Soviet ballroom dances


Soviet ballroom dance was a category of ballroom dance competitions in the former Soviet Union. Competitions in Ballroom dancing in the USSR were held in three dance categories: Standard dances, Latin dances, and Soviet dances.

Soviet category

The Soviet category comprised Polka, Rylio, Varu-Varu, Sudarushka, Russian Lyrical
With the exception of Polka, these dances were choreographed basing on some folk dances of Soviet republics.
The former three are "fast" or "rhythmic" dances, the latter two are "slow" or "lyrical" ones.
All of them had distinctive basic techniques. The meter was or for all of them. The hold was either open or loose, without body contact. Polka had the tightest hold. Polka, Sudarushka and Russian Lyrical were progressive dances, i.e., moving along the line of dance. Rylio and Varu-Varu were of "stationary" type.
Today the category is obsolete, but the dances themselves survived, moved back to the category of folk dances. At some dance events, such as "Neva Cup" in St. Petersburg, balls of Esta-Mephi club, Moscow, or "Russian Formation Cup-2007" held in Tyumen these dances comprise the competition category of "Homeland Dances".

Some basic step-rhythm patterns

The count cues could be any of 12345678, 12341234, 1&2&3&4& or 1&2&1&2&.

Rylio

All steps/taps are in place, with slight one-foot skipping action. Author - choreographer - Adomas Gineitis

Varu-Varu

The dance is based on simple steps and jumpy movements created in 1950s in Latvia. It may be danced with any in time disco music.

Sudarushka

The dance is based on Russian khorovod dances. the dance is of vivid and light character, of medium to faster tempo in time.

Russian Lyrical

The dance is based on Russian folk tunes. It has a soft and smooth character, danced at medium tempo in or time.
The recommended tunes are "Русский лирический" or "Подмосковные вечера"

Other Soviet ballroom

Ballroom dance manuals of Soviet times list quite a few other Soviet dances promoted to counter the influence of the "Western way of life", created basing on folk dances of the peoples of the Soviet Union and Soviet Bloc:
  • Tuyana / Туяна
  • Yatranochka / Ятраночка ; choreographed by the Ukrainian ballroom dance troupe in 1971
  • Slavutyanochka / Славутянка
  • Gutsulka / Гуцулка
  • Jooksupolka / Йоксу-полька
  • Transcarpathian Ballroom / Закарпатский бальный
  • Kazakh Ballroom / Казахский бальный
  • Figure Waltz / Фигурный вальс
  • Vesyalaya Hora / Веселая хора
  • "Разрешите пригласить"
  • "Skaters" / "Конькобежцы"