Passport Sponsored Dancers Bring Home Prizes
By Charles W. Borden
Eight young dancers from Moscow’s Kudrinka Dance Ensemble, sponsored by Passport magazine, have just returned to Russia after taking a number of top prizes at the Cathy Roe Ultimate Dance Competition and Convention in Mason, Ohio from July 5-8. They were also selected along with the best dancers from the competition to participate in a Dance Spectacular choreographed by Cathy Roe to a Beatles music medley, topped by “Back in the USSR.”
Kudrinka was also sponsored by Lensmaster executive Craig Risk and some of his friends in the Cincinnati area who served as hosts for the dancers and their leaders. The Kudrinka dancers were popular at the competition and made friends from throughout the United States. They also performed at a Cincinnati street festival called Second Sunday on Main, and a large Seniors Center.
The Cathy Roe Ultimate Dance Competition draws young student dancers from schools around the US after regional qualification rounds. Competition categories include Jazz, Tap, Ethnic, Modern, Character, Lyrical and others. The Kudrinka dancers brought back the following prizes and trophies:
- First Place in Age Category 17-19
- First Runner Up, Senior Group Dances
- First Runner Up, Senior Duet/Trio Dances
- Overall Fourth place among 33 teams competing
Of six dances presented by Kudrinka, four received a top Platinum award (highest possible) and two received High Gold. The Kudrinka dances were:
Barynya, a Russian ethnic dance that includes the 6 principal dancers, one of the group leaders, and two younger dancers.
Krutukha, a traditional Belorussian duet.
Photographer, a character dance based upon the music of Russian rock guitarist Viktor Zinchuk.
Dreams, a modern dance to the music of Ivan Kupala, a group with creative interpretations of old Russian songs.
Russian Retro-Step, a Russian seamans' tap dance.
Flamenco Fragments, a Flamenco selection.
KUDRINKA is an amateur adult and youth folk and modern dance ensemble of about 70 dancers that resides at Moscow's MosMetroStroi Palace of Culture. Kudrinka celebrated its 30-year anniversary in 2005. The group is lead by Irina and Alexey Salnikov. Marina Borden is dance teacher and choreographer. Kudrinka's emphasis is on Russian folk and modern dance.
New Restaurant venue for Natural Resources breakfast
The opening of Alexei Akulai’s newly opened “Collections” restaurant and the launch of Avenir Recruitment’s new Avenir Natural Resources division were announced at a business breakfast organized by the Swiss Russian Chamber of Commerce, and CERBA (Canadian Eurasian Russian Business Association).
Passport sponsored the event. Scott Anderson from Avenir told how difficult it is to find staff in the natural resources industry. He explained how cruel the work conditions can be as a lot of natural resource sites are sometimes located at extreme heights such as up to 5000 Meters where only about 50% of qualified workers are even physically able to survive in such conditions. He underscored the point that not only is it difficult to find workers with the proper background, but trying to find ones that are willing to relocate to desert type locations without their families is not exactly easy. |
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