The hopak (from “hopaty” — to leap) is the most famous Ukrainian folk dance, which originated among the Cossacks of the Zaporozhian Sich. At first it was a men's competitive dance, in which warriors displayed strength, agility, and courage through breathtaking leaps, squat-kicks, and turns.
The music of the hopak is fast, in duple metre (2/4), with an irrepressible, explosive energy. Later the hopak became a mass, paired, and group dance, entering the treasury of Ukrainian choreography. Its melodies inspired professional composers too: Mykola Lysenko introduced a brilliant hopak into the finale of the opera “Taras Bulba.” The hopak long ago became a musical symbol of Ukraine in the world — an embodiment of Cossack valour, the joy of life, and the unconquered spirit of the people.
