All about the gypsy dance

Gypsy is an old dance that became famous at the end of the nineteenth century. Although the dance has its origins in gypsy culture, it has become a nationwide dance and may be performed at major celebrations for mood. Therefore, it is worth considering what are the features of the dance and how to learn it.

The gypsy dance is performed solo or in pairs. At the same time, the girl seeks to emphasize her beauty, femininity, proud, flirtatious and wayward character. The men's party, on the other hand, is full of desperate courage and broad-mindedness.

Unlike other folk dances and tunes, the gypsy girl is written in a minor key with her release. However, the beauty, harmonious content of the music and gradual acceleration of tempo will not let the audience feel sad. The melody of the dance is replete with chromatisms, retentions and various rhythmic patterns that fit into the 4/4 size. Altered harmony is often used here, and the texture is an imitation of guitar playing techniques.

The gypsy is divided into several types according to the type of performance.

1. Tabor option often performed in a narrow gypsy circle. It assumes freedom of performance and improvisation.
2. Street type appeared thanks to the first public performances of gypsy ensembles. He is also distinguished by a desire for improvisation and freedom of speech. A distinctive feature of such a dance is the active involvement of the audience in the process, which gives more pleasure from the performance.
3. Stage dance targeted at a more serious audience. Therefore, it presupposes high professionalism of the performers in combination with the work of the director. All formations and movements here are strictly regulated and worked out, so there is no place for improvisation.
4. Salon dance has a lot in common with the stage variety. However, it is performed indoors for a small number of spectators.

Sometimes the gypsy girl is accompanied by stage action. The pair of dancing depicts the spouses, between whom there was a falling out. First, the husband looks for his wife, hiding in the circle of his friends, and when he finds him, he bows down and invites her to dance. His chosen one resists for a while, but then goes into a circle.

During a joint dance, the gypsy tries to kiss his wife, but she, turning away, refuses. Offended by the refusal, the husband stops dancing and sits on the bench. Now it is the wife's turn to return her lover to the circle. With all her looks and movements, the performer expresses her grief and regret. After resisting for a while, the husband forgets the offense and returns to the circle again. Now, in the movements of the couple, mutual joy is visible, and the dance ends with a kiss.

You can dance a gypsy girl regardless of nationality and level of training. There are no special requirements for rehearsal costumes. The main condition is convenience and freedom of movement.

Clothing for public appearances requires more attention. She often imitates the popular version of the traditional gypsy costume.

1. An attention-grabbing part of the feminine look is a long, spacious skirt with flouncesoften made of brightly colored material. The top of the outfit is represented by a loose-fitting blouse without a collar, with ¾ sleeves.
2. The male costume was formed in accordance with the traditions of Hungarian attire. It assumes the presence of a spacious shirt, an embroidered vest, a jacket, a leather belt and a headdress.

Initially, the gypsy was performed barefoot. However, in the stage version of the dance, the dancers use shoes. For women, shoes are acceptable either without a heel or with a small heel. Male performers can wear boots, which in gypsy culture was considered a sign of wealth.

For girls planning to dance a gypsy, the choice of hairstyle is important. You can perform the dance with your hair down. However, this is not always convenient, especially at a fast pace. Therefore, as an alternative, you can pick up the hair in a ponytail or a bun, and tie a scarf twisted with a tourniquet on top, which is inherent in the image of a married gypsy.

Representatives of this culture are characterized by the use of jewelry, which is associated with a nomadic lifestyle. Therefore, elegant necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings will bring the costume closer to the historical prototype.

Although to participate in the stage performances of a gypsy girl, you will need an appropriate education, it is not difficult to learn how to dance the street or tabor version of the dance on your own. To practice at home requires a mirror, comfortable clothing, and appropriate music.

Regardless of the set of movements, their combinations and complexity, the dance is always built according to a single principle.

1. The exit is smooth and great... For a performer who slowly moves in a circle, posture and full penetration of the environment are important. If the dance is performed in pairs, then one of the partners is standing or sitting outside the circle, and the second is "in search" for his companion.
2. Gradually the dance is filled with movement... As the music speeds up, they become more intense and more complex.
3. The men's party consists of clapping hands, knees or ankles, squatting and tap dancing... When performing them, you need to try so that the created image is distinguished by confidence, ardor and careful passion at the beginning, gradually developing into a blazing flame.
4. The female party is characterized by sophistication in the movements of the arms and shoulders, plastic in the turns of the body, and snapping fingers. The peculiarities of the gypsy dance are "shoulder tremors", as well as playing with a skirt. Therefore, it is advisable that the bottom of the tracksuit imitate a gypsy outfit during training. Otherwise, these movements will not work.

Lessons for mastering a gypsy girl include the following elements.

1. "Walking with a skirt"... It involves an inverted positioning of the legs. When moving in a circle, it is important to make sure that the body lags slightly behind the legs, which will create the effect of floating in the air. At the same time, the back remains straight, the head is slightly thrown back. The arms holding the hem of the skirt open to the sides, and the shoulders flinch slightly.
2. "Vibration with flapping hands"... For this, the legs are tightly closed. Vibration of the body is achieved by lifting on the toes and working the calf muscles. Smooth, wide movements are performed with the hands. It is important here that the hair hang freely. To do this, you need to bend the body a little.
3. "Wide cross stroke". To perform the movement, the arms are extended forward, the body flexes. Then you need to throw your skirt high with your foot, crossing your leg. The movement can be performed alternately with forward or backward movement.
4. "Steps and Skirt Play." For this, the hem is held with only one hand, the other remains free. If the movement begins with the right leg, then when stepping crosswise, the arms meet in the region of the left shoulder and slightly cross each other. Then the right leg takes a step back, and the arms swing back with the institution behind the head.
5. "Swing your hands." Here the hem of the skirt is taken in both hands, which are alternately swept to the shoulder. At the same time, low kicks are made with setting to half-stop. Hand waves can also be done towards each other. In this case, the ejections of the legs are preserved.

Let's summarize: gypsy is a popular dance, characterized by bright colors and relative simplicity of performance. It can be performed solo, in pairs or in a group. Therefore, the dance can be mastered to be performed at a large family celebration. On the basis of the street version, a stage dance was created, combining national flavor and performing skills.

To learn how to dance a gypsy girl, you need to take care of music, dress and a mirror. Dancewear will be made in the spirit of a folk costume. The look is complemented by matching shoes, hairstyles and jewelry. Although bright costumes are needed directly at the performance, a fluffy skirt will be required already at rehearsals. Otherwise, you will not be able to work out some of the important dance movements. Although the simple dance can be mastered on your own using the video tutorials, the stage version requires more thorough preparation under the guidance of an experienced choreographer who will notice and correct mistakes in time.

Compositionally, the dance is built from simple to complex. As the pace accelerates, the movements become faster, sweeping and brighter. To make everything look natural and synchronous, you should learn all the elements with your hands and feet separately at a slow pace, and then combine everything you have learned, bring the movements to automatism, simultaneously picking up the desired tempo.

It should be borne in mind that the beauty of the dance depends not only on the correct movement and the brightness of the costumes. Regardless of the skill level, the dancer is expected to be completely immersed in the amazing atmosphere of gypsy dance.This will help create the right mood, and, if necessary, portray a worthy improvisation that will be remembered by the audience for a long time.

For an example of a gypsy dance, see the following video.