Banzai, «KHOROSHKI»!
Banzai, «KHOROSHKI»! Abroad the dance group of Valentina GAEVAYA, People's artist of Belarus, is only referred to as the theatre group…
To be honest, the first time I visited the concert of the ensemble I was very skeptical and ironical, prepared to be patient and sit still. And all of a sudden I couldn’t but get whirl wound with the “snowflakes” spinning on the stage during their first concert’s number “Kalyada”. The jovial and lively disguised company shifted from one house to another one dancing, singing and wishing good luck and prosperity to the hosts. And then it was turn for “Zavei”, “Krosni”, “Drigotka”, “Lyavoniha”, “Ti je myane pidmanula” - outstanding miscellanies of ancient customs and breathtaking spectacle full of heartfelt emotions and humour. Abroad the dance group of Valentina GAEVAYA, People's artist of Belarus, is only referred to as the theatre group. It is highly appreciated at the motherland as well. In 1996 for staging "POLOTSK MANUSCRIPT" Valentina GAEVAYA was awarded with the National Premium of Belarus, in 2004 – a special prize of the President “For spiritual revival”, in 2007 – Francisk Scorina’s order. Such programs as "TUROV LEGEND", “GOOD EVENING, GUESTS”, "FAREWELL, THE XXth CENTURY!", "CALLING OF SPRING" and many others impress with the harmony of well rehearsed movements and original folk motives.
1. Valentina Ivanovna, how could you introduce yourself to the readers?
- Artistic director of the Belorussian State dance company "KHOROSHKI", and that will be all.
2. In that case tell us how it all began.
- It was December of 1973 when I started my career. I was appointed to the position of the chief ballet-master of The Belorussian State Philharmonic Society. From the very beginning it was clear that it was necessary to organize a popular ensemble that would work on the basis of Belorussian folklore unknown in that time. I had a difficult task to fulfill – to motivate and accomplish creating a new choreographic company. Even the first program should have corresponded to the level of the leading Russian and Ukrainian choreographic companies and that was more important not to duplicate them! There have been worked out a number of serious programs, variety of choreographic numbers for 35 years of "KHOROSHKI"’s existence. And now I can definitely say that: “Yes, there is Russian and Ukrainian choreography, but Belorussian one also exists”.
3. How it happened to be that you engaged in the popular choreography, not classical, for example, or avant-guard one?
- At the first time when I saw Igor Moiceev’ ensemble, I was so impressed that I couldn’t come to my senses for a long time. From that moment I started taking interest in the work of national companies. Igor Aleksandrovitch is a genius choreographer, the rest of them only used his ideas. My first number, that can be referred to as Belorussian, was called “Veseluha”. I won at the ballet-masters content owing to it and after this I was invited to Minsk. From that time I was sincerely devoted to the popular Belorussian dancing.
4. When it was easier to work: earlier as a beginner or now as a famous ballet-master?
- It has never been easy, ups and downs have always been on my way. It may seem surprising but "KHOROSHKI"’s success on the stage didn’t guarantee spectator’s approval and support. In 1977 "KHOROSHKI" was awarded with the First Premium and the Title of laureate of the all-USSR contest among professional companies in Moscow, sharing it with the State dance company of Georgia. I was really shocked! We were their fans and suddenly we were placed on the same level. The success made me believe in my possibilities. But nevertheless we didn’t have our own apartment for 9 years. When The Belorussian State Philharmonic Society extended its building we finally got the ballet class as well as the changing room and the room for the orchestra. When it all started "KHOROSHKI" only consisted of 9 pairs and now it is composed of 80 persons so we are ready to give birth to any ideas, stage any projects.
5. Valentina Ivanovna, tell us how you create your theatrical programs?
- Creating each new number I think first of all about its content, what should it be about? It is extremely important to decide for yourself what the aim of the program is, what emotions you would like to express, what historical period you would like to reproduce. When it’s done I search for a music theme, work with composers over the arrangement. After this I think of the dance itself and discus costumes with the artists. And what is more important it is to make all these components – dance, music and costumes – be combined harmonically and to create a united image, that won’t let anyone stay indifferent. That is what I call the art.
