UMS Concert Program, October 11, 1972: Beryozka Dance Company -- Nadezhda Nadezhdina

Concert: Fourth
Complete Series: 3783
Power Center For The Performing Arts Ann Arbor, Michigan

The University Musical Society
The University of Michigan
Presents
BERYOZKA DANCE COMPANY
State Choreographic Ensemble of the USSR
NADEZHDA NADEZHDINA,
Artistic Director and Choreographer
Peoples' Artist of the USSR State Prize Laureate
ALBERT RYZHKIN, Conductor LIUBOV SILICH, Costume Designer Honored Art Worker of the RFSSR
Wednesday Evening, October 11, 1972, at 8:00
Power Center for the Performing Arts
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Fourth Program International Presentations in Power Center Complete Programs 3783
PROGRAM
Beryozka (The Little BirchTree) The Company
(Maidens' RoundDance)
The festival of Spring has been celebrated in Russia from ancient times around the middle of June. The villagers decorate their houses with branches of birch and young girls troop into the forest, singing, to choose a young birchtree to be decorated with multicolored ribbons and wreaths of wild flowers. This dance is full of the fragrance of spring, of the throb of life in nature and in a young girl's heart.
Pereplyas (Dance Competition) The Company
This is one of the most common dances in Russia. On every holiday young people are sure to stage a dance competition in which they try to "outdance" each other, to show the deftness, in?tricacy, and complexity of the steps, the beauty and grace of the performers and, of course, their endurance, because they dance till they drop.
Uzory (Patterns) The Company
(Russian RoundDance)
Peasant embroidery inspired this lyrical rounddance. Like a thread following a needle, the girls trail after their leader, creating a silver pattern accented with red. Then the young men enter, and the pattern becomes more intricate as they join in, the dance faster and faster. At last it sub?sides--the design is finished.
Topotukha (Russian Dance) The Company
The girls stand at center stage, with downcast eyes; the young men are waiting--they sigh, they shift from foot to foot, they try to attract attention. This is indeed Topotukhal At last the ice is broken, a lively dancedialogue begins, sparked with mockery. In the whirlwind of the dance, even a kiss is allowed.
Pryalitzi (The Distaff) The Company
(Girls' RoundDance)
In former days each country home in Russia had its distaff, and girls were taught to spin from earliest childhood. Later on they would meet on long winter evenings at someone's house and pass the time singing as they spun, or perhaps put the distaff aside and dance. These dances presented graphic reflections of their work, witty and inventive imitations. This round dance rests on folktradition ; it begins and ends with popular refrains from the North.
Kholostyaki (Bachelors) (Choreographic Scene)
Soloists: V. Marchuk, V. Maekelov, V. Konshin, L. Shtyrkov,
Y. Bashtanenko Accordionist: V. Temnov
A group of bachelors get together at Shrovetide for some fun. To the tune of a lively accordion they march down the village street singing that, if only they were married, they would go straight to their motherinlaw's for a feast of blini. But they know they won't be bachelors much longer and they break into a dance to show how irresistible they are to the girls.
Troika (Russian Dance)
Dancers: L. Butionina, V. Babarykin, G. Geomov, L. Lobanova, Y. Bashtanenko, A. Ilyushin
Gogol's picturesque description of a troika was the inspiration for this dance: "The troika is a bird . . . the air is riven with thunder and tempestuous wind, everything upon the earth flies past . . . The horses, hardly touching the ground, are like a straight line, flying through the air . . ."
Siberian Suite The Company
The Bear is played by V. Marchuk
a) Posidielki. A gathering of young people in a large, Siberian house. In the middle the girls, all dressed up, sit close together on wooden benches. The young men wait patiently for the fun to begin. Then one girl diffidently begins to sing; others join in as the young men pace between the benches. Now the girls have stood up and the dancing starts.
b) Bearhunting Game. How funny these men look in their huge fur hats carrying bearhunting spears just like their grandfathers'. Dances depict the brave hunters. But what's this The hunters hide behind the girls' skirts . . . the BEAR himself has entered. When he curls up for a nap in the middle of the room, the "brave" hunters finish him off.
c) Plyasovaya. The successful hunt leads to wild rejoicing. As though inspired by the general hilarity, the BEAR revives and outdances everybody. A genrepicture of large dimensions based on Siberian folkart.
INTERMISSION
Northern Lights The Company
(Russian Suite)
To the inhabitants of the Far North, Northern Lights are a familiar yet mysterious and grandly beautiful spectacle of which they never tire. And on looking closely at the dances of these northern people, one will see in their capricious, iridescent designs, their play of color, a reflection of this awesome phenomenon.
