Khorovod

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The khorovod or horovod^[a] is an East Slavic and pagan art form. It is one of the oldest Russian folk dances – being over 1,000 years old.^[1] It is a combination of a circle dance and chorus singing, similar to the choreia of ancient Greece. The dance was also known in Russia as karagod, tanok and krug.

The term khorovod likely descends from the Greek Choreia (Ancient Greek: χορεία); Rus' culture was heavily influenced by Greek culture. Khorovod is related to choreia ( a Greek circle dance), kolo (a South Slavic circle dance originating in Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia), hora (Balkans), and kochari (Armenian and Azerbaijani folk dance).

The participants of the dance hold the hand or the little finger of their dance partners while dancing in a circle.

The circle dance symbolised "moving around the sun" in ancient Russian culture and was a pagan rite symbolizing unity and friendship. The female organizer or leader of the dance was called khorovodnitsa.

The khorovod dance has own characteristics in the different regions of Old Russia. In the northern Russian regions, the round dance was known for its gentle and subtle manner, while in the central Russian regions, the dance was more cheerful and lighthearted. Russian folk songs accompanied the dance. The people kicked, clapped and made quick and energetic movements. Dances in southern Russia, with its warm, mild weather, were famous for their rapid, hot-blooded movements and complex patterns, embodying strength, boundless energy and youth.^[2][3]

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