6. How do you get inspired?
- All I need is just communicating with others. For example, our village neighbor Petr Kopeika became a prototype of the good-for-nothing men from the number “Valachobniki”. Granny Prosya, our landing neighbor in Mogilev, is a prototype of many feminine images in my programs. I watch how someone go or make gestures and at once it becomes a part of the number. Once upon a time I saw an interesting method of transporting heavy things – it is called “noshka”. The gist of it is any piece of fabric which is tied behind the back as a knapsack. Our costumer Alexey Gaevoi used this detail of the village life as an additional part to the costume for the number “Myadunochka”. It may be possible that one day this thing as well as the word “noshka” disappears forever, but watching our number you will understand for what purposes it served.
7. And what is like your new program?
- "BELARUSIANS" is the program adapted for the stage. "Seasons of a year" is its other title. It is composed of 17 choreographic compositions and some musical numbers. Unfortunately it can’t be shown everywhere. A great number of artists are involved in this program so we need two buses for our tour, in addition to this we have to carry our costumes, props and instruments and that costs a lot. But we, being a state company, don’t have the right to increase the ticket price.
8. What is your attitude to the modern music?
- It concerns everything – the modern music can be good as well as bad – the point is how talented you are.
9. You took part in staging a rock-opera some time ago, didn’t you?
- Yes, when the band “Pesnyari” was going to stage a rock-opera “Dolya”, suddenly I received a proposal to have a hand in it. The work demanded a lot of responsibility, it was hard but very interesting. We usually worked late at night, because neither I nor Volodya Moulyavin had support in this project. So when we finished, it was our mutual victory. So far we have been good friends with this band, Volodya Moulyavin became my soul brother. I felt myself more confident – I had a person to ask advice and to cry on his shoulder if needed. Unfortunately after Volodya’s death I haven’t made such good friends with anyone. We knew how to support and help each other.
10. Do you believe in the saying: “Whatever happens, happens for the better”?
- No, a person should do his best to change the way things happen. The life seldom gives good surprises.
11. What can make you astonished?
- From the very first concert we have only worked with the live sound, and it’s natural. That’s why I get really astonished that today’s celebrities present it like an achievement. The band “Pesnyari” has always sung alive. And I remember how nervous I and Volodya Moulyavin were before a rock-opera’s premiere: the guys had tuned up 8 microphones for a long time. Now I work with 16 microphones, its tuning takes a lot of time. Of course we can’t always make everything perfect, but only the live sound and sincere singing guarantees success.
12. What do you appreciate most of all?
- My artists and their professional and creative achievements are of a great value for me. When you create the most difficult task is to find a person with whom you can share ideas. Losing one artist can result in cancelling the whole number.
I am also very proud of the fact that "KHOROSHKI" has found its own style and it’s generally recognized.
13. What today makes you tired most of all?
- I am tired of losses. Some time ago we lost our studio school. It was a former cantonment which we arranged for our purposes. We had to pay a rent, but the money at our disposal was only enough to pay salaries to teachers. Today 90% of "KHOROSHKI"’s dancers are school-leavers. From the very start we have prepared them for dancing in our programs, made them love our national culture and this is not easy. What is waiting for them in the future is still a big question. The studio school is my biggest loss. Hope that one day we will have such a possibility and the studio school will become an integral part of "KHOROSHKI".
14. What you do when you are in a bad mood?
- That can be arranged by working hard. When I create I forget about all the difficulties and obstacles.
15. What is easier for you – to get up early or to go to bed late?
- When I have difficulties with composing I can get up at 3-4 o’clock in the morning and can’t fall asleep afterwards. In general as I am getting old there has been a tendency to get up early. My grandfather used to get up early in the morning and start singing. Mother muttered, he responded to this: «You're young, the entire life's in front of you but the remaining sands of my life are few. So I'd better go outside and watch the sun rising».
