The khorovod (round dance) is not only the most popular, but also the most ancient of Russian folk dances. Most commonly, it is a round dance – people stand in a circle (resembling the solar disk) and move from east to west, as does the Sun in its movement across the sky. These steps are traced back to ancient pagan rites and Slavic festivals, during which people worshiped the powerful God of the Sun, Yarilo.

The khorovod has a symbolic significance for the country – it is difficult to single out any other element of Russian culture that could have invariably played a bigger role throughout so many centuries. Performed during three seasons – spring, summer and autumn – this round dance reflects such distinctive traits of the Russian national character as joyfulness, creativity and enthusiasm. Without doubt, the khorovod may be considered a symbol of beauty – the beauty of movement, of the surrounding world, and of course of human beings.

Source: http://www.rgo.ru/en/article/russian-round-dance-following-movement-sun

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