It was a pleasure to enjoy so high quality of Russian Folk Dance as it is being presented at Palais des Sports in Paris this log week-end May 27-30 2010.

RUSSIE ETERNELLE with the Russian Dance company GJEL, Moscow. at Palais des Sports, Paris

The Paris audience enjoyed 2  1/2 full of all the variations whoch can be found in Russian Folk Dance, choreographed by Vladimir Zakharov and his assistents Valentina Slichanova and Irina Tsukanova,  to a performance with many variations in the character, the moods, but allways full of good energy form the approximately 44 dancers, wonderful costumes, with all possible colours and shades, and very good lighting. Which was created in Paris together with the last rehersals, responsible Anne Stéphant.

To me it is clear that when a company like GJEL is visiting Paris for the first time, with splendid dancers well educated, well choreographed, then we shall expect some thing extraordinary, and so we got it. Thank you.

The program presented 22 numbers, with many good variations, from the happy typically russian folklore style to ore difficult choreographed variations, where it was the formations in good contact with the music that gave os impressions of  a large country with deep traditions
. Where we some times had the feelings that the womens was sliding like on scates.

There were humoristic parodic parts, and even place to one singing number in each of the two parts, with the good male singer Vladislav Toumanov.

Among the outstanding soloists we enjoyed in some of the parts, I would like to mention Loulia Grentsman, Loilia Baldina, Alexandre Kovtoun and Sergei Sountsov in Balalaika and Accordeon. In Gjeel Feerique Margarita Spirkina. In The Lilacs: Elena Mironova. In “Je vais sur la Colline: Anna Potchivalova and Dmitri Tolmassov, all in the first part. In the second part. In the Lancier to lyrical music from the Nord. The famouse Ludmila Korkina together with Anastasia Bolarova, Ekaterina Maltseva, Alexandra Sitnikova, Alexandre Kovtoun, Sergei Sountsov, Roman Mikhailov and Dmitri Serochtan.

In the Gipsy Rhapsodie we enjoyed the soloists leaded by the famous Tatiana Mokritskaïa, Maxime Fedorov and again one of the companys leading male dancers Dmitri Tolmassov. In La Barinia Anna Potchivalova and Constantin Davidov, and in Jonc Bruissant again the outstanding Tatiana Mokritskaïa and Sergei Sountsov.

Of course the finale was called The Virtuoses, which was right, where we enjoyed all the specialities in the dancing from a whole line of the outstanding dancers of the company.

In addition to the leading soloists, we too enjoyed to observe the high quality among the dancers in the Corps des Ballets. We enjoyed  many of the young dancers, who are just waiting in line to become soloist in the companys frontline. That is a pleasure to see that this company has talents waiting, to continue the great traditions.

The choreographer, leader and founder of the Theatre National Academique de Danse GJEL from Moscow is Vladimir Zakharov
.

The only thing I personally was missing was live music. With the great folkloristic music traditions, that we heard, but that I know are a live, I would have been appreciating to see the and listening to the music live, and in original arrangements. Some of the arrangements was moderniced. Which is not needed. I do know that it is expensive to travel with live music in addition, but other companies has managed do it. As for exemple the famouse Folk Dance Ensemble from Arkhangelsk  and Siverko.