16. How about your family tree, are you acquainted with it?
- My mother's generation tree has remained secret to us. At that time many people concealed their origins. But I clearly remember my granny in the female line. She did nothing, just didn't know how, always fiddle with her handkerchief. The whole life she waited for her husband that left one day and never came back.
I was born in the south of Russia where all the people are either exiled or on the lamp. My grandfather and great grandfather were tchoomaks, they traded the salt from Azov. Both of them had five sons and due to Stolipin's reform they got a big hideland where all the family worked. Then they were bereaved of their lands, oxes and a cow. And my healthy and strong grandfather folded his hands and died from the sorrow.
17. Do you remember your child's dreams?
- I dreamt of becoming an actress. In spite of being inelegant and unattractive I always got the leading roles in the theatre society.
18. How do you think from whom you inherited your artistic talent?
- Don't even know… Frankly speaking my mother had a strong voice. And my grandfather, like grandfather Schukar, was good at telling one and the same story in an unusual way each time he narrated it.
19. What brought you, a country girl, in Moscow?
- The desire to become an actress! I arrived there in order to go up to the Theatre Institute, but became a student of a Moscow regional art school. I studied at the theatre faculty. There were a lot of outstanding teachers. I will always remember Moisei Izrailivitch Iofiev. Once he told me: «I don't think that we can make a good actress out of you. For playing a travesty you are too womanlike, for a heroine – too small. You can be a perfect art critic». My acquaintance with this person has inspired me for my entire life. I worked a lot over my education.
20. Have you always relied on yourself?
- Yes, everything that you can see in "KHOROSHKI" I am making with my own hands.
21. Recollect, please, the happiest day in your life.
- I have had many happy days! I am on the top of the world when my new program has success especially abroad, far from the motherland. I feel really happy and proud when "KHOROSHKI" helps to make our country and people recognized abroad.
22. Where were you given a hearty welcome that you won’t forget?
- I was impressed most of all by the meeting with Margaret Thatcher. In 1979 we worked in London at the Exhibition of national economy achievements of the USSR. And out of a sudden I was told that Margaret Thatcher would be present at it – we had to prepare a half an hour program so that no one wouldn’t tear themselves away. No need to tell you how nervous we were… It was the first time in my life when I staged the concert for only six persons! We chose the most interesting numbers, the most striking ones how we call them. We precisely allocated the given time, showed everything that we had and went away to the changing room. But they were still sitting on their places. Then the curtains opened up and we saw the prime minister of the UK in person. I was totally confused when she was shaking my hand and repeating: “Thank you very much”.
The concert in Sendai also stuck to my memory. Behind our hotel the Japanese organized a big demonstration. They had the posters with Russian sentences on them: “Give back our islands”, “Get away, "KHOROSHKI"!” But in the evening they applauded upright after each number. Then in Matsumoto we were accorded a hearty welcome. There were few women and a lot of men. All the people cried: “"KHOROSHKI", banzai!” “Banzai” means “live long” in Japanese. But we didn’t know that and took it for a warlike call, like "KHOROSHKI", beat them!”
23. When you can be dissatisfied with you?
- It happens frequently. I am very exacting to myself, it concerns everything even the trifles of life.
24. Do you feel the influence of your zodiacal sign?
- I don’t know. I am half Cancer and half Leo (I was born on the 22 of July). So I was awarded with whims by the both signs.
25. Who are you by the temperament?
- Most likely I am of sanguineous temperament. I can stand something for a long time, but if I am fed up, you’d better stay away from me!
26. What one shouldn’t forgive even the best friend?
- Betrayals. Though I always forgive, but I am aware that it is not appropriate to act like this. Suffer from it a lot.
27. Do you write letters?
- By now not. Once I used to write long and beautiful letters. Relatives, sisters and friends still have them. Now we usually call each other, I can’t print sms.
