Na Taku (Belarusian: На таку́) is a Belarusian traditional music band.
History
In 2008 singer and piper Źmicier Sidarovič started a band which organised traditional dancing parties in the Minsk café "Žar-Ptuška". He continued to perform at Žar-Ptuška until 2011, later moving to other establishments.[1] After Sidarovič's death, the band has continued to exist. The band frequently tours neighbouring countries, such as Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine.[2]
Name
"Na taku" literally means "On the threshing floor" in Belarusian and refers to the folk tradition to arrange dance parties on the vacant threshing floor[3] (cf. "barn dance").
Repertoire
The band plays old everyday dances which originate both from villages and towns. While the majority of dances are of Belarusian origin, the band plays Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian, Ukrainian, Polish, Finnish, Austrian, Breton and French dances as well. On the whole more than 100 different dances are performed by the band.[4] Dances are included in the band's repertoire only if they are historically adopted to the rural culture and are well-integrated in tradition.[5]
We refused to orient on medieval music, which is played by a number of bands, from the very beginning and chose an ethnographic dancing music style. I have no idea where 'medieval bands' take materials from. Perhaps they visit European festivals or search for music in the libraries. We can still talk to people, hear their songs. It happened so that someone in a village showed us a dance, and in a couple of weeks we were told that this person had died. It is weird to realize that the dance could have disappeared forever together with that person.[1]
— Alaksiej Krukoŭski
Members of the band participate in ethnographic expeditions, adopt the traditional manner of playing from authentic musicians.[6]
Members
Past members
References