COMMENT ON THE NUMBERS INCLUDED IN THE PROGRAM OF THE CONCERTS OF THE STATE ACADEMIC DANCE COMPANY "BERIOZKA"
The spring aroma, the poetry of Russia, its exciting beauty, birch groves, endless distances - all that is suggested in the dance.
The technical range of the Russian folk dance is wide. One of its peculiarities is "drobi", i.e. the ability to make all sorts of complicated rythms with feet and use that for talking.
…This is a courting dance, a merry competition, declaration of love made among boys and girls.
From ancient times there has been a tradition in Russia to play rolesin a song, that is to express the content of the song through differentcharactersqPeople1s memory has kept till our times a great number of such play-songs. They are also made in our times and byprofessional composers too. "Balalaika" is an example of these play-songs performed by characters by means of choreography.
The fast course of life with its joys, unexpected events and splashes, exuberant youth, youthful ardour, distance, generosity of the Russian soul is features in this dance.
The beauty of the human spirituality, noble soul aspirations inspiring the creative imagination of a man has always been a characteristic feature of the Russian dance. The image of a snow-white swan, the proud and sweet bird, is often found in the national Russian stories, songs and fairy-tales. Pure girls, devoted women are compared to a swan.
Young guys from various villages have gathered. They can play accordion, dance and have a good time. They compete - who can play a trick better and faster and accompany himself best on the accordion. But there is no winner in this dance.
All are equally good. It is only friendship that reigns.
The storm has finished, the clouds are gone, the sky is clean1, and there is a rainbow of seven colors shining in the sky. It is just like a fairy bridge uniting the two opposite sides of the -Earth. White birds have come. They are flying above in circles, swinging in the motherly gentle arms of the rainbow. Then they go away spreading in the world the kindest, brightest and most pure sentiment - that of the universal, brotherhood, devotion to the ideals, of peace on the planet. This is the, main idea of the dance.
In old Russia there used to be wandering artists-clowns were musicians, dancers, masters of talking and puppeteers. In thereperformances they were laughing at the people who were at power - the rich, the church people, the police. It is the genre of the square clowns theatre and its principle character, people's favorite puppet Petrushka, the, satire, the playful humor and gaiety reign in this dance.
There used to be a tradition among people to go to the public merry-making, to see people and to show oneself. In particular this referred to young women.
…Young women walk with a majestic gait, they move their shoulders, they wink playfully, they put their colored shawls on gracefully, showing off - just you see how pretty and stately we are.
Sons of Russia, strong guys, Russia's defenders and breadwinners. They have wide shoulders, strong arms, they can work and rest. Agile, strong, brave, united - they are the hope and support of Mother Earth.
There are steps in the folk dance that are figuratively called "gates", "stars", "chains" etc. 0n the basis of-these steps the choreographer creates new dances putting a deep ethic and even philosophical idea into them.
This is how the round dance "Chain" appeared and in it by simple means of plasticity the character of a Russian woman is created - serene and grand in her understanding of the meaning of life.
Girls and guys move shoulder to shoulder in an uninterrupted chain. "Festival dance" starts in the village. There are no bounds to the fantasy of the contemporary young people. Just like flame the dance becomes hotter. Nobody can resist the power of music; nobody can resist the temptation of competing in strength, agility, beauty and intricacy of the dance steps.
The richness of the Russian round dance poetry is incomparable. The sound of the bobbins making fanciful lace patterns, the proud gait of the young lace-makers, the joy of the collective creative work giving happiness to people - this is the essence of the round dance "Lace-maker".
The dance is a story of a love triangle that has existed since earliest timeslot is a comic story of the problem the girl encounters when she has to choose one of the two admirers.
PART I - Young people's gathering.
PART II - A play "Bear hunting".
PART III - Dance.
Signs of our times are reflected in this dances the life-asserting beginning and the cheerful mood. At times this dance is restrained and at times it is temperamental but all the dance is equally full of sparkling humor, youthful ardour, inexhaustible energy of the all - triumphant joy of life.
This is a dance whose choreography on one hand is in the form of a round dance and on the other hand - in the genre of a popular and ever young waltz0This is the endeavor to find new colors capable of showing the essence of the Russian folk choreography in a more vivid way
…Scarves fly up like snow in a stormy winter day or like leaves of the autumn leaf-fall or like a gale of a pink summer morning or like the ever young green of string. The girls whirl in a fairy waltz. They sing a hymn of nature and accordingly of life itself.
There can be possible changes in the program.