"Trepak" is the short joyous moment in 2nd act in "The Nutcracker" ballet suite (premiere in 1892).
The super awesome music was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. For the whole Nutcracker show.
This dance (Trepak part) was originally based on Ukrainian folk dance, the Tropak.
Then I found a different creative choreography on YouTube. It's by Alexander Kalinin. His choreography I believe has a bit Kung Fu movements flavor but still includes the original entrance and those floor tricks.
Well, I made up things.
Anywho, let's watch it. Thanks to the uploader (the channel of this video).
There's that half helicopter kick I dig in this. From around 0:46 to 0:52.
Very neat.
The whole production is neat.
More reading
On Wikipedia: The Nutcracker
Those are not kung fu moves. They are systema moves. Systema is a Russian martial art which many of its moves were actually part of the folk dance as a method to "hide" them and pass along throughout the time. I learned that in a systema class. It is absolutely fascinating! And it is indeed a bit similar to kung fu due to being based on relaxing and flowing. Very potent also.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by and commenting. Yep, good to know that branch of martial art. Well, Russia is indeed near China, so you know, cultural share and such. :D
DeleteMartial art "origin" itself is blurry. I'm sort of "familiar" with few branches, like Taekwondo, Karate, Aikido, Muay Thai, Krav Maga, Pencak Silat and so on. But like you said, and I agree, the very "flow-y" of them is Kungfu (Wushu), with many different styles. Pretty much similar to ballet, but without skimpy outfit I suppose, hahahaHArr