When it comes to Russian folk dances, there is an image of something bright, energetic, rollicking and groovy. But to call such a dance a mere entertainment, the show would be wrong. This is part of the culture. Every movement, every figure has a meaning that is passed down from time immemorial from generation to generation.
Types of dances
Russian folk dances are divided into types depending on the genre, choreographic structure, songs used, number of performers. The main ones are round dances and tanks, dances and dances, quadrilles.
Round dance
Round dance has been a favorite pastime of young people since the end of the 17th century. This is a symbiosis of dance, songs with the addition of elements of the game. The round dance symbolizes friendship, the unity of people and their strength, solidarity. The round dance is led to the accompaniment of a song or dialogue of the participants, in a circle, holding each other's hands, a scarf or a belt.
The shape of the round dance has a sacred meaning, the circle is a symbol of the sun and the corresponding deity worshiped by our ancestors. For this reason, round dances were an integralpart of the Slavic holiday and favorites of folk festivals. Inside, a plot with any theme can be played: love, everyday life, or a dramatization of the content of the song. Round dances are ornamental and playful.
Ornamental round dances
The name contains the meaning of the dance, from the word "ornament". The participants seem to weave patterns in a circle dance, smoothly replacing each other. The figures of round dances reflect folk art - openwork drawings of lace-makers, wood carvers. In such a dance there is no pronounced plot or key action. In the songs that accompany ornamental round dances, nature, way of life are described, a lyrical motive is possible. People of all ages, from young to old, were involved in such round dances, passing on the joy and power of the sun to each other.
Game round dances
In contrast to the ornamental ones, the game round dances are based on a plot with characters and specific actions. Through dance, facial expressions, gestures, the character of the hero is manifested, the composition is built. With the help of hands, bends of bodies depict animals, trees, flowers. Love, work, a fairy tale plot are the main motives of the songs to which such round dances are led. Round dance "Spindle" - a tale about needlewomen girls, "Swan" depicts the grace of a bird.
Types of game round dances:
- Circle. Even small children can lead such a round dance, the main rule is that at least three people must take part in it.
- A circle within a circle. This is a small round dance inside a big one. They can move in different directions, bigthe circle traditionally rotates clockwise (according to the sun).
- Basket. This is also a circle within a circle, but both consist of the same number of people. Outside are young people, inside are girls. Both round dances face the center. The male circle, moving through the heads of the girls, connects its hands with the hands of the partners, forming a “basket”.
- The figure eight is obtained from two circles with an equal number of participants. Round dances go in different directions, having a common point of contact. At a certain moment, the round dances are broken, and their participants, through one, flow from circle to circle. It turns out a figure-eight pattern.
- Snail. With such a dance, a large common circle is broken and a new round dance chain is started inside. It can be repeated several times, resulting in a round dance in the form of a spiral.
- Gates are made when pairs of young people move in a certain order, passing under the raised hands (gates).
- Comb. With this formation, two lines of dancers move towards each other and freely pass through each other.
Tank
Ceremonial dance, rooted in South Russian (Kursk, Belgorod regions) and Ukrainian mass dance, accompanied by song and game. The tank is referred to as round dances, “to drive tanks” means “to lead round dances”. This type of dance has specific features: it is accompanied by the singing of the participants in the round dance, a cappella, and moves in lines opposite each other.
Dance
The dance is also referred to as an early ritual dance, whichwere reborn into household dances and became favorites among folk dances. Improvised various movements are a hallmark of the dance. Each dancer chooses which figure to use to express their emotions. The most popular dances in Russia: "Lady", "Kamarinskaya", "Matanya", "Trepaka", "Mad", "Golubets", "Toptusha", "Troika". Real Russian dance tells an interesting, emotional story. "Kamarinskaya", for example, beats the exit of a peasant "drunk", whose legs themselves "go to dance", "Troika" is a dance that depicts the image of a Russian troika of horses harnessed to a wagon.
The most famous types of Russian dance:
- Single female and male dance.
- Pair dance.
- Dance.
- Dancing in a circle.
- Group dance.
- Mass dance.
- Dance-improvisation.
Single dance reflects the individuality of the performer, his character and skill. Single dances usually begin with moving in a circle (passing) or moving into a circle and performing a figure (antics).
Pair dance is performed by a boy and a girl, its meaning is in the dialogue of loved ones. The most striking example of a pair dance is a wedding dance, but sometimes such a dance is used to express other feelings, jealousy or resentment.
