By Marina Svetlakova
Vitebsk recently hosted a festival for students from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, with the programme featuring jazz modern and street dance. The usual performances were supplemented by a high intensity ‘Dance-Off’ — where each team had one minute to impress. The National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine won the Grand Prix, while Kiev’s Polina Ivanyuk was named best female dancer.
The event was organised by the head of the Belarusian Republican Youth Union at the Vitebsk State Academy of Veterinary Medicine, Artem Ignatenko. He tells us, “Our first contest was held at the Vitebsk Philharmonic, with tickets quickly sold out. This year, the level of participants was higher. The Veterinary Academy’s own dance group, Inspire, also impressed the judges.”
Vitebsk choreographer Diana Yurchenko, who helped judge the contest, praised Inspire for their high energy dancing but laments that they didn’t quite fit with the format of the festival. She notes, “Their jazz modern technique was great, so they deserved their Grand Prix.”
Dйjа Vu, from Luki State Academy of Agriculture, admitted that they felt at home in Vitebsk. In 2011, they came to support their contestant in the Miss CIS Agricultural University. At last year’s festival, they received a prize ‘For Artistic Expression’. Sadly, this time, they weren’t among the winners.
Russia’s Karandash (Pencil) Dance Theatre from the Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology (named after K.I. Scriabin) took third place while Konstantin Pavlikov of Hopper Team (hip-hop) from Orel State Agrarian University was named best male dancer.
