Experimental movement and contemporary dance were not considered “culture” by the Soviet State. Instead, the government thought it amateur and shoved into a corner until the political events of the nineties. Until then, ballet was the only official form of dance.
After 75 years of dancing ballet, Russia had a lot to catch up with.
In 1993 Lisa First and a small but dedicated group in Minneapolis and Yaroslavl organized a festival of contemporary dance in Russia. It became an important biannual event in the dance community there. Despite its marginal geography and little advertisement it attracts dancers, critics and audiences from all over Russia.
The video above is a snapshot of the festival in 2006. It includes interviews with American dancers who performed and taught there: Valda Setterfield, Judith Howard, Olivier Besson, and Gulgun Kaym.
