Dancing Yakuts Break World Record

By The Moscow Times

June 24, 2012

Ysyakh festivities celebrate nature's rebirth with dancing, sports and drinking of fermented mare's milk.

More than 15,000 Sakha residents entered the Guinness Book of Records on Saturday, joining hands in the largest round dance ever recorded while celebrating the Yakut New Year.

In an event to open the Ysyakh national holiday in the Us Khatyn district of the Sakha republic, participants formed 36 circles and sang folks songs under the watchful eyes of Guinness Book of Records representative Jack Brockbank, Interfax reported.

The records team insisted that all 15,293 dancers take part in traditional dress, according to RIA-Novosti.

The dance routine, known as osuokhai in the Yakut language, lasted about 20 minutes, although sometimes such dances can last days.

A website dedicated to Ysyakh festivities, Ysyakh.com, contains a colorful set of photos showing past and present holiday celebrations.

Taking part in the osuokhai is meant to symbolize the unity of people and the orbit of the sun, while Ysyakh celebrates nature's rebirth with dancing, sports and drinking of fermented mare's milk.

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