Diversity and characteristic features of the Russian Cossacks scenic dance culture

Abstract

In recent decades, the Russian Federation has been actively reviving and developing the Cossacks, as a special sub-ethnic group, with its own unique history, traditions and culture. Dance is an integral part of the Cossack culture, it has its own characteristics that are belong to different Cossack communities inhabiting various territories of our country. Over time, the traditional Cossack dances acquired life on the concert and theatrical stage, also the traditions of their professional performance were determined. The study of historically formed traditional dances of the Cossacks with the peculiarities of their stage forms, the allocation of their inherent choreographic vocabulary and the basic methods of performance are important for maintaining the dance culture of the Cossacks. The fertile material for the practical development of the article were dances, which are part of the modern repertoire of the largest Russian folk dance ensembles. The concert programs of these groups most fully reflect the diversity of the dance culture of the Russian Cossacks. Based on the data obtained, the characteristic features of the dances of several large Cossack communities are described.