Russia

RODINA   Voronezh


THE LAUREATE OF INTERNATIONAL CONTESTS

THE FOLK DANCE ENSEMBLE

"RODINA”

 The Folk Dance Ensemble "RODINA”, was created in 1970. Its first leader was Alexander Shostak. He was an honoured performer of Russia . He was also a talented choreographer and a wonderful teacher. Some of his staged dances are used by his pupils in different Russian ensembles. "RODINA" became a laureate of city's, Russian's and international contests. lt shows its concerts in  
Chech
Republic , Hungary , Korea , Vietnam , Poland , the Caucasus, Byelorussia , Ukraine , Kazakhstan , Estonia . The ensemble was admired by foreigners. All the concerts impressed spectators tremendously. Not only did Shostak create a great repertoire, but also staged mass dances characterised by immense joy and fervour. They had and have such dances in their repertoire as: "Avral", "Kadril", "Topotuha", the lyric dance "Utushki", "Podrugi", "Karusel", etc.
But every year the repertoire is constantly renewed.  

The ensemble travels a lot throughout the country. lt visited Vladimir , Sevastopol,  St.Petersburg, Saratov , Novgorod , Arbangelsk, Kiev and the international 
camp "Orlyonok".  

Now the leader of the “RODINA" is Tatiana Tchetverikova. The ensemble still remains one of the best dance groups in Voronezh . lt still surprises spectators by its new interesting performances. There is also a musical "Snow Queen"', which interested professional choreographers. "RODINA" is shot by the Voronezh and Moscow TV companies.  

The ensemble consists of 160 people, their age is different from 6 till 25. 
But the leading group includes about 50 members, their age is from 13 till 25. 
The atmosphere in the group is very friendly. As for musicians they play different musical instruments and sing Russian folk songs. The following instruments: Russian 'accordion, lozhki, treshchyotki, balalaika and guitar. "RODINA" is a great folk value. Besides the dances of the Voronezh region, the ensemble also shows dances from some other regions, such as. the Central region, the Siberia , the Russian North and dances of different nations a some modern performances. 
All citizens of the town of Voronezh are proud of their region and its rich culture.  

The dances, songs and music in “RODINA" serve to one aim - to develop Russian folklore and acquaint the whole world with the beauty and richness of the Russian culture

 

KAROUSEL   Jaroslawl


Yaroslavl School of Culture

Russian Folk - Dance Ensemble "Carousel"

The folk - dance ensemble "Carousel" organized in 1989 in Yaroslavl School of Culture, has lately gained great popularity in the area. 30 dancers of the ensemble are the students of the School of Culture . Future workers of arts for schools, clubs and kindergartens they learn dancing and performing. Some of them later continue their training at the institutes of higher learning and become professional dancers.The name of the ensemble 'Carousel' fully suits its style.  

There are 20 dances in the ensemble's repertoire: 1 Moldavian, 1 Ukrainian, 1 Irish, 1 Spanish, 1 Jewish, 1 Mexican and 14 Russian dances, two of which are staged by the ensemble leader Alla Kozlova, a professional choreographer.  

The dances depict the features of different region folk styles and techniques. Lyric and playful they are performed in the traditional Russian costumes designed by Moscow tailors to match particular dances. The dances are performed in groups of 2, 6, 8, 12, 20, female, male and mixed. There is one female singer, who sings Russian folk songs while the dancers change their costumes. The orchestra also performs in the intervals.  

The folk instruments orchestra that plays live music is a part of the ensemble. It's made up of professional musicians, six teachers from the School of Culture who play the balalaikas, the percussion instruments and two accordions. The ensemble has toured Germany 1993, Spain 1994, The USA 1995, Holland 1995, France 1997 , Ireland 1996, Moldavia 1998.  

The choreographer Alla Kozlova taught Russian folk dance traditions and styles to the Americans in 1995 and to the Irish in 1996. The ensemble is 1996, 1998, 2001 winner of the most prestigious prize in Russia "T.Ustinova's Prize", which is annually awarded at the competitions to the best Russian folk groups.
The leader of the group Alla Kozlova was awarded a Diploma for the Development of Arts and Culture in the region in 2001, she was also awarded Moldavian President's Certificate of Excellence at the festival " Moldavian Days of Culture" in 2001.

 

ZABAVA   Saratov

The folk ethnographic group “Zabava”

The folk ethnographic group “Zabava” was founded in 1987 at Saratov Regional House of Art and Science. “Zabava” does a complex study and keeps the traditions of Russian musical culture, propagandizes it, singing authentic examples of folk songs on the stage.

Quantity of participants of "Zabava" – 10-12 persons.

