In addition to the fact that Russian national dance is part of folk art, it also carries the legacy of secret mystical, religious knowledge of the ancient Slavic peoples, woven together with an original Russian character. They reflect the feelings of people, their way of life, close connection with the world around them, veneration of their ancestors, that is, everything that makes up the soul of the people.
Russian dance is dramatic. It is played out as a thoughtful action, because in the old days it was ceremonial and reflected the sacred attitude of performers to nature and to the events of their life. His temperament and character are different from the dance culture of other nations and are expressed in the expression of a real divine faith.
He never reproduced fictional stories, there was nothing simulated, hyperbolized in him. According to Russian legend, looking into the future and depicting mythical images is unacceptable, therefore, Russian dance is a surge of emotions that reflect the experiences of everyday life, life and past events. It feels a ritual communication with nature, worship of the gods who granted the holiday, an expression of feelings of love and sadness.
Built on a dramatic basis, the folk dance was always filled with strong and frank emotions, which is why it constantly surprised the audience. The first foreign memoirs describe a dance with bears that the Russians performed in honor of the victory over the Greeks at the beginning of the 10th century. The document noted its multifaceted character, expressing the daring and joy of victory over the enemy.
There are sad dances that were performed during defeats, and lyrical ones during parting or meetings with loved ones.
When studying Russian dance, you need to keep in mind that this is always a ritual and ritual action. In the spring, they opened a cycle of holidays for worshiping the spirits of agriculture in order to appease the fertility gods. In the summer they praised Kupala and asked him to help ripen the fruit. The beginning of the harvest was glorified in some ceremonial dances, and its end was preceded by other rites.
In the spring, these were round dances around a birch gently throwing its first catkins. They asked her to share her growth power. On a summer festive night, round dances drove around the communal fields, talking them with singing and driving them away with dances and fun of evil spirits. After completing a round dance and collecting these spirits, people walked to the river, made bonfires and danced around them, jumping through the fire to burn the collected evil, and then diving into the water, washing from it to maintain cleanliness and arrange for themselves to harvest the good powers of nature. After bathing, they drove other round dances with different tunes.
It is indisputable that the round dance was the ancestor of all types of folk choreography. Firstly, the Russian dance dance is endowed with a very powerful sacred power. Drawing it pays tribute to the Sun, displays its movement. Secondly, it erases personal boundaries, and the strength of people unites. Thirdly, there is a transfer and separation of emotions, which enhances the overall energy.
Despite the fact that today the round dances do not have a ritual meaning, they are still led at children's and family celebrations unchanged from ancient times, and performed by dance groups on world stages, they cause admiration of the audience.