How to Do the Russian Squat‐and‐Kick Dance

Co-authored by Yolanda Thomas and Amy Bobinger, BA

Last Updated: October 26, 2024 Fact Checked

When you think of Russian folk dancing, you probably picture someone squatting low to the ground, arms folded, kicking their legs in front of them. This dance is also known as the Cossack dance, Ukrainian Hopak stage dance, or Prisyadka. Mastering it takes a bit of practice, but it's probably not as hard as you think. We're here to break it down for you, so give it a shot!

1

Crouch down in a low squat.

Download Article

Balance your weight on the balls of your feet. The prisyadka is performed from a squat, so the first thing you have to do is get comfortable balancing in this position. Bend your knees and squat down until your rear touches your feet, keeping your heels off the ground. It might help to keep your knees apart as you do this. Practice squatting like this until you can easily hold the position for several minutes.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Your heels, butt, and shoulders should all form a straight line when you're in the squat.
- If it's hard to balance in this position, you can put one hand on the ground until you get used to squatting.
- You can also put your feet flat on the ground at first if you need to. However, you'll need to stay on the balls of your feet for the actual dance—that will help you bounce more easily from one foot to the other.

2

Push one foot out in front of you.

Download Article

Keep your heel on the ground to make it easier. Don't worry about kicking up just yet. Just straighten one of your legs so your foot is in front of you with your toes in the air.^{[2]
X
Research source} It might be easiest to start by kicking out your non-dominant leg so you can balance on your dominant leg at first.
- If you can, try to hold your foot up in the air—but if that's too hard at first, it's fine to rest your heel on the ground.^{[3]
  X
  Research source}
- It might take a little practice to be able to balance in this position―keep trying until it's comfortable!^{[4]
  X
  Research source}

3

Practice alternating your kicks.

Download Article

Bring in the leg you straightened, then kick out the other one. This can be a little challenging—it takes a lot of leg strength. It's okay to start slowly if you need to. You can even put one or both hands on the ground beside you to help you stay balanced. Just don't lean forward or backward, since your back needs to be straight for the dance.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- Work on this until you can kick out one leg and bring in the other in one fairly smooth motion.^{[6]
  X
  Research source}
- Remember to take breaks when you need to—depending on how strong your calves are, you might need days or even weeks to build up enough strength to do the dance completely!

4

Add a bounce as you alternate legs.

Download Article

Now it's time to put some energy into the dance. Start by holding one leg out in front of you. As you go to bring it back in, push up slightly with the other leg before you push it out. That little bit of a bounce will make it easier to shift from leg to leg quickly, so you'll be able to add some speed as you alternate your kicks.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- This can be tiring on your legs—start by trying to do it 6 times in a row, then gradually work up from there until you can keep a steady rhythm.^{[8]
  X
  Research source}

5

Increase the speed of your kicks.

Download Article

At full speed, you should almost be running in place. Try to hold yourself up at a steady height so your hips don't bounce up and down as you kick. That can make it easier to kick back and forth in a smooth, steady motion.^{[9]
X
Research source}
- As you get stronger, try lifting your foot so it's straight in front of you, rather than leaving your heel on the ground.^{[10]
  X
  Research source}

6

Fold your arms in front of you.

Download Article

Hold your arms so one is folded on top of the other at about shoulder height.^{[11]
X
Research source} However, since you might need your arms to help you balance at first, wait to add this in until you're completely comfortable holding your body straight up and down as you alternate your kicks.^{[12]
X
Research source}

7

Add in some freestyle to take it to the next level.

Download Article

Don't be afraid to improvise. In a traditional prisyadka, dancers would often hop on one leg, spin, clap, throw their hands into the air, or even do the jump-splits. There's no right or wrong, so just have fun with it!^{[13]
X
Research source}
- One popular variation of this dance is to lean back on your arms and kick one foot up in the air before pushing back up to the original position.^{[14]
  X
  Research source}
- To really get into the spirit, try ending your dance with a hearty shout of "Hey!"

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

What if it really hurts my knees rather than thigh or calves

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

When you're learning any new dance or exercise, take it slowly—you might need to build up your leg muscles so they can better support your knees. If it's painful, take a break. If you have persistent, severe knee pain, see your doctor to make sure you're healthy enough for a dance like this.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 1 Helpful 13
Question

How do I stay upright and not fall backwards?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

You can use your hands to help you balance as you're learning, but as you slowly build up the strength to do this dance, it will become easier to balance using your core and legs.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 4 Helpful 7
Question

What if my thighs squish my calves and I can't fully extend my legs?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

As you build up strength, practice a hovering crouch, rather than sitting directly on your feet. It can take some time to work up to this, but it will get easier as your legs get stronger.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 4 Helpful 16

See more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Tips

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

When doing the prisyadka, try to keep your back straight and shoulders back. This will help with balance and breathing. When you kick out your leg, point your toe. This will make you look neat, and not sloppy.
Stay on your toes even during the squat to stay mobile and stable.

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!