The nature of the national choreographic culture of Karachay-Cherkessia is quite diverse and expresses the temperament, aesthetic ideals of the people, their attitude to human values ​​and the world, a sense of the substance of being. Dance in this case is a kind of link connecting a person with nature and God (gives rise to magical powers in himself).

The ancient dances of Karachay-Cherkessia are closely related to song, music, drama, prayer, and props. An ancient national dance always has multifunctional specificity: each generation has left its own characteristics in it. Moreover, the ancient dance noticeably transformed: some elements disappeared, being enriched with new content. This is proven by the variety of dance options. The traditional art of dance has significant typical features and patterns that play a vital role. One of these features is the presence of an internal rhythm of dance, which is the basis that organizes dance movements, the basis of the idea of ​​their birth.

Ancient national dances of the region have many expressive means that make them meaningful and interesting. Performers of dances easily own their bodies, are deprived of stiffness, therefore they are free to choose these means: these include various gestures, movements of arms, legs, head, body. The content of these dances reflected the work of man, the animal and plant world, character, morals, history of the people, their way of life, which are transmitted by their movements in the pictorial and imitative form.

As noted above, folk dance periodically transforms, outdated elements disappear and new, viable ones appear, with new content, which give traditional movements a qualitatively different meaning. This is especially noticeable in the content of the dances. So, for example, the dance “Syuzyulup” is like flowing water, as it is performed very smoothly, the dance “Atyp” is performed rapidly, as if “shooting,” and “Typyrdap” is “jerking.”

State Ensemble of Karachay-Cherkessia "Elbrus" at its recital. Photo: http://www.riakchr.ru
State Ensemble of Karachay-Cherkessia "Elbrus" at its solo concert. Photo: http://www.riakchr.ru

One of the most famous is the Ashtotura dance. The performers of this ritual song and dance lined up in one line and raised their arms up, then, at the command of the elder, they dropped to one knee, bowing their heads down, to the god of the earth Teyri. Then the dancers leaned to the right, left, forward and backward, walked to the Ashtotur stone, and finally stood on their toes. The senior hunter commanded "Ashtotur!" and everyone came back. In some of the dance variations, the Ashtotura stone is “performed” by a man; he sits on his knees, bending his body forward, and the rest dance around him.

Other folk dances of Karachay-Cherkessia, which should be noted as the most famous and significant, are the werewolf dance “Obur”, the circle dance “Tegerek Tepseu”, the ritual dance “Khychauman”, the archer dance “Zhiya”, the dance with a felt whip “Kamchi”, ring dance “Zhuzyuk oyun”, Yeryuzmek’s dance with demons “Eryuzmek blah shaitanla”, harvest dance “Gollu” and winter dance “Bashilayy”.

An integral part of the folk holidays of Karachay-Cherkessia are ritual dances, the history of which goes back to ancient times and which are connected with the life of the people. Ritual dance has always been the basis of the function of dance; the main idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe ritual is concentrated in it. Without dance, the ceremony will be incomplete. The content and specificity of such dances is multifunctional. For example: in the “Hardare” ritual the dance is dedicated to plowing, in “Apsata” and “Ashtotur” - to hunting, and in “Kurek biyche” - to making rain.

Today, folk choreography of Karachay-Cherkessia has great potential for harmonious spiritual and physical development, aesthetic improvement of the inhabitants of the region. Folk dance is the richest source of aesthetic impressions; it forms the artistic “me” as an integral part of the “tool of society”, through which it draws the most intimate and most personal aspects of a person into the circle of social life.

Photos in the top: http://www.riakchr.ru