Dance is a competition in skill, ingenuity, endurance of a dancer or dancers (you can compete in groups). The meaning of the dance is to accurately reproduce the movements of the enemy, which become more difficult with each round. The winner is declaredthe one in whose arsenal was the largest supply of dance figures. Sometimes the rules allowed you to dance "till you drop" in the literal sense of the word.
Dancing in a circle came out of round dances. In this type of dance, the skill of the performers and the action of key persons stand out, which is different from the main mass (“Polka”, “Matanya”, “Akulinka”). The meaning of the song accompaniment is comic, funny, sometimes lyrical, the pace is fast.
Group dance - a mass dance without specific complex patterns and constructions, mainly round dance transitions, improvisations. A large number of performers can take part in a group dance. Group dance includes both the main program (common motive, transitions) and a personal performance with elements of improvisation. Examples of group dances: "Shen", "Asterisk", "Carousel", "Shuttle", "Brook". Each such dance contains a meaning that is understandable to participants and spectators.
Mass dance - a dance in which there are no restrictions: gender, age, number of participants do not matter - everyone participates.
Dance-improvisation: the main figures of such dances are passed from the older generation to young girls and boys, who adopt the movements from famous dancers and then change them, adding new "knees" - this is the meaning of improvisation. The most popular examples of dance-improvisation: “Lady”, “Boots”, “Dance with Spoons”, “Circular Dance”, “Dance with Scarves” - Russian folklore very capaciously conveys the pattern and meaning of each dance.
Quadrille
Russian square dance - a dance whose progenitor was the French square dance, originated in Russia in the era of Peter I, at the beginning of the 18th century. Starting from 1718, the Petrovsky assemblies consolidated the position of the ballroom quadrille, which was gradually mastered by non-noble classes, who received information about the dance from the stories of the servants. Particularly memorable figures were shown to each other and remade in a new way. As a result, the adapted dance quickly spread throughout the cities and villages and became very popular. True, very few elements remained in it from the original source - the ballroom quadrille. Many figures are borrowed from dance, dance and round dance, w altz and polka.
In the Russian quadrille, the number of figures varies from three to fourteen. The names of the Russian folk dance either reflect its essence (“Acquaintance”, “Girls like hot cakes”), or the place (“Klinskaya”, “Davydkovskaya”, “Shuiskaya”). Types of quadrille: four (six, seven, eight), lanze and others. Most of the figures are completed with the rotation of couples and a bow, each following is marked by the announcement of the leader, a pause, a clap.
Russian folk dance music
Music is the soul of dance. Musical accompaniment was created by the people and carefully passed on from the older generation to the youth. A Russian folk song for dance is both a fast rollicking and a slow melodic composition that reflects the temperament, national traits and character of the people. It concentrates energy, expressiveness, inner strength. Today, a popular trend is the arrangement of Russian folklore, inspiringold tunes new life.
Costumes
The costume for the Russian folk dance was of great importance for the realization of the idea of this action. The stage costume was a lightweight version of the folk one, which was changed for ease of movement. Colorful clothes made of linen, cotton or silk, decorated with ornamental embroidery, lace, were often inherited from mother to daughter and from father to son.
Young people wore shirts with belts (sashes) and linen pants decorated with stripes, boots, vest.
The main clothes of the girls for the dance is an embroidered long sundress, mostly red, trimmed with brocade and silk ribbons. From above they put on a “veil” - a colored apron, down - a shirt made of white fabric. Beads, necklaces made of pearls or amber were used as decorations. The headdress - a kokoshnik and a slap - was sewn from brocade, tied with a bright scarf and attached flowers, silk bows.
The cut of the costume depended on the place of residence of its owner, each village, village, city had its own distinctive features, manifested in decoration, color, embroidery.
Children's Russian folk dance
Folk dance is an opportunity to introduce kids to the culture and traditions of their ancestors with the help of dance images in an accessible way. Russian folk dances for children do not require strict restrictions and too much stress, as in a ballet school, for example. But at the same time, they offer to master exercises for all muscle groups, form posture, and develop coordination. "Matryoshka",“Palm-crackers”, “Brook” - the names of these dances are familiar from the manger. Children's folk dance ensembles exist in almost every city, many groups take part in federal and international competitions.
Folk dance today
Modern Russian folk dance is one of the most popular choreographic trends. Specialized schools and studios teach folk dance, both classical and updated, with rhythms, costumes and movements from the present. A new meaning, character is manifested in the works of choreographers of our time, attracting spectators and performers to this genre. The music of modern dance, thanks to the instrumental processing of folklore material, has also undergone significant changes. The themes of love, friendship, experiences acquire a new sound. The old and new styles complement each other, creating a new image of Russian folk dance while preserving its roots and origins.
