Meet us on the dance floor: Getting to know Caterina and Carolina of Greek Folk Dancing Qatar

Caterina Vasilaki was born and raised in Athens, Greece. She has been dancing ever since she can remember herself. At first following her yiayia and aunts at various panigiria in the Epirus region (homeland to her mother) during the summer vacations and then taking ballet classes in Athens. Then she got in touch with Latin dancing and how dance can be a part of everyday life in a trip she took in Latin America. As a kindergarten teacher employed by the Greek state she moved around different areas in Greece where she participated in local Greek dancing groups. A special time for her was when she was stationed in Crete where she became a member of the dancing group ‘Viglatores Chania’ that also became her chosen family. Her time in Chania has been an inspiration to her later development as she moved to Qatar and continued her dancing activities as a dance teacher and organizer of the Greek folk dancing group in Qatar. In 2021 she received her MSc degree in dance studies from the School of Physical Education and Sports of the University of Thrace.

Music and dance have always been an important part of Karolina Ketsiou’s life. At 5 years old, in Melbourne Australia, she took modern ballet and tap dancing lessons.  Her original Greek dance experience was learning the steps to kalamatiano, zorbas, tsamikos and other Greek dances that featured at weddings, christenings and other occasions. When she went to Cyprus she took Greek and Cypriot dance lessons. She was soon invited to be a member of the dance team that performed in hotels and restaurants, for tourists from all over the world, as well as at festivals and celebrations in local villages. When she arrived in Qatar, she mourned the loss of Greek dance, but within months, her love affair with Greek dance continued, thanks to a very special and committed group of proud Greeks, who welcomed her warmly into their dance family.

IG: GreekFolkDancingQatar