CONCEPT OF HOLIDAY AND PERFORMANCE WITH PEOPLES OF EUROPE

The concept of holiday is deeply rooted in European cultures. The importance of a holiday for ordinary people consisted in breaking up the monotonous row of workdays filled with toil and care and having a good reason for change, rest and fun. All peoples traditionally kept count of the time by using local holidays as milestones. The most ancient of them were closely connected with nature and agriculture. Peasants always celebrated coming of spring, haymaking, harvesting as main events in their rural life. Later, due to growing influence of church on everyday life there appeared more austere and emotionally charged religious holidays. Quite often they were accompanied by exaltation of the crowd expecting miracles or some sacral events. Celebration in peoples' mentality was associated with some action, performance or heartwarming spectacle. Various types of performance, starting from folk theatrical and circus events in medieval market places to present day mass high tech attractions are the inherent elements of festive atmosphere. They carry out the primary function of consolidating all viewers and participants in a single emotional impulse. The great significance of this social phenomenon has always been recognized by the rulersand skillfully used for strengthening their power.

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