The Conditions of Existence and Technological Basis of Post-folk Dance

The contemporary choreographic culture of the Russian Federation is witnessing the emergence of a neo-traditionalist movement, with post-folk dance constituting a particularly notable phenomenon. Post-folk dance represents a notable trend in the evolution of choreographic culture during the latter half of the 20th century and the early decades of the 21st century. It is characterized by a conscious integration of elements from folk choreography into a variety of aspects including movement vocabulary, compositional techniques, and the conceptual framework of the work. In a single piece, these elements can be combined in a collage-like manner to evoke a rich tapestry of dance, movement, and rhythm plastic models drawn from diverse ethnic groups. This dance direction implies a deep degree of processing of folk material from different ethnic cultures, since it not only preserves a well-known system of movements, but also addresses the deep origins of the soul of the people, its archetypal foundations and sacred themes, and, most importantly, makes this the main issue of its works. Post-folk dance is another way of referring to the past: after all, the repeated use of artistic techniques of repetition and reproduction of already cited elements of tradition allows for producing new, in many ways unusual works of art. This article highlights the main conditions for the existence of post-folk dance and defines its technological features, of which the following are particularly emphasized: cantilena, polycentricity, polyrhythm, work with breath, ground, domestic (trample) steps, work with different planes, plastic intonation, music and vocal basis. The article outlines a culturological approach to further understanding the phenomenon of “post-folk dance” in the scholarly discourse.