapiko served as one of the bases for the Sirtaki.