Pontic Greek folk dance in the context of "Dankiyo"

The Pontic Greeks (Pontic: Ρωμαίοι, Ρωμιοί; Turkish: Pontus Rumları or Karadeniz Rumları; Greek: Πόντιοι, Ελληνοπόντιοι), also Pontian Greeks or simply Pontians, are an ethnically Greek group indigenous to the region of Pontus, in northeastern Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). They share a common Pontic Greek culture that is distinguished by its music, dances, cuisine, and clothing. Folk dances, such as the Serra (also known as Pyrrhichios), and traditional musical instruments, like the Pontic lyra, remain important to Pontian diaspora communities. Pontians traditionally speak Pontic Greek, a modern Greek variety, that has developed remotely in the region of Pontus. Commonly known as Pontiaka, it is traditionally called Romeika by its native speakers.

The earliest Greek colonies in the region of Pontus begin in 700 BC, including Sinope, Trapezus, and Amisos. Greek colonies continued to expand on the coast of the Black Sea (Euxeinos Pontos) between the Archaic and Classical periods. The Hellenistic Kingdom of Pontus was annexed by Rome in 63 BC becoming Roman and later Byzantine territory. During the 11th century AD, Pontus was largely isolated from the rest of the Greek–speaking world, following the Seljuk conquest of Anatolia. After the 1203 siege of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade, the Empire of Trebizond was established on the Black Sea coast by a branch of the Komnenos dynasty, later known as 'Grand Komnenos'. Anatolia, including Trebizond, was eventually conquered by the Ottomans entirely by the 15th century AD. Greek presence in Pontus remained vibrant during the early modern period up until the 20th century, when, following the Pontic Greek genocide and the 1923 population exchange with Turkey, Pontic Greeks migrated primarily to Greece and around the Caucasus, including in the country of Georgia. Although the vast majority of Pontic Greeks are Orthodox Christians, those who remained in Northeastern Turkey's Black Sea region following the population exchange are Muslim; their ancestors having converted to Islam during the Ottoman period, like thousands of other Greek Muslims.

Pontic Greek music includes both the folk music traditionally performed by Pontic Greeks and modern Pontic music. Song and dance have a long history in the Pontos, ranging from ancient dances to the Acritic songs to folk songs. Certain dances, accompanied by music, date to ancient times, such as the pyrrhichios. Pontic music evolved alongside Pontic dance.

Acritic songs, which are epic songs describing folk heroes who lived and fought on the borders of the empire in Byzantine times, date back hundreds of years. Versions of these songs exist today, accompanied by modern Pontic instruments and singing techniques. More recent folk songs include love songs, mourning songs, and war songs. These date to the late 1800s or earlier during Ottoman times. Some songs appeared after the creation of the Pontic diaspora with the 1923 population exchange; many of these speak to the hardships of the exchange and longing for home.

The Serra (Pontic: Σέρρα) is a Pontic Greek war dance of ancient Greek origin, from the Pontus region of the Black Sea. Its name comes from the Serra river, in the region of Trapezounda. It is also called Pyrrhichios (Greek: Πυρρίχιος). The rhythm starts in
₁₆ and becomes an even meter when the dance speeds up.

The Serra is a men's dance, danced hand by hand. The Pontic Lyra often accompanies this dance.