Aptailiko is either a solitary dance or face to face dance, like Greek Karsilamas or Zeimpekis. It origins from “abdal”- degree initiation at Turkish Dervishes (the word aptal meaning dazed, slow, dumb). It has Persian origin. It’s a war dance and it could be danced by one or two people.
The movements of the dance are coming from a mental image of the dancer in which he could fantasies that he dances with one more person although he is alone. It has a slow and fast part; particular flexion of body with shoulders leaning forward and hands at shoulder height, elbows bent.
There is absolutely no standardization in dance steps. Each dancer has his own moves, steps and figures, trying to externalize his feelings.