28. Do you meet with the friends a lot?
- Very seldom. My one childhood friend, Lera, lives in Latvia. And when she arrives in Minsk to her sister we always meet. And the second one, Inna Smirnova, lives here, nevertheless we don’t see each other a lot.
29. When you dreamt in your childhood, did you fly?
- I can tell you more – I flies now! Maybe my childhood comes back, they say that everything goes around.
30. How do you take care of yourself?
- I treat myself in a very disgusting way, especially the last five years. I don’t go to the doctors for 2 years.
31. Whom do you prefer a cat or a dog?
- Loving animals very much I can’t have them at home because of my life style. I had a dog which I loved very much, but it died at a great age. At that time my younger son studied at the musical college and didn’t have the possibility to look after it. As for me I am always immersed in work and often on trips.
32. How do you spend your holidays?
- I have worked for 3 years without it. Earlier when I had small children, then grandchildren, we usually go to the south, to the Crimea or the Caucasus, in summers. The last summer I didn’t leave Minsk, was busy with administrative and economic questions.
33. What kind of sport do you prefer when travelling?
- My journeys are tours. Earlier at the times of the USSR we travelled by air most of all – to Kamchatka as well as to Magadan. To Astrakhan we went down by a motor vessel. In Europe we went by train. But now we go only by buses.
34. What the notion “refinement” signifies to you?
- Honesty and great responsibility. First of all the intelligent man have to be with good manners and do not let himself as well as anyone else to behave indecently.
35. Who is your closest friend?
- Grandson Danilka. Each time he calls me, he starts conversation with a question: “Granny, how do you feel?” This boy understands me the way no one can, we love each other and I hope that he will be an educated person. He studies at the University of Sofia at the faculty of Slavic studies.
36. Probably it is unnecessary to ask you if you feel comfortable in the company of young guys…
- I am on the side in that company, always work with the youth.
37. For what you can spare half a million?
- Half a million of what? If roubles – there won’t be any problems, but not only for myself. As for dollars… I won’t forget anyone – I have children, grandchildren and "KHOROSHKI".
38. What is idleness for you, is it a piece of mind?
- Totally different things! A piece of mind comes when a man has done something good, satisfied with his work.
39. What place on the Earth is the dearest for you?
- The village Kremok of the Mogilev region where in 1986 I bought a real hut: without a base, with logs on the ground, cane roof covered with moss. And around it there are many beautiful birches and green gingers. Together with my son we upholstered a house, planted flowers and trees. It’s a lovely place. Now my son who became an artist go there to paint and I – to have a rest.
40. When was the last time when you split your sides with laughter?
- I split my sides with laughter when I meet with my sister. But it happens not so often because she lives in Saint-Petersburg. Recalling some words from a childhood we burst out laughing on the phone. Some time mother told us: “You are laughing so much that one day you miss your happiness”.
41. Do you believe in the eternal love?
- I put a lot of sense in this word. One must love everything – the nature, people, life. Only the one who can love the life can love the other person. That’s exactly the love that I tell about by creating.
42. What is like the ideal man and woman for you?
- The man is a bread-winner, strong and kind protector. Such things as male hand and male word are clear for everyone. And as for woman she must be inherited with tolerance, faithfulness and hardiness – it may sound weird but… Since the beginning of time these qualities have helped our people to come out of a difficult situation with credit.
43. Do you have positive attitude towards the beauty contest?
- Of course.
44. What circumstances made you acquainted with our newspaper?
- I have been acquainted with your editor, Pavel Izotovitch Jakubovitch, for a long time, as far as I remember “Pesnyari” introduced us to one another. As for the newspaper this acquaintance has lasted even much longer.
45. What would you ask in the first place and whom if you had such a possibility – I mean to communicate with the most interesting individual of our time?
