If you’ve ever seen someone salsa, swing dance, or Waltz you’ve probably been just as impressed as we were. It takes years of training and practice to become a top dancer.
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But some styles of dance have been honed over decades, even centuries. Such is the case with the Ukranian style, Hopak. Recently, Ukrainian Dance World’s Facebook page posted a video of some men practicing a Hopak routine and let’s just say, you’ll be pretty speechless by the end.
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We’re pretty confident each man is on great terms with their local chiropractor… and just watching their performance made us want to give one a call!
Not only does this tough dance require a lot of flexibility, but strength and skill both play huge parts, too. Despite this, the men almost make it seem easy.
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“Almost” being the keyword.
But it’s not just the strength and flexibility of these Ukrainian dancers that’s impressive. They also seem to be having a lot of fun! There’s a lot of genuine joy and enthusiasm on display for a dance that’s a strong part of their cultural heritage.
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According to commenter Judith Elizabeth Nelson,
“During the 16th century, the Ukraine went through a long period of struggle for independence, mostly against the Ottoman Empire (1657-1709) and the Russian Empire (1686-1709.) During this time, the soldiers in an area called Sich, now a Ukrainian reservoire, began returning home after battle victorious. As a way to celebrate, these ordinary military men would begin dancing and re-enacting their battle scenes for the community to see. They began pantomiming using their swords and other weapons, as local musicians would join them in their dance. The men then began to improvise, performing acrobatics in the air as well as other masculine moves such as squats in order to prove their manliness and heroism. This style of movement is what gave this dance the name Hopak, being derived from the Ukraine verb “hopaty”meaning to jump.”
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To see their incredible performance, watch the video below, and if you’re a fan of talented dancers giving unforgettable performances, don’t forget to share this story!
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