The Russian 19th century poet Nekrasov wrote a poem on a hawker. Later the tune "Korobushka" was written to this poem. This tune became very popular in the late 19th century Russian cities and country side. Soon a dance "Korobotschka" developed. In the beginning of the 20th century Jewish immigrants from the Ukraine brought the dance to the USA. The Ukrainian Micheal Herman learned the dance from his teacher Abramenko. The fast Herman version became very popular in the 40's in the USA. The steps of the original Korobushka were much smaller and slower than of the fast form. Also, the first part (arm movements, turn, clap, Hungarian-like closing-step) is absent in the original version.
Source: H. Konings (1994), Hoe heet die dans/2: Korobushka. In: Barinya Brief '94, nr. 5, p. 5.