Meet us on the dance floor: Getting to know Charissa Gianos

We are thrilled to kick off season 7 of the Syrtos podcast with Charissa Gianos from Denver, CO! Thank you Charissa for your patience as we navigate a new recording set up for season 7!

Don't miss the Kefi at Mile High Dance Workshop and Glendi, September 20-22, in Denver, CO!

Also, be sure to listen to the entire episode to learn about some of the amazing CDs Charissa has recorded.

Charissa Gianos is the Director of the Denver Dynamis Hellenic competition dance group, and Vice Chair of the Hellenic Dance Academy, a.k.a. HDA, a ministry established at the Assumption of the Theotokos Cathedral in Denver, CO under the guidance of Fr. Jordan Brown. She has been actively dancing in the Denver dance group since she was 10 years old, performing at all their festivals and other city venues, and began instructing younger groups at her church at 17 when their dance instructor moved to California. She's always had a passion for Greek Dance, coming from a very musical family who always sang and danced Greek, even in their home growing up. Throughout her dance career she remained steady in the church's program, taking a hiatus while having two children, and started instructing again when her son began middle school. She taught throughout his middle/high school years, and then continued with her daughter's middle/high school years. Eight years ago she established their competitive dance group, Denver Dynamis Hellenic who has successfully competed at HDF with a group between 17 - 20 dancers of which her two kids are a part, winning Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards! The HDA Committee established a beautiful mission statement, which embodies the ethos of what Greek dance means to our ministry: To Instill Our Greek Orthodox Faith through Prayer, Almsgiving and Worship; To Continue the Tradition of Hellenism from our amazing Greek Heritage in Orthodox Youth and Adults; To Embrace and Value Traditional Greek Folk Dances and Authentic Costumes throughout Greece through Music, Song and Fellowship.

Charissa believes Greek dance brings Kefi to one's life, which in a deeper sense joins us to the rich heritage and beauty of our Motherland Greece. Greek dance is good for the heart and soul, and when hands are entwined together in dance, a bond takes place creating connection between people and producing an amazing richness of joy. 

Zito O Horos!!

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PARAKLESIS to the Pantanassa (Mother of God)

Healer of Cancer 

2023

NEW Cd Release:  “Paraklesis to the Pantanassa, Healer of Cancer”.  This latest release of the Akathist to the Mother of God is for all people to pray for healing of cancer and all diseases.

This Paraklesis Cd is a full Paraklesis Service. The Service is taken from the Greek Service sung in Greek by the monks from the Monastery of Vatopedi. This is the latest of Charissa Gianos’ three Cd’s, having also recorded:

First Cd release:  “Akathist to the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children” in 2009

Second Cd release: “Akathist to the Mother of God, Healer of Cancer” in 2015

About the Chant:

The music is Byzantine Chant sung in English by Fr. Chrysostomos Gilbert, Dean of the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in NYC, and Charissa Gianos.  Charissa Gianos is a parishioner at Assumption of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Denver and has sung on several Cds including each of Fr. Apostolos Hill’s Cds, as well as all five Cds produced by the Denver Choir under the Directorship of Dr. James N. Maniatis, being featured as a soloist. She also recorded with Eikona on their Cd: “Abundant Mercy, The Polyeleos”. Charissa has also written three Orthodox children’s books: “Yes! Christouli Loves Me”, “Yes, The Theotokos Loves Me!”, and “Yes, We celebrate Pascha!” All Cd's are streaming and can be found on several platforms.

 Featured on this Cd are: Katerina (Therianos) Lynch who chanted on Charissa’s Cds , “Akathist to the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children” and “Akathist to the Mother of God, Healer of Cancer”, as well as chanting on Charissa’s first book, “Yes! Christouli Loves Me!”. She has sung on two professionally recorded Cds, Songs (Eikona) and Awesome! I am Multiplying., as well as Cds from the Denver Choir. She is currently married with two children and directs the Junior Choir at the Assumption Cathedral in Denver.  Athanasia (Dorrance) Poulos chants on this Cd, and has chanted on Eikona’s Cds and the Denver Choir Cds, and is currently directing the Children’s Choir at St. Catherine GOC in Greenwood Village, CO. She is married with two children. Janie Gianotsos also chants on this Cd as well as the first two Cds Charissa recorded. She has an extensive background in music, and is also responsible for the artwork on this and the previous Cds. She is married with one son.

I thank my husband Lambros, my two children, Niko and Christiana, my mother Athena Diamond and my brother Dan Diamond for their love, editing, help and faithful support of all the Cds and books.  I would also like to thank all those who contributed greatly to this project: award-winning sound engineer Steve Avedis, Michael Stefanoudakis, Proto Psalti at the Assumption Cathedral in Denver, my extended family and friends, my spiritual fathers Fr. Demetrius Nicoloudakis and Fr. Apostolos Hill, and all my spiritual sisters in Christ who prayed endlessly for this project.  I would like to thank Janie Gianotsos who helped with the artwork and design for this Cd.  I am so grateful to everyone!  May Christ our true God be worshipped and glorified, for to Him belongs praise, worship and glory, always and forever and to the ages of ages -Amen.

Episode Music: The Anemos Music Project