Niata, directly translated from Greek, means “youth.” The Niata dance began in 1985 with the aim to teach our traditional dances – such an important part of our culture and history – to the youth of our community, and to keep that youth connected to one another. Another part of our mandate is to perform those dances outside of our community, to share Hellenic culture with all Canadians. We are a volunteer-run folk dance group operating under the Hellenic Society of Calgary.
The program is for children from 6-18 years. During its long history, Niata members have performed at a variety of municipal and national events, including the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Its original students now have children of their own in the program. It is one of the longest-running children’s programs in Calgary.