- I would ask Hillary Clinton if it was possible to change the policy of their country in order to smooth down the negative attitude to the USA. I have a granddaughter who was born across the sea. I can’t stand it if she will be hated only because of her American origins.
46. Count books which you would advise to read everyone?
- It seems to me that Slavic culture is more sophisticated than the west one. We have to read the Russian and Belorussian classics. For example, the works of Vladimir Korotkevitch would be understandable and loved by a person who didn’t even know Belorussian.
47. Which time of year makes you feel happy most of all?
- Spring. If to be more exact the time when the mud and slush pass and the nature returns to its life. I remember winters in my childhood which were horrible, freezing, up to 35 degrees of frost, and summers – intolerably hot, up to 35 degrees above zero. The spring usually came overnight: I wake up in the morning from the rumbling, that’s the sound of the ice melting on the river. We jumped barefoot with the kids over the snowdrifts to the green glades. We were barefoot because felt boots quickly got wet and we didn’t have other footwear.
48. Your favorite:
- Dish?
- Fish, no matter how it prepared. Eventually I am cancer.
- Dance?
- Kalmyk dance staged by Igor Moiseev and “Polzounec” by Pavel Virskii.
- Music composition?
- I am fond of classical music and works of Sviridov.
- Odor?
- Chanel № 5.
- Colour?
- In youth – blue, it matches with my eyes, now – black and white.
- Flowers?
- Lilies of the valley.
- Feast?
- New Year. I love giving presents.
49. If you had a chance to start all over again, would you take it?
- I couldn’t start all over again. But I can’t imagine a different life for me. The God blessed me in what I was doing for people. And I probably wouldn’t do any better in another sphere.
50. The question you would like to ask yourself? And your answer, please…
- Have I done everything? Have I had enough time to finish what I started? That question chases me when I get up as well as when I go to bed, and I still don’t have a definite answer.
Valentina Gaevaya’s dance theatre
Bravo, "Khoroshki"!
Valentina Gaevaya’s dance theatre.
For the first time a dance performance "Belarusians" was fully shown by "Khoroshki" on the Belarusian State Philharmonic Society stage. The great ethnic performance is the result of long-time work of the artistic director and can definitely become the source of the whole trend of national dance development.
Vivid pictures of people’s life at different times and seasons (winter, spring, summer, autumn) form a storyline of most project performances. The project reflects tragic pages of our past history and merry traditional celebrations and rites performed artistically very well by highly professional talented dancers. However, not the events themselves, even very important, but the destiny of an ordinary person capable to survive in the most difficult circumstances, of a person shown with all contradictions of his character, behavior, religion, occupies a central place in the performance. Being an ordinary rural worker, a soldier, a lover, in opinion of the directors, firstly he is a Person. In that it is his strength, his destination, his beauty.
The performance wins over everybody with the fact that it contains a range of endearing feelings, expresses tenderness and love for the native land. Those feelings become particularly expressive in the second part of the performance (summer - autumn) when they are demonstrated by contrast of heartwarming joy of life and destructive cruelty of war.
The first part of the performance "Belarusians" (winter - spring) has already been examined in the journal "Art" (see №6, 2007). The second part begins with a vocal-choreographic composition "Myadunachka" serving as a peculiar prologue to strong emotional burst which will take place during the performance. In such a way people usually perceive its most unusual and probably most perfectly performed part - two energetically impressive and at the same time exceptionally touching dances "Zhytnevy ramans" and "Zhuravy". Here it is difficult not to agree with the Minister of Culture Vladimir Matveychuk who said after the first night: "There were so many performances on the famous philharmonic stage but there has never been such a strong impression while watching a choreographic composition!"
