Belarusian folk dance

The main characteristics of Belarusian dance emerged concurrently with the shaping of Belarus and its culture in the fourteenth through sixteenth centuries, with its roots dating back to ancient Russian culture. These dances have manifested the emotions, sentiments, and personality of the Belarusian people. For a long time, Belarusian dance was little known, even in Belarus, and was rarely seen outside of small villages. Ihnat Bujnicki (, also sometimes spelled Ignatius Buinitsky) popularized Belarusian folk dances on both Belarusian and foreign stages with the creation of the Belarusian National Theatre in 1907. Bujnicki worked there as a director, actor, and dancer. The concerts featured folk songs, works of Belarusian poets, and dances accompanied by the traditional triple music of violins, cymbals, and bagpipes. Bujnicki's stage interpretations of folk dances closely followed their folklore basis. Belarusian national choreography has preserved the rich artistic heritage of the past. The most popular Belarusian folk dances include "Lyavonikha", "Kryzhachok", "Yurachka", "Polka-Yanka", "Charot", "Taukachyki", "Chobaty", "Lyanok", "Kola", "Ruchniki", "Mlynok", "Kastsy", "Kozachka", "Myatselitsa", "Mikita", "Dudaryki", "Bychok", and "Kazyry". The main characteristics of Belarusian dance are dynamism, cheerfulness, emotion, and group performance. Today, Belarusian folk dance is performed by numerous professional dance groups. The most famous troupes are the State Dance Company of Belarus, Khoroshki, and Lyavonikha. == Classification ==

Traditionally, Belarusian dances are divided into three groups: illustrative dances, game dances, and ornamental dances. • Illustrative dances (such as Metelitsa, Vorobei, Koza, Lenok, and Tolkachyki) feature salient performances by the lead dances; gestures and facial expressions play a prominent role. • In game dances (such as Dzhigun, Magera, Repka, Pannochka, and Tsep), dancers try to achieve certain goals, which often requires chasing each other. • In ornamental dances (such as Kryzhachok, Kola, Troyan, and Krutukha), certain geometric figures, which can often be identified from the title of the song, form the basis of the choreography. Because the dances can have regional and stage variations, it is often difficult to determine which group a particular dance belongs to. Also, sometimes a dance can contain elements of more than one of these groups. Circle dances The circle dance is one of the most ancient types of dance. Presumed to have appeared towards the end of the first millennium AD, these dances have diverse themes such as work, family life, love, and relationships. The quadrille is of foreign origin, coming to Belarus in the middle of the nineteenth century. Another genre of Belarusian dance is formed by improvisational folk dances such as kazachok, Barynia, Kamarynskaya, Splyushka, and Shmel. Kryzhachok is an ornamental, group partner dance, performed by any number of couples at a fast pace. Each Belarusian folk dance has its own group of movements, its own musical accompaniment, and its own rhythmic pattern. Many Belarusian folk dances are also distinguished by their plot. Through dance movements, the performer talks about his life, his work, or his attitude to nature. == Choreography ==

Belarusian dance has peculiar movements that incorporate complex compositional techniques. Each dance has its own musical accompaniment and its own rhythmic pattern. Hand movements accompany the dances, helping to convey the mood. These hand movements strengthen the artistic content of the dance. Belarusian dances often have a plot, and have a certain amount of theater and acting. == Musical accomplishments ==

Belarusian folk dance music has a colorful, simple melody. Musical instruments, such as violin, tambourine, accordion, and cello are used. Ancient Russian harps and the bagpipe have also been popular. Often, dances arose as a musical accompaniment to certain songs or games. In these cases, the name of the dance can be the same as the name of the song. Examples of dances based on certain songs are Lyavonikha, Tolkachiki, and Shestak. == Learning how to dance ==

Many ethnic and folklore books mention Belarusian dances, but these sources provide very little information about the choreography. Therefore, it is considered important to document this information before it is lost irretrievably. == Staged folk dance ==

In 1862, the first Belarusian comic opera Peasant incorporated the folk dance "Metelitsa". This was the first example of the use of Belarusian folk dance in theater. In 1933, the opera and ballet theater opened in Minsk. The national choreography was created here by combining the elements of dance folklore with classical ballet. Later, a large number of theater and dance groups, including amateur ones, began performing folk dances. This contributed to the development and diversity of the stage dance, enriching it with new technical movements and compositional elements. Belarusian choreographers such as K. Oleksyutovich, K. Muller, L. Lyashenko, I. Hvorost, and N. Chistyakov made great contributions to the development of stage folk dance. == In culture ==

Folk dances are an integral part of the Belarusian culture and way of life, and these dances have been repeatedly mentioned in Belarusian literature. For example, in the 19th century Belarusian poem "Taras on Parnassus", the characters not only talk about dancing but also dance themselves. Russian composer Alexander Glazunov used Belarusian melodies in his work. ==References==