KARAGKIOZIS

August 14 2004

E.P. is waiting for her at the airport with a balloon
Welcome Garozi! Welcome to America! she screamed
You made it! Lets go Dance Now Malaka-

Welcome to America Garia
Back home they are all
celebrating together singing Karagkiozis
for the opening of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens
You, start your own celebrations now
cause you finally ESCAPED from Greece my young Karagkiozi!

And they danced that night at Beauty Bar on 14th Street-
She didnt know though that E.P. would return to Greece a month later leaving her completely alone to find a way of surviving in America-

The voice of Savopoulos singing the song Karagkiozis was whispering in the head that Sunday afternoon when E.P. left for JFK and Garia at the house back then on 18th street looked at her backpack wondering; Where to now?

"WIND BLOW
What kills me, What saves me
is that i dream like Karagkiozi
..................................................
put under your shadow this kid
that has nowhere to go tonight -"
(translated words from Karagkiozis song)

As she was pale and scared for what the next morning would bring
the men from Pontos appeared as a shadow on 1st Avenue
and started dancing armed the Pirixio Dance same way they performed it at the Athens Olympics. They screamed PAME, (GO).

GO, RUN TO SURVIVE.
The immigrant's blood inside her veins started dancing-


What is to all of you the memory of Karagkiozis and the everlasting creativity of Evgenios Spatharis? Have you ever dreamt like Karagkiozis?