How to Do the Russian Squat‐and‐Kick Dance

When you think of Russian folk dancing, you probably picture someone squatting low to the ground, arms folded, kicking their legs in front of them. This dance—which actually originated in Ukraine—is also known as the Cossack dance, Ukrainian Hopak stage dance, or Prisyadka. Mastering it takes a bit of practice, but it's probably not as hard as you think. We're here to break it down for you, so give it a shot!

1

Crouch down in a low squat.

Download Article

Balance your weight on the balls of your feet. The prisyadka is performed from a squat, so the first thing you have to do is get comfortable balancing in this position. Bend your knees and squat down until your rear touches your feet, keeping your heels off the ground. It might help to keep your knees apart as you do this. Practice squatting like this until you can easily hold the position for several minutes.^{[1]XResearch source}
- Your heels, butt, and shoulders should all form a straight line when you're in the squat.
- If it's hard to balance in this position, you can put one hand on the ground until you get used to squatting.
- You can also put your feet flat on the ground at first if you need to. However, you'll need to stay on the balls of your feet for the actual dance—that will help you bounce more easily from one foot to the other.

2

Push one foot out in front of you.

Download Article

Keep your heel on the ground to make it easier. Don't worry about kicking up just yet. Just straighten one of your legs so your foot is in front of you with your toes in the air.^{[2]XResearch source} It might be easiest to start by kicking out your non-dominant leg so you can balance on your dominant leg at first.
- If you can, try to hold your foot up in the air—but if that's too hard at first, it's fine to rest your heel on the ground.^{[3]XResearch source}
- It might take a little practice to be able to balance in this position―keep trying until it's comfortable!^{[4]XResearch source}

3

Practice alternating your kicks.

Download Article

Bring in the leg you straightened, then kick out the other one. This can be a little challenging—it takes a lot of leg strength. It's okay to start slowly if you need to. You can even put one or both hands on the ground beside you to help you stay balanced. Just don't lean forward or backward, since your back needs to be straight for the dance.^{[5]XResearch source}
- Work on this until you can kick out one leg and bring in the other in one fairly smooth motion.^{[6]XResearch source}
- Remember to take breaks when you need to—depending on how strong your calves are, you might need days or even weeks to build up enough strength to do the dance completely!

4

Add a bounce as you alternate legs.

Download Article

Now it's time to put some energy into the dance. Start by holding one leg out in front of you. As you go to bring it back in, push up slightly with the other leg before you push it out. That little bit of a bounce will make it easier to shift from leg to leg quickly, so you'll be able to add some speed as you alternate your kicks.^{[7]XResearch source}
- This can be tiring on your legs—start by trying to do it 6 times in a row, then gradually work up from there until you can keep a steady rhythm.^{[8]XResearch source}

5

Increase the speed of your kicks.

Download Article

At full speed, you should almost be running in place. Try to hold yourself up at a steady height so your hips don't bounce up and down as you kick. That can make it easier to kick back and forth in a smooth, steady motion.^{[9]XResearch source}
- As you get stronger, try lifting your foot so it's straight in front of you, rather than leaving your heel on the ground.^{[10]XResearch source}

6

Fold your arms in front of you.

Download Article

Hold your arms so one is folded on top of the other at about shoulder height.^{[11]XResearch source} However, since you might need your arms to help you balance at first, wait to add this in until you're completely comfortable holding your body straight up and down as you alternate your kicks.^{[12]XResearch source}

7

Add in some freestyle to take it to the next level.

Download Article

Don't be afraid to improvise. In a traditional prisyadka, dancers would often hop on one leg, spin, clap, throw their hands into the air, or even do the jump-splits. There's no right or wrong, so just have fun with it!^{[13]XResearch source}
- One popular variation of this dance is to lean back on your arms and kick one foot up in the air before pushing back up to the original position.^{[14]XResearch source}
- To really get into the spirit, try ending your dance with a hearty shout of "Hey!"

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question
Is it hard to do the squat kick if it’s my first time?
Community Answer
Yes, but practice makes perfect, and it doesn't take long to get it down.
Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If How.com.vn has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support How.com.vn
Yes No
Not Helpful 18 Helpful 117
Question
What if my hips and legs start hurting? Should I continue to do this daily, even if I’m a minor?
Community Answer
No. Take a break for a couple of days. Your muscles need time to rest and rebuild. Then when you're ready to start practicing again, try to keep it to every other day.
Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If How.com.vn has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support How.com.vn
Yes No
Not Helpful 19 Helpful 111
Question
Does core strength matter?
Community Answer
Yes, very much, but you also need leg strength to do this.
Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If How.com.vn has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support How.com.vn
Yes No
Not Helpful 19 Helpful 94

See more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Tips

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of How.com.vn readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on How.com.vn, please submit it in the field below.

When doing the prisyadka, try to keep your back straight and shoulders back. This will help with balance and breathing. When you kick out your leg, point your toe. This will make you look neat, and not sloppy.
Stay on your toes even during the squat to stay mobile and stable.

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!