Hopak-Kolom () is a popular folk dance from

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

. It is similar to the

Hopak Hopak ( uk, гопа́к, ) is a Ukrainian folk dance originating as a male dance among the Zaporozhian Cossacks, but later danced by couples, male soloists, and mixed groups of dancers. It is performed most often as a solitary concert dance by a ...

, although it is performed in a

circle A circle is a shape consisting of all points in a plane that are at a given distance from a given point, the centre. Equivalently, it is the curve traced out by a point that moves in a plane so that its distance from a given point is const ...

. Although not as popular today as it was in the 20th century, it is still performed by amateurs, professional

Ukrainian dance ''Ukrainian dance'' ( uk, Український тaнeць, translit. ''Ukrainian 'tanets' '') mostly refers to the traditional folk dances of the Ukrainians as an ethnic group, but may also refer dance of the other ethnic groups within Ukrain ...

ensembles, and other performers of folk dances. The dance itself reflects the full breadth of the Ukrainian soul, and has long been a hallmark of Ukrainian culture. Hopak depicts a kind of dialogue in which men show their character, strength and courage, and girls - their elegance and beauty.

History

The history of the origin of hopak is connected with the combat training trains of the Zaporizhzy Sich cossacks in the 16-18th centuries. Therefore, at first it was an exclusively male dance. Hetmans, taking a mace, began to dance in the center of the circle, and entering the circle of Cossacks confirmed their supremacy. The name hopak comes from the word "Gopal" - to jump, and from a similar exclamation "hop". The new history of hopak began with the creation in 1940 of the song and dance ensemble of Ukraine, which was headed from 1955 to 1975 by Pavlo Pavlovich Virsky. It was this choreographer who created an academic folk dance based on classics and traditional folklore, and staged the famous hopak, which still completes the concerts of the academic dance ensemble of Ukraine named after him. Hopak is a battle dance. Every movement of which is a combat kick from different positions, even sitting. The Byzantine historian of the ninth century Leo the Deacon in the "Chronicles", describing the campaigns of Prince Svyatoslav, called the Magi children of Satan, who learned the art of war through dance. The oldest image of hopak - ancient figurines from the Kyiv region of the 6th century – the so-called Martin's treasure.

References

{{Reflist Ukrainian dances