Physiology: What does it Take to do the Cossack Dance?

[WWGD]

Hi, just curious, I think this is a question on physiology. What does it take to be able
to do the Cossack dance , in the first 8 seconds or so of:



It seems impossible for me to even move when I am in that position, in my knees, let alone being able to jump around while stretching out my legs. If it is not too difficult, I would like to give it a shot and learn how to do it myself. Is it an issue of developing the right muscles , e.g., pelvis, thigh and below? Maybe flexibility of knee ligaments? Anything else?

Thanks.

 

[Yanick]

It is not simply about developing muscles or flexibility, although those are definitely components of such movements. In general complex movements such as those are learned by training, likely using specific drills, stretches, exercises and practice. Not that this helps you much with your specific question, but I just wanted to get the point across that movements are trained for in a complicated manner to acquire the strength, balance, flexibility, coordination etc. required to perform them. On a fundamental level it is the same as any type of training requiring specific movements ie gymnastics, basketball dribbling, dancing and so on. Basketball players do not train like gymnasts do, although they may have some of the general fitness modalities in common.

You are better off finding someone local who teaches this type of dancing or going on websites which focus on this sort of dancing. Those sources will surely have some specific advice about learning this type of dance (drills, stretches, exercises and such).

 

[WWGD]

Thanks, Yanick.

 

[KAL255]

Would you have any kind of drills me and my wife can do?

 

[WWGD]

Would you have any kind of drills me and my wife can do?

Ah, you got the Cossack bug too, huh? Cool to break into it and surprise the hell out of people.

 

[Alexitor14K]

I have a question does the hopak dance break ligaments of the knee or something else?

 

[pinball1970]

Hi, just curious, I think this is a question on physiology. What does it take to be able
to do the Cossack dance , in the first 8 seconds or so of:



It seems impossible for me to even move when I am in that position, in my knees, let alone being able to jump around while stretching out my legs. If it is not too difficult, I would like to give it a shot and learn how to do it myself. Is it an issue of developing the right muscles , e.g., pelvis, thigh and below? Maybe flexibility of knee ligaments? Anything else?

Thanks.

If you have had ANY sort of knee injury previously I would avoid this.
As per other posters, bonified dance teacher advice first.
Looking at the mechanics?
How are your squats in the gym?
How long are your legs?
What is your BMI?

 

[WWGD]

Thank you all, I have put this off indefinitely. It was just a curiosity at the moment but I have way too much else on my plate now.

 

[Astronuc]

It seems impossible for me to even move when I am in that position, in my knees, let alone being able to jump around while stretching out my legs. If it is not too difficult, I would like to give it a shot and learn how to do it myself. Is it an issue of developing the right muscles , e.g., pelvis, thigh and below? Maybe flexibility of knee ligaments? Anything else?

It requires a combination of strength (or strength to weight ratio), flexibility and training, much like ballet dancers (or dancers in general) and martial arts practitioners do. I used to be able to do it in my 20s.

Without the strength, flexibility and training, one can easily injure oneself, especially if one is more than 4 decades old.

Edit/update: I was into Cossacks in my childhood. The 1962 film Taras Bulba staring Tony Curtis and ‎Yul Brynner was influential.