June 1-3, 1953
CRITICISM AND JUSTICE: (From Kathimerini’s May 30 edition, titled «Greek Folk Dances»): An extract from court ruling No. 7077: «The accused, Minos Dounias, in reference to his critique in the newspaper Kathimerini on January 8, 1953, of the dance company known as Greek Folk Dances, says that he had no intention of offending or insulting in any way the private lives of the plaintiffs or the members of the dance company, whom he does not even know. He withdraws the comment in his review. Following the above statement made in writing by Mr Dounias to the court, the plaintiffs withdrew their charges of libel against him. EDITOR’S NOTE: Mr Dounias’s controversial review read as follows: «(…) With all due apologies to the organizers of the Greek Folk Dances, what they showed us was a miserable affair… mediocre dancers, bad dancers, shabby national costumes mixed with ragged carnival costumes, popular songs with touches of melodrama (…) were produced on the stage of the Kentrikon Theater as representative of the soul of the Greek people. For shame! The entire affair was a poor imitation of a folklore display by our neighbors, where huge funds and the support of an all-powerful State, hard work and artistic wisdom combined to produce a wonderful performance.»
