Russia's Moiseyev Dance Company Brings Folk Traditions to Life
December 17, 2007
The legendary Igor Moiseyev, who died Nov. 2 at the age of 101, spent seven decades honoring the traditions of Russia and many other countries through dance. The troupe he created honors him when it performs at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17, in Penn State's Eisenhower Auditorium. The scheduled program includes 11 works, including pieces inspired by Russian, Moldavian and Greek folkways.
Tickets for the Center for the Performing Arts presentation are $35 for an adult, $17 for a University Park student and $25 for a person 18 and younger. Buy tickets online at www.cpa.psu.edu or by phone at 814-863-0255. Outside the local calling area, dial 1-800-ARTS-TIX. Tickets are also available at three State College locations: Eisenhower Auditorium (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays), Penn State Tickets Downtown (10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday) and Bryce Jordan Center (10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays). The Eisenhower and Penn State Tickets Downtown locations will be closed Dec. 22 through Jan. 1. The Bryce Jordan Center ticket office will be closed Dec. 22, 25, 29 and 30 and Jan. 1, but it will be open with reduced hours (noon to 4 p.m.) Dec. 23, 24, 26, 27, 28 and 31. A grant from the Penn State Student Activities Fee Funds makes University Park student prices possible.
"It is a big responsibility for us to dance in honor of our founder," says Elena Shcherbakova, the company's director. "We hope that there will be an emotional connection between the audience and artists from the first moments of the performance, as it always was on the tours in the [United States] since 1958."
The troupe, created in 1937 by the acclaimed artistic director and choreographer, honors an array of traditions in its repertoire of more than 200 works inspired by cultures from throughout the former Soviet Union and many of the 60-plus countries the troupe has visited. The company has served as a model for many folk-dance-inspired professional companies around the world.
A selection of the dances scheduled for the Penn State performance shows the uniqueness and diversity of Moiseyev pieces.
The Russian dance "Summer," from the suite The Seasons, depicts the humor, mischief, romance and lyricism so often ascribed to the people of the countryside. Villagers of all ages, gathered at a harvest festival, cheer on a young couple.
The ebullience, color and speed of The Suite of Moldavian Dances have made it one of the most popular folk dances. The Moiseyev version consists of three parts: "Hora," a lyrical female round; "Chyolirlie" (The Lark), a series of individual and group dances that ends with a boisterous round dance based on the popular Moldavian melody; and "Zhok," a large ensemble dance characterized by impetuosity and diversity of pattern.
The company made its United States debut at New York's Metropolitan Opera House. Ed Sullivan gave the ensemble national exposure during that trip, presenting the dancers for a full hour on his television variety show Toast of the Town, which was later renamed The Ed Sullivan Show.
Sandra Zaremba and Richard Brown sponsor the presentation. WJAC-TV 6 is the media sponsor. Artistic Viewpoints, an informal moderated discussion featuring Shcherbakova, is offered in Eisenhower Auditorium one hour before the performance and is free for ticket holders. Artistic Viewpoints regularly fills to capacity. Seating is available on a first-arrival basis.
Contact: Laura Sullivan, 814-863-6379