Bibasis (dance)

The Bibasis (Greek: βίβασις) was a common dance at ancient Sparta, which was much practised both by men and women.

History
The Bibasis, a dance of men and women, was of the gymnastic kind. The dance consisted in springing rapidly from the ground, and striking the feet behind; a feat of which the Spartan woman Lampito, in the Lysistrata of Aristophanes, prides herself. She derives her strength and her beauty essentially from this exercise.

"γυμνάδδομαι γὰρ καὶ ποτὶ πυγὰν ἅλλομαι. Αn' I can loup an' fling an' kick my hurdies."

The dance consisted in kicking one's own buttocks, to music, as rapidly as possible. The number of successful strokes was counted, and the most skilful received prizes in competitions. We are told by a verse from an epigram, which has been preserved by Pollux, that a Laconian girl had won by dancing the Bibasis a thousand times, which was more than had ever been done before.

"χήλι' ἅδε ποκὰ βίβαντι, πλεῖστα δὴ τᾶν πήποκα. This girl once jumped a thousand times, the most ever."