Cheeky Chastushki at the Dance Open Festival

The Dance Open Festival is the meeting point for a variety of dance styles, branches and schools. Whether specialising in classical, modern, or contemporary ethnic dance, the choreographic community from around the world returns to the Festival year after year to reiterate the importance of body language as a universal communication tool that brings countries and continents closer together. The Festival culminates in a final gala. This year, it took place at the Alexandrinsky Theatre in 19 April. The programme was packed with exciting events, including Cheeky Chastushki.

This one-act ballet is an exclusive production of our creative team, and, interestingly enough, it owes its conception to another festival. It first premièred in December 2022 during Rodion Shchedrin’s 90th birthday extravaganza. The choreography encapsulates the music of this remarkable composer in a very unexpected way. Ballet master Vyacheslav Samodurov offers a bold compositional solution and shines spotlight on confident, charismatic characters that give themselves to the overpowering whirlwind of dance without second thought. And since a festival is, by definition, festive, there could be no better show for the occasion. Cheeky Chastushki were born as a celebration, carry the spirit of celebration, and shall continue their stage journey to celebrate a new event.