The Society of Folk Dance Historians (SFDH)

The Society of Folk Dance Historians (SFDH)

Ukrainian Dance Terms
Compiled by Dick Oakes, 1987

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STEPS

BELL STEP (PDB kick to side)
BELL STEP (with high knees)
BUZZ TURN (individual)
COFFEE-GRINDER
CROSS-KICK-PDB (to side)
HEEL-CLICK
HOP-STEP-STEP-SPIN
KNEE-KICK-PDB
KNEE-KICK-PDB (with high knees)
KNEE-KICKS (double)
LUNGE STEP-PDB
LUNGE STEP-PDB (with high knees)
PDB-KICK (moving backward)
PAW STEP
PDB TURN (couple)
TWIST ON TOES & HEELS
SCISSOR-KICKS
TOE-HEEL STEP
TOE-HEEL STEP
TOE-HEEL STEP (double)
TOE-HEEL STEP (double)

MERESHKA ("a woman's name") (M only)
KOZACHE MERESHKA ("Cossack's mareshka") (M only)
KRYT ("turn")
NOHO KRYT ("leg turn")
PERESKOK ("over jump")
PIDKIVKA ("under kick")
PIDSKOK ("under hop")
VEHENENYA ("bending")
KOZACHE VEHENENYA ("Cossack's bending") (M only)
PODVENY VEHENENYA ("double bending")
VEPAD ("fall")
KOCACHE VEPAD ("Cossack's fall") (M only)
VEEDREVENYA ("a town or village")
DORIZKA ("little road")
PODVIJNAY KRUT ("double turn")
PODVIJNAY VYKHYLYASKYK ("brush against")
KOLESENYAM ("rocking") (W only)
DETORKANYA (W)
VEXHOLYASNEK (M)
PODVENY DETORKANYA (W)
PODVENY VEXHOLYASNEK (M)

PRESCHIDS (M only - see SCHUPAKS)

SQUAT-ASTRIDE (up to heels)
SQUAT-CROSS (underneath)
SQUAT-KICK (basic)
SQUAT-KICK-CROSS-KICKS
SQUAT-KICK-KNEE-KICKS
SQUAT-KICKS (to one side)
SQUAT-KICKS (alt. irreg. to sides)
SQUAT-SCISSOR-KICKS
SQUAT-TWIST

PRESCHIDS POTALKE ("sit toward")
PRESCHID KHREST ("sit and cross")
PRESCHID ("sit")
PRESCHIDS PERESKOKOM ("sit toward and kick over")
PRESCHIDS VEHENENYA ("sit toward bending")
PRESCHIDS VBEEK ("sit toward to the side")
PRESCHIDS VEKEED ("sit toward to the side and exit" - with PRESCHIDS VBEEK")
PRESCHIDS KOLESENYAM ("sit toward with rocking")
HYDUK KRUT ("butt turn")

SCHUPAKS (M only - remaining low)

SQUAT-KICKS (remaining low - basic)
SQUAT-KICKS (with foot-slap to floor)
SQUAT-KICKS (with circular side sweep)
SQUAT-KICKS (both heels to one side)

SCHUPAKS
PLAZUNETS
SCHUPAK VBEEK
KACHKA

CALLS (for ARKAN)

STAND (in place)
STAMP (in place)
STAMP (in place)
STAMP (in place)
HEAD DOWN (feet together)
HEAD UP (feet together)
STAMP ONCE (in place)
FOUR STAMPS (in place)
STAMPS (several stamps in place)
ONE
TWO
AND OFF YOU GO
STAR
THREE CHANGES
SIX CHANGES
PRECHIDS WITH KICK TO SIDE
EXIT

A NAMICHE TROPACHOK ("stand in place")
ZA TATA ("for father")
ZA MAMU ("for mother")
ZA DIVCHINO ("for a girl")
BATKO SPIT (pronounced 'speet', "papa is sleeping")
BATKO STAV (pronounced 'staw', "papa is awake")
RAZ PERBIJ (pronounced 'perbiy', "hit once")
CHETYRI NA MISCHE ("four in place")
STROPACHKOM (pronounced 'zstropachkom', "stamps in place")
RAZ ("one")
TVA ("two")
Y TE-PER PISHO! (y is pronounced 'ee', "and off you go!")
ZVIZDA (not gvizta or svizt, "star")
TRI ZMINI ("three changes")
SHIST ZMINI ("six changes")
RAZY ("times," one time, two times, then BEZKONECHNO)
BEZKONECHNO ("many times" moving to exit)

DOCUMENTS

Dick Oakes, an article.
Ukraine, a country.
Ukrainian Folk Dance, an article.
Ukrainian Dance and Music, an article.

Used with permission of the author.

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