The pentozale is one of the most famous and well-liked Cretan dances, probably due to its quick pace. It is second only to the Cretan Sirto in popularity. The name "pentozale" comes from the fact that the dance is made up of five main steps or five zales. It is considered to be a warlike dance possibly used to prepare Cretan warriors for battle. In western Crete it is often introduced with a siganos or slow pentozale, which is the way we perform it.
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