Innopraktika School and Eifman Theatre International Ballet Festival Scheduled as Part of Russia–Africa Summit
On 28 and 29 July, as part of the Russia–Africa Summit, the main stage of St. Petersburg’s Alexandrinsky Theatre will host Innopraktika School’s 3rd Summer Global Values Festival, one of the city’s most anticipated events.
As always, the festival will employ joint creative work on choreographic projects to shine a light on cultural exchange between students from Russia and other countries. The audience can expect an exciting programme of original productions by the best Russian and international choreographers, the world premiere of Boris Eifman’s ballet My Jerusalem, and appearances by special guests.
This year’s event concept has placed special emphasis on exploring interaction between Russian culture and the creative thinking of representatives of the African continent. Dialogue between two civilizations that would appear to be completely different is possible and in fact very promising in artistic terms. The fact that experts and audiences alike have acclaimed past choreographic sessions featuring African dancers to be among the most interesting and inspiring stands as a testament to this fact. In 2023, six artists from five African countries – Nigeria, Mozambique, Uganda, Burkina Faso, and Senegal – were invited to participate in Innopraktika School’s choreographic session (set to culminate in the Global Values Festival). Consequently, the first day of the festival will be held as part of the Russia–Africa Summit with a programme that, according to organizers, will promote constructive dialogue and the development of spiritual ties between peoples on the basis of common humanitarian values.
The first part of the festival concert will treat the audience to new works by Russian and international choreographers created during Innopraktika School’s choreographic session. These productions will employ the language of dance to talk about the most important moment in each person’s life – the choice between the true values that unite all people and serve as an anchor in the rapidly changing stream of existence and the false values imposed by the cult of consumption and its thirst for quick pleasures. The numbers will be created by brilliant choreographers Ge Peng (China), Bojan Micev (North Macedonia), Xiang Xu (USA/China), Balazs Baranyai (Hungary), Victoria Archaya (Russia), Olga Pona (Russia), Konstantin Keichel (Russia), Daria Vergizova (Russia), and Sofia Gaidukova (Russia).
The real treat for choreographic connoisseurs will come in the second part of the concert with the world premiere of Boris Eifman’s one-act ballet My Jerusalem. The performance will feature soloists from the St. Petersburg State Academic Ballet Theatre and the students of the Boris Eifman Academy of Dance. Inspiration for this production came to the choreographer following a visit to the Eternal City. The performance will not focus on specific events and realities. Eifman will use expressive movement and choreographic skill to paint a spiritual image of Jerusalem for the audience and reflect on eternal philosophical themes. The ballet’s characters will have to pass through suffering and make mistakes before they can gain a sense of the great universal Love reflected in the world’s major religions. The performance seeks above all to affirm the possibility of appealing to the universal values held dear by all the peoples of the world throughout time to overcome every difficulty and conflict.
The ballet My Jerusalem is set to works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Philip Glass, religious and ethnic Christian, Muslim, and Jewish works, and techno music. The performance finale unites the many voices of the musical collage and symbolizes the characters’ spiritual enlightenment.
For more detailed information, please visit Innopraktika School’s website: artschool.pro
