Sousta is the name of a folk dance in Cyprus and Crete which and generally in the Balkans region. The music is generally played with a lyre (lyra) (Cretan & Pontian) (or violin), laouto, and mandolin.There are elements of eroticism and courtship acted out in the dance, which is usually performed by pairs of men and women dancing opposite. Another form is where all the dancers in a row follow the first dancer who moves in complex patterns. Almost every island of Aegean has a sousta dance.
The origins of sousta come from the ancient pyrrhichios, a martial dance of Greece. Sousta is a very lively dance performed by both men and women in a circle to portray the spirit of community. During certain parts of the dance men dance alone and women dance alone, each demonstrating the virtues of their sex appreciated and respected in the Cypriot / Greek society – Women show grace and men show strength.
