We've all seen it. You go to a wedding or the like, an event with a live band and far too much available alcohol and one of the guests whose possibly had too much to drink or is just the type who likes to act silly in public is, before you know it, out on the dance floor doing it, "the Russian dance." Arms folded, knees bent, trying and most likely failing to look strong and capable while getting their body down to the ground and then up again while kicking. Add vodka and it immediately improves its authenticity but sadly, not its execution.
Unlike the poor renditions seen at American weddings, Russian folk dances come from long tradition and show off the physical prowess of the participants as well as tell their origin folk stories.
The dance described earlier could be Drobushki, Peresek, Chechetka or Barynya, a favorite Russian step dance. Heel work is usually paired with khlapuski (slapping) and also prisyatki (squat work). Difficult moves used by dancers can express flirtation, challenge and competition. Drobushki is usually accompanied with acapella singing or with traditional Russian instruments including garmoshka, treshotki, lozhki (spoons) or the balalaika, a three-stringed instrument.
Barynya represents original Russian wild dancing with foot stomping and knee bending jumps. The dancers get so wound up they often break the heels from their boots.
Another dance with its history in Russia, awe inspiring and still flocked to today is, ballet (a lot less fun to imitate at weddings). Even though its origins are rooted in Italy and its beginnings in France the Russians took the form and both brought it to a wider audience as well as popularized it; they created stars like Pavlova and Nijinsky.
Dance is an integral part of Russian history, tradition, social costume and it's people.
I think the moral of the story is, you'd dance too if it were 14 degrees below zero.
Sources:
http://www.barynya.com/russian_folk.stm
http://it.stlawu.edu/~rkreuzer/pmcmanus/history.html
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