The repertoir of the group includes about 600 old Russian peasant and Cossack songs, dances, quadrilles, games, dances in a ring. "Zabava" shows Russian folklore cheerfully and interestingly. Usually spectators participate in some dances and games.   

“Zabava” performs either in real peasant costumes of the end of the XIX-XX centuries, brought from the expeditions in South regions of Russia.

Participants of  “Zabava”  play on old musical instruments: accordion, balalaika, tambourine, violin and wheel lyre.

Except for a concert we can do an exhibition (or exhibition - sale) ancient suits of 19 centuries of different areas of Russia, products of national crafts, Russian traditional toys.

Leaders of collective  can do work-shops on different directions of Russian traditional culture (vocal exercises, choreographies, Russian musical instruments playing, hand - crafts).   

“Zabava” leads a big concert activity, often goes to the All-Russia and international folklore festivals. Within 2001-2003 years "Zabava"participated in folklore festivals in Germany, Holland, Denmark, Poland.

The ensemble has written down two compact discs with traditional Russian music, has taken part in filming 14 folklore films on the Saratov TV.

 

DREVA   Moscow
D r e v A

Folk group "DrevA"

Folk group "DrevA" was found in 1989 as a branch of the theatre "Perekriostok" and specialised in Russian folk and urban songs and music up to this time. Repertoire of the group is built on the materials of the expeditions in the different regions of Russia: Belgorod, Voronezh, Briansk regions and also in the Cossak stanitsas of Don and Kuban. The group members learn the songs using expedition records and also in the direct contact with country singers and musicians. The folk group doesn't use the songs from the note editions, the performance of the group is based on improvisation as it is usual in traditional country singing. The members of the group aspire to authentic manner of singing without some kinds of arrangement. The important part of this manner is keeping the nature sound of each singer voice. The actors themselves take part in the expeditions, master the instruments, design and make costumes. The songs of above-mentioned regions of Russia are marked differ from each other. The group masters the manners of singing of the few regions therefore it has the opportunity to make bright and interesting performances. For example, Bryansk tradition of singing is mainly female. This region is the place where the most old pagan songs are still kept. Belgorod tradition is mainly female too, but there exists archaic male wind-instrument, in Russian "caluka". It is made from dry stalk and the sound of this pipe instrument remind of wind howl. The Don and Kuban tradition of singing is the male as a rule. These songs are not so old as Southern and Western and singing is often accompanied by playing on Russian accordion, balalaika, guitar, drums, wheel-lyre, tambourine. The wonderful feature of Cossak songs is upper soaring treble voice. Repertoire of "Dreva" includes unique Cossak romances recorded in stanitsa Oust-Buzulook of Don region. So far as the group includes both the women and the men, it can perform the songs of different traditions.
The repertoire of the group contains:
-           stage concert;
-           winter, spring, summer open-air performances (on the square,
            in the street), such as: "Christmas", "Maslennitsa", "Ivan
            Kupala";
-           tradition instrumental music;
-           old country games;
-           ritual, lingering, dance songs, drinking-songs.

"Christmas" - open-air performance. From Christmas to Epiphany people went around the village and sing especial Christmas songs "coliadki". Text of these songs contains praise to hosts and request to endow singers in order to make the coming year successful. Actors performed
tradition Christmas amusement "Vertep" which was two-floor box with puppets for playing of the history of Jesus Christ birth and of cruel tzar Irod. "Maslennitsa" - the seeing off of the winter and celebration of the life revival accompanied with burning down of the Maslennitsa scarecrow, the symbol of the cold, dark, death. During this celebration people baked pancakes (Solar symbol), had fun, said good-buy to the winter, went for a drive on troikas, ate a lot and drank a lot.

Folk group "Dreva" was the participant of the International festivals of the street theatres and folk festivals, such as: "Caravan Mir", Moscow, 1989; "Pacing snail", Archangelsk, 1991; The 2-nd All-Russian Folk Festival, Voronezh reg., 1995; The 2-nd Russian "Artiada", Moscow, 1996; "The golden microphone", Tirana, Albania, 2002. The group  took part in the international festivals and performances in different countries.

In summer 2004 group "DrevA" took part:
-           "Festival Al Carrer" in Viladecans Barcelona, Spain;
-           "Buskers Bern"  Festival in Bern, "Festrilacs Festival"  in
             Murten, "Buskers Festival" in Neuchatel, Switzerland;
-           "Ferrara Buskers" festival, in Ferrara, Italy.

The group brought out the first CD "Russian tradition music of Western and Southern regions of Russia" in 1994 and the second CD "Jolly talking" in 2001.

The group can perform both on the open-air squares and in the concert halls, clubs …

Musical director:  Mushnikova Elena
Director:  Treskov Yury