Yamshchiki (Drivers) The Company
(Choreographic Scene)
There are hundreds of songs and stories in Russia about the bold coachdrivers of old who crisscrossed the country, carrying people, mail, and goods of all kinds. For centuries they were the only means of communication.
At a relay station, the drivers warm themselves by a bonfire. Chilled to the marrow, they begin to jump about. This traditional "warmingup" turns into a gay, impetuous dance. Then suddenly comes the signal, "On the road!" Now only the crack of the whip, the clatter of hoofbeats and the shouts of the drivers are to be heard, as they disappear into the winter night.
Spring RoundDance The Company
One young girl steps forward on the stage--an image of Spring with its sunshine and beauty. Her companions follow, as though taking part in a mysterious ritual, carrying wreaths. "Spring" takes the wreaths and tosses them high over her head. The girls have caught them and now they form one colorful garland. "Spring" bears away this splendid flowering.
Carousel (Russian Dance) The Company
A country fair without a carousel is unthinkable; one can expect anything--a new friendship, a timid avowal, a fleeting kiss, even a fateful decision. Memories to last a lifetime! In this dance the shape of a carousel is depicted and a "carousel of feelings" as well.
Or Quadrille The Company
Every town, every village has its own version of this popular dance. The spirit of today's youth is vividly expressed in this variation.
Balagury (Jesters)
(Choreographic Scene)
Soloists: B. Novikov, E. Kudriavtsev and Members of the Company These fellows with their concertinas, their feet can't keep still. What figures they invent! And when they've finished their bag of tricks, off they go.
Prokhodka (Russian Dance) The Company
Accordionist: A. Shitov
The girls beg the accordionist to play ... he tries a few bars . . . they can hardly stand it! One by one they do their steps for him--"See what we can do, you are not playing for nothing!" Now he's lost his haughtiness ... On with the dance!
Cossack Dance The Company
From faroff comes the clatter of hoofbeats; here come the Cossack girls on horseback and, after them, the men. The cavalcade halts and there begins the djigitovka, a virtuoso display of trick riding in terms of dance. The men's dexterity, strength and daring are coupled with the femininity and youthful energy of the girls. When it is over, the cavalcade dashes off.
All the dances have been created and staged by
Nadezhda Nadezhdina, Peoples' Artist of the USSR,
State Prize Laureate
Assistants to the Ballet Mistress: T. Lukyanova, M. Kholschevnikova,
and V. Yakushin Honored Artists of the RFSSR
An Evening with The Duke
Saturday, November 11, in Hill Auditorium at 8:30
Duke Ellington and his worldfamous orchestra will be presented by the University Musical Society for the first time as a special Benefit Concert, with the contributions to help insure the longstanding tradition of excellent concerts in Ann Arbor. Tickets, including contribution, are priced at $50, $25, $15, $10, $7, $6, and $4, and are now on sale at our Burton Tower offices. Included in the $50 ticket is a special afterconcert supper party and "more jazz." Brochures with complete details available upon request.
COMING EVENTS
Ernesto Bitetti, Guitarist........Tuesday, October 17
(8:30, Rackham Auditorium)
Dancers of Mali, Africa........Friday, October 20
(8:00, Power Center)
Ah Ahk, Music and Dance from Korea.....Sunday, October 22
(2:30, Rackham Auditorium)
Guarneri String Quartet........Sunday, October 29
(2:30, Rackham Auditorium)
Batsheva Dance Company from Israel.....Friday, November 3
(8:00, Power Center)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra......Saturday, November 4
(8:30, Hill Auditorium)
Chinese Skin Shadow Puppets.......Monday, November 6
(8:30, Rackham Auditorium)
Yuval Trio from Israel........Wednesday, November 8
(8:30, Rackham Auditorium)
Christopher Parkening, Guitarist.....Tuesday, November 14
(8:30, Rackham Auditorium)
Paniagua Quartet.........Saturday, November 18
(8:30, Rackham Auditorium)
Itzhak Perlman, Violinist........Tuesday, November 21
(8:30, Hill Auditorium)
Handel's Messiah, three performances in Hill Auditorium:
(8:30) Friday, December 1
(8:30) Saturday, December 2
(2:30) Sunday, December 3
Austral String Quartet from Sydney.....Tuesday, December 5
(8:30, Rackham Auditorium)
sold out
UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY
Burton Memorial Tower, Ann Arbor, Michigan Phone 6653717