Folk dances are always striking in their emotional richness: passionate or sad, expressing the joy of life or suffering. This can be seen especially clearly in the example of the daring hopak. You don't have to be born Ukrainian in order to dance it with your soul; if you wish, you can master its movements.
Instructions
Step 1
Take care of the appropriate clothing if you want to learn how to dance the hopak correctly: this is important for creating the appropriate mood, in order to integrate into the culture of Ukraine, to feel like a lad or a maiden. If you cannot take a national costume, put on loose trousers, reminiscent of harem pants, tuck into them a shirt that does not restrict movement. Girls perform a dance dressed in loose dresses or a sweater with a knee-length skirt. They put on soft boots on their feet.
Step 2
Learn the basic movements of the hopak. Start with his characteristic dance step - a runner, which can be performed both forward and backward. Take the starting position: legs parallel to each other (sixth position), put your hands on the belt, gather into a fist. Remember that the hopak is an emotional dance and the movement should be clear, strong and vibrant. Alternately bring your right and left legs forward in a jump, while the second should spring a little.
Step 3
Stay in the same starting position to learn another basic element - the immersion. This element is best mastered with music in order to combine it with the tempo and rhythm of the melody. Trample with your right and left feet alternately. In the case of a triple inflow from the right leg, the sequence will be as follows: right - left - right - pause.
Step 4
Master the third basic dance movement - the rope. Stand straight, place your feet in the third position: the toes are slightly apart, the heel of the right foot is near the foot of the left, the hands are in the same position. Perform a jump with one leg, while with the other doing an upward movement to the supporting calf and back.
Step 5
Browse through some of the dance tapes to see possible combinations of the main elements and come up with your own variation.
