The kozachok is one of the most popular Ukrainian folk dances, which arose among the Cossacks. It is a fiery, playful dance in 2/4 metre, characterized by a gradual acceleration of the tempo — from a moderate beginning to a headlong, whirling finale.
Unlike the purely male, heroic hopak, the kozachok is more often a paired, flirtatious dance, full of lively dialogue between the dancers. Its crisp, springy rhythm attracted professional composers too: kozachoks and “Ukrainian” dances were written by European authors of the 18th–19th centuries. The kozachok became one of the musical symbols of Ukraine in the world, and its melodies and rhythms entered academic music while preserving the inexhaustible folk energy and joy of movement.
