Thread: Greek song <=> Turkish crowd?

Ok, I really need some help!!
I'm doing a gig tomorrow night at a party where there are going to be some turkish people (the woman who booked me wanted to surprise her turkish husband)

Now, one of the songs I usually throw in at the end, is a greek song by elena paparizou (number one). It's just one of those songs that always makes the audience (here in Belgium anyway) clap and sing along and leave everyone dancing and having fun at the end of the show (which is my intention of course :-))

But I wonder, a greek song with a turkish crowd, is that asking for trouble?
any ideas?

Maybe you should ask the woman who booked you first if anybody would be offended. But I have many Greek friends who use Turkish songs too for their events. Since the crowd is not entirely Turkish, I don't think you would be doing anything wrong, especially if you will be using Turkish, Arab, or any variety of bellydance songs. You might even want to throw in a couple of Turkish moves to the Greek song.

nah not a problem. last summer most of the popular songs in turkey were greek

If the folks hiring me are Greek, I always ask if I may use Turkish music. No one has ever yelled "NO!" at me just before slamming the phone down in my ear . . . but I do ask, just in case.

I asked John Bilezikjian about this. He plays for ALL TYPES of Near/Middle Eastern/Mediterranean crowds and his take on this, over the past 50 years of his experience, is that it's generally Cypriot Greeks (folks from the island of Cyprus) who are potentially offended by Turkish music.

Other than that, go for it!

Deborah

I would ask, I've seen a few people throw a fit over the dancers music, once it was a Bosnian man who hated Turks and demanded the dancers show be stopped and the music changed, most people are over that whole thing, but you never know!

I don't have any first-hand experience with this sort of thing, but my teacher did warn me about being sensitive about the whole Turkish/Greek tension:

Early in her career, she was dancing at one of the Greek restaurants in town and noticed a man scowling at her. When she danced within earshot of him, she overheard him say, "Even her COSTUME is Turkish!"

It was then that she realized she was dancing to a Turkish tune in a Greek restaurant.

I think it wouldn't hurt to ask. Good luck!

so how did it go? what happened?
I saw this late, but I would not use Greek music for Turkish party.
I am Turkish and I would prefer more upbeat Turkish music, maybe one Romani, and Arabic with no lyrics. That is more popular among Turks...and also you will be more favorite dancer if you use Turkish music, that shows that you actually worked on your routine and try to please them by using Turkish music. They will also get up and dance with you, and of course tip you...;-) if that is concerned.
On the other hand, I work at Greek Restaurant and we use Turkish music. Turkish crowd get up and dance to Greek music which is a public place which is a different venue. For private parties I would for sure use Turkish music.

Originally Posted by turkishdancer

so how did it go? what happened?
I saw this late, but I would not use Greek music for Turkish party.
I am Turkish and I would prefer more upbeat Turkish music, maybe one Romani, and Arabic with no lyrics. That is more popular among Turks...and also you will be more favorite dancer if you use Turkish music, that shows that you actually worked on your routine and try to please them by using Turkish music. They will also get up and dance with you, and of course tip you...;-) if that is concerned.
On the other hand, I work at Greek Restaurant and we use Turkish music. Turkish crowd get up and dance to Greek music which is a public place which is a different venue. For private parties I would for sure use Turkish music.

I'm not an expert but from what I've heard in my own experience, Greeks are more open to Turkish music than Turks are to Greek music. Why this is, I don't know, especially in America. But there could be a group out there that will totally disagree with me that I don't know about.

i really disagree ... especially cuz last time i went to turkey all the radios were playing elli kokinou (sp) and george mazonakis!

Originally Posted by Fotia

I'm not an expert but from what I've heard in my own experience, Greeks are more open to Turkish music than Turks are to Greek music. Why this is, I don't know, especially in America. But there could be a group out there that will totally disagree with me that I don't know about.

I would say that it is exactly opposite at least in Greece and Turkey and all over Europe though lately Greeks have started to warm up more to Turkish music and other things too... Cypriot and some Aegean island Greeks can still be bit fanatically against everything Turkish but I have never heard any Turk to be offended by anything Greek

Originally Posted by kahire

I would say that it is exactly opposite at least in Greece and Turkey and all over Europe though lately Greeks have started to warm up more to Turkish music and other things too... Cypriot and some Aegean island Greeks can still be bit fanatically against everything Turkish but I have never heard any Turk to be offended by anything Greek

That's interesting news. . .

I also disagree what I have seen here and heard from Turkish music and the CDs that I have. We have few singers (all started I think with Fedon) that not only from Cyprus speaks both Languages and others can just sing in Greek, made their CDs in both languages. I always use those songs for my parties.
I would still stick to Turkish music for Turkish parties though. It is just more attractive in my opinion. Adding one or two mix songs still should be OK of course.
Especially if you find the ones that both countries have the same song just in different languages.

dont worry, the Turks don't mind the Greeks as much as they used to! im greek and i should know :) besides, a song in a language other than turkish in a show can add a nice "accent"

xxx
Athena

Originally Posted by Athenaserpent

dont worry, the Turks don't mind the Greeks as much as they used to! im greek and i should know :) besides, a song in a language other than turkish in a show can add a nice "accent"

xxx
Athena

That was my source too - my friend from Cyrpus. She had to flee because of skirmishes in her country too.

Sorry for my late reply! I didn't check Bhuz in a few days :-)

Well, I followed the advice here and just asked the woman who booked me if it was ok to use the song. She didn't mind and neither did the audience!

They just clapped to the music and danced along! Oh, and I did also use some turkish music and they loved that even more :-)

I'm glad I asked though, better safe then sorry!

Thx for all the input!!

as they say in my big fat greek wedding " the turks and greeks are FRIENDS now!!"

" the turks and greeks are FRIENDS now!!"

haha i love that movie!!!

of course we are friends why we should not be....politics sucks!