Methodology for Learning Kyrgyz Folk Dance. Part 1
Costumes for Kyrgyz Dance
We have already discussed the close interconnection between the dance folklore of Kyrgyzstan and the mastery of classical ballet, and today the process of mutual influence between folk and stage choreography continues. It is particularly important to emphasize the breadth and diversity of themes and plots embodied by choreographers, the expansion of dance vocabulary, and the understanding of the experiences of the cultures of the fraternal peoples of the USSR and other countries.
Despite the wide popularity of Kyrgyz folk and stage choreography, it has not yet attracted the attention of practitioners and researchers in the art of dance. There are few recordings of dances, the terminology of folk dance movements has not been developed, and there are no manuals for learning dances. All this complicates the opportunity for dance art enthusiasts to become acquainted with the best works of Kyrgyz choreography.
The stage plan and descriptions of formations are given from the audience's perspective, while the description of movements is from the performers' perspective.
The movements of the dancers are indicated by a dotted line, and the direction of movement is shown by an arrow.
Before starting to learn a particular Kyrgyz dance, the leader of the dance group will, as always, introduce the future performers to the musical material, patterns and sketches presented in the recording, and the costumes.
A few more details should be mentioned about the costumes. During the formation of dance art, the stage Kyrgyz folk costume hardly differed from everyday wear. Gradually, a modern stage costume was developed.
For women, the dress (keynek) is made of light materials: silk, nylon, tulle. The ends of the sleeves and the hem are trimmed with three ruffles. The underskirt has a ruffle in the color of the dress. Over the dress, a vest (chyphtama) or a kazakin (kemsel) is worn. The vest is made from any dense material (cloth, wool, velvet) and is decorated with tambour embroidery or appliqués made of shiny materials, brocade, satin, with the addition of silver sequins.
Shalwar (dambal) are made from light soft fabric in various colors. Girls adorn themselves with beads (shuru) made of metal, wood, bone, or coral, which are sometimes woven into braids, as well as earrings (soike) made of gold, silver, or other metals. The outfit is completed with a belt (kemer) made of leather or a substitute, velvet, decorated with individual elements of ornamentation (made of metal). On their feet, they wear soft boots (maasy) made of colored leather with a medium heel or pointed shoes made of leather.
Headwear is quite diverse. For example, a cap made of velvet (kunduz berk), trimmed with otter fur, decorated on top with a plume of feathers, or a cap made of velvet or plush, also adorned with owl feathers.
The headwear (elechek) and details of the costume, as well as the length of the skirt (beldemchi) differ for women and girls. Elechek is made from batiste, calico, satin, and is decorated with embroidery, beads, and sequins. Beldemchi is made from velvet, wool, or corduroy and is embellished with tambour embroidery or appliqué.
The men's costume consists of a beshmet (beshment), trousers (shym), shirt (kvynak), belt (kemer), headwear (berk), and boots (etuk). The beshmet is made from velvet, cloth, corduroy, or wool and is decorated with ornamental elements—tambour embroidery or appliqué made of shiny material. The shirt is made from calico, satin, or crepe; the collar can be of various shapes. The belt made of leather or suede is adorned with silver and elements of Kyrgyz ornamentation (metal, foil). The boots made of colored leather are decorated with painting.
The headwear (kalpak) is made from white felt or thin wool, and the brim is trimmed with black velvet, though other colors—green, red, blue—are also possible.
Costumes can also be of different colors, cuts, and styles. It is important that the costume corresponds to the dance.
Another detail related to the performance of Kyrgyz dances should be noted. As a rule, the dancers do not hold any accessories in their hands: whips, sticks, or other objects. These are mimicked by the dancers, which requires a certain level of acting skill from the performers.
