Welcome to the web site of the Modesto Greek Folk Dancers.

The traditional Greek greeting of “Ya’sou!” is extended to you! 

The Modesto Greek Folk Dancers are devoted to the preservation, promotion, and performance of traditional and authentic Greek folk dance, costume, music and traditions.  As a performing arts group, the dancers strive to educate others about the rich diversity of ethnic groups in the Central Valley of California and to support the performing arts.

Music, dance, and other artistic expressions reflect the real experience of a culture.  Dressed in vibrant costumes, accompanied by authentic music, the Modesto Greek Folk Dancers capture the richness and elegance of traditional Greek folk dancing.  The Greek dancers provide a cultural and artistic immersion experience for the audience. 

Their artistry results from extensive research in both Greece and America and from performing award-winning dances learned from Greek and American artisans and scholars in ethnic dance, Byzantine music, and ancient textiles.

The Modesto Greek Folk Dancers preserve the ancestral roots of Greek-Americans through dance. While the highest artistic quality of dance is the core value, the preservation of folk dance, costumes, music, choral elements, and traditions is essential to the group's mission.  These dancers perform traditional Greek folk dances, are accompanied by Greek musicians playing authentically reproduced music on Greek instruments (such as the lyra and the bouzouki), and wear traditional ethnic costumes representative of the various mainland and island regions of Greece.  Often, the performance includes choral presentation by the dancers singing “a cappella” and telling important events in the life of the people. 

 The Modesto Greek Folk Dancers were formed in 1976 with only one group and nine dancers.  Since then, 16 dance groups and several hundred dancers have been part of our program.  Today, there are 7 active groups and 150 dancers who perform historical dances representative of many regions in Greece (e.g., Crete, Rhodes, Epirus, Pontos, Macedonia, Thrace, just to name a few).

 Along with several thousand other dancers from across the western United States, the Greek Folk Dancers compete annually in the Greek Orthodox Folk Dance and Choral Festival (FDF), the largest competitive venue for Greek folk dance. Over the years at FDF the Modesto Greek Folk Dancers have won 18 gold, 7 silver, and 7 bronze medals for dance; 3 outstanding director’s awards; 14 first-place costume awards; 6 sweepstakes awards; and a variety of other awards.  Modesto was also the first community to win sweepstakes for both Division I and II in the same year (1990).  The sweepstakes award is the highest honor given for the best overall score for dance, costume, authenticity, precision, use of stage, and stage presence. 

The Greek Folk Dance Group continues to enhance its dance repertoire so that it may continue to entertain and educate audiences about the beauty of Greek dances and traditions, while keeping alive for future generations our beautiful cultural inheritance.