In Greece today, traditional dances are still passed from generation to generation because people enjoy doing them and include them in their celebrations. There are some dances that are considered panhellenic, such as Kalamatianos and Tsamikos and are known among all Greek communities in Greece and abroad. In addition, each region has preserved its own dances, which are done in local feasts. Some of these not widely known local dances are at risk of becoming forgotten but fortunately, there are systematic efforts of local organisations to encourage older people to pass their talent and knowledge to the youngsters.

There is an abundance of references to dancing at different times of the Greek history. These references are found mostly in texts or various representations on pottery, sculptures, church murals, etc. However, this information is disjointed and although researchers believe that there is enough knowledge on dancing at different times, the question of the continuity in dancing - as in all aspects of our everyday life - is an open subject. Many researchers believe that the traditional dances of today are the same ones that Homer describes in his epic poems and are painted on church murals of the Byzantine times among saints and angels.

Strong evidence on the continuity of our musical and dancing tradition can also be found in the rhythm of our traditional songs and dances. The rhythm of Kalamatianos (7/8) can be traced back to the choral parts of the tragedies of Aeschylus. This rhythm cannot be found in the traditional music of other people, except for some Balkan dances, where it is still recognised as being borrowed from the Greek world.