Dance videos

Russian Cossack Dance. Ensemble Barynya from Brooklyn, New York

Ensemble Barynya is performing a traditional Russian Cossack dance routine consisting acrobatic tumbles, jumps, spins and leaps and the infamous cossack kicks! Brooklyn based Russian Cossack dancers reproduce the ethnic Cossack dances of the region in stage adapted form. Kazaki are better known outside of Russia as Cossacks (Turkish word meaning Outlaw, Adventurer or freebooter/freeman). Cossacks are first mentioned in the 15th century as freedom-loving ex-serfs, Tatars and descendants of Scythian warriors living on the open plains of southern Ukraine and Russia's Don River basin. The Don Cossacks had their own independent republic for most of the 17th century, and in 1835 reached an agreement with the Russian czar, according to which they would provide him with highly trained soldiers in return for land and special privileges.