The Troika is a get-your-heart-pumpin’-super fun folk dance perfect for any winter celebration, not just the holidays! Inspired by a horse-drawn sleigh, everything about this dance (except the meter) revolves around the number three. “Troika” means “three” in Russian, and the dance features three dancers per group and three main parts.
Imagining the Sleigh
To help students connect with the theme of the dance, create a story:
● Envision a horse-drawn sleigh. (The interesting thing is that many of my students in
Poland may have firsthand experience with horse-drawn sleigh rides!)
● Each group of three dancers includes a “driver” (middle dancer) and two “horses”
(dancers on either side).