Timonya

 

   The traditional dance "Timonya" is a unique cultural tradition of the Kursk Region, which has survived to the present day and exists on the territory of the southern districts of the Kursk region.

   "Timonya" is both a dance, and choruses, and a musical performance at the same time.

   This is communication, this is movement, this is self-expression. "Timonya" is Life. Probably, this will be the most correct definition, although perhaps the most incomprehensible. Indeed, they lived in Karagod - "Timonya" accompanied them all their lives.

Children were put to bed under "Timonya", who then, growing up, found grooms and brides in Karagоd; they got married and got married under "Timonya"; no holiday in the south of the Kursk region could do without "Timonyа".

The soldiers from Kursk, who reached Berlin in 1945, said that when they declared Victory, they danced "Timonya" for several hours in a row. It was a dance of Victory.

"Timonya in polished boots, his whole chest is covered in medals!..."

The history of this dance, its origin is a separate topic. The dance is very ancient.

Why the dance is called "Timonya" is unknown. They say that in the choruses it is sung about Timonya, therefore "Timonya". But, probably, the dance itself is much older than the choruses.

"Timonya" and other similar dances were not specially learned by anyone, they just were and are, they carried and continue to carry knowledge and information about the people who dance them, they made and created the people, did not let them go limp and fall apart, lose their image among other peoples.

Folk dances, along with dresses, ornaments, songs, customs, helped the people to preserve themselves and not get lost.

And these dances also carried a deep sacred meaning, the mythology of the people, they were danced on holidays for a reason, something important was re-lived and remembered there, which gave and gives meaning to our earthly existence.

Students of our school took part in a flash mob dance "Timonya", which took place on the Red Square of Kursk in September 2022. According to the strict commission, 1626 people danced at the same time. This sight amazed even those who had seen many representatives of the Russian Book of Records. It was not possible to "hold out" to two thousand participants. But the record was set anyway - more than 1600 dancers danced the Kursk "Timonya" on the City Day!