Greek Madness

Tonight I was invited to the Greek Festival in downtown Salt Lake City where I
experienced the Greek culture like I never have. The first thing I noticed was the music. Wave
after wave of sound hit my ears without mercy, and the sound actually increased as I walked
further into the building's huge interior. All around me were tables set up with authentic Greek
food, clothing, jewelry, etc. . . It seemed as though the entire Greek population and culture in
Salt Lake City (if not all of Utah) had transported itself inside of this one building for the
weekend. On top of the food and merchandise, there was much music and dancing, with the main
attraction being the many Greek dancing troupes putting on one to two hour dancing concerts
for passing crowds.

I was able to see the final dance troupe of the festival, with third row seats and a great
view of the action. Of course, the speakers happened to be positioned right in front of my seat in
front of the stage, and the music was extremely loud, almost to the point where it hurt. The
dancing, however, was magnificent. There were rigorous men dances contrasted nicely by
vivacious women ones. Then the sexes would join for a very traditional dance with some couples
mixing it up. I decided to take a couple of still shots that both represent the lively atmosphere
and intensity of the experience.