When Eleni Koufaki walks into a room, you can tell by her graceful movements that she’s no stranger to a dance floor.

But don’t picture her doing ballroom twirls or ballet arabesques.

It’s not that she couldn’t perform those procedures if she had a mind to . . . it’s just that Eleni’s first choice when it comes to dancing is true Cretan style.

“Traditional Cretan dancing is my favourite,” Eleni said, during a break at a recent class, “because it’s fun, exciting and such a great way to perpetuate our customs. And, it’s an excellent way to keep fit,” added the extremely fit 20-year-old beauty.

Eleni started her dance training at the age of four at the Mavrokostas Academy for Cretan Dances which opens up summer-time annexes in Kokkini Hani and Gouves, and continued her dance education until the age of fifteen.

In May 2007, she opened up her own Cretan Traditional Dance School in Middle Gouves taking advantage of the special funding given to new entrepreneurs through one of the Gouves Township’s programs.

“I’m thrilled at being able to pass along these wonderful folklore dances, where each step is steeped in the history of our island,” she said.

“My students’ ages, both male and female, vary from four to . . . well, whatever,” Eleni confided, but reluctant to reveal the ages of her more senior students. “Let me just say that some of my student’s mothers are students, too.”

Eleni is in the process of putting together her own dance troupe and when she does, they will be available to perform at social functions and public events.

Two of her students, Stella Anagnostaki, 14, and her sister, Angela, 11, of Gouves, said they were taking dance lessons to help continue the Cretan tradition and that special way of celebrating life.

“Sure, that’s great and everything,” added a third student, Vaggelis Pahiathakis, 10½, of Koxari. “But I just like to dance!”

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