Both parts marked as choreographic miniature and ballade create a historical epic of the times of the Great Patriotic War. A tender feeling of love fills scenes of "Ramans" staged as lyric adagio and performed by three couples of soloists (Irene Grusheva and Alexei Chernyshevich, Ekaterina Koturgina and Ruslan Abdul, Olga Voytekhovskaya and Alexander Sivakov). They attract us by ingenuousness of youth, sincerity and beauty. Striking characters of heroes and unusual ideas of plastic expressiveness remain in our memory. Successfully performed lifts taken from classical dance combine with distinctive movements and gestures. The leitmotif of the duet, when a boy dandles a beloved girl in his hands covering her white bare feet with a hood, attracts by particular ingenuousness.
What is taking place during the ballade "Zhuravy" can be definitely called exquisite skills of performing optimistic tragedy on the stage. The audience is so impressed that its nerve fails them: a lump comes to the throat and tears - to the eyes. Besides, it is the result of perception of "Zhuravy" in the context of the whole performance. Being a separate concert performance, the ballade may lose some part of its scope. All the creators have indisputable success: the composer, costume designers, dancers, musicians. They put their whole soul into the idea which was brilliantly realized by the choreographer Valentina Gaevaya.
Such idea could occur only owing to her own life experience where there is a painful echo of the sufferings which she had to know in her war-burnt childhood. That is why the ballade characters look so natural. There is no lie and no artificial ways of dance expressiveness. The ballade sounds like a dramatic song, like weeping, like a cry about severe destiny of a woman, about the ordeals caused by the war: work all day long up to sweat, up to tears, up to bloody callosities; cruel lines of "killed in battle" notices, hunger and poverty. But with a new-born person there was a new hope. We have the impression that we perceive the world through eyes of the woman, of the leading lady.
It is not by chance because it is conceptual for all creative work of the choreographer, for all the programs of "Khoroshki". The image of a woman - girl, mother - always occupies a central place. It is most accurately and vividly written, it has great importance concerning a theme and a plot. It reflects the best qualities and features of human character and beauty of nature and life as well. Let’s remember "Vesnyanka" from the first part of the program when the heroine, like Aphrodite from spindrift, appeared from a pink blossoming garden. Even dance names like "Lubachka" and "Myadunachka" glorify femininity. Male images in the performances are simpler, with no personification. They obtain general, typical features - soldiers, mowers, guests, volochebniks. Some characters have definite comic and negative features (poor men, idlers, drunkards). The exception is the images performed by a legendary "Khoroshki" dancer Fyodor Balabayko. Using consummate improvisatory dance style he is capable to turn negative qualities of a hero into a smile or a joke. He always holds the stage, he is always in the forefront - in "Christmas", "Snowstorms", "Svyatki", "Volochebniks", "Matchmakers", "Marriage". From the beginning until final chords whose vigorous character means that at the end of the performance - in "Kaleidoscope of Belarusian dances" dancers demonstrate their exceptional technical abilities, academic style and musicality.
In "Belarusians" the music not only sets rhythm for dancers, gives the flavor and bright colors to dances. It fills ideas with sense and, what is more important, creates musical images together with plastic ones.
The deepest and the most sensible approach to musical material is much connected with a new "Khoroshki" musical director - composer Marina Morozova. Being a pupil and follower of famous Evgeny Glebov whose contribution to the development of Belarusian ballet music can not be overestimated, Morozova successfully applies accumulated experience of studies with the master and her own talent in new for her sphere of dramatized folk dance. She succeeded to raise not very big orchestra up to the level of symphonic sounding. Past experience of music making for dramatic performances and her own ballet scores helped the composer in it. The problem is not just to copy folk or famous songs but to have the written folk songs marked by her own thematic works and her own tunefulness.
In the last performance there were interesting striking musical features of some mise-en-scènes and characters. For instance, very expressive "Gossips" is made as a combination of swift violins and a xylophone with bass sounds of a group of button accordions. In "Zhuravy" we feel the influence of women’s folk singing when instant deep breath dictates the tempo and manner of performance. Extensive orchestra sounding gives emotionality to such compositions as "Anthem to sun" which is a meaningful leitmotif of the program. Except for such strong compositions with deep dramatic understanding, in the project there are light ones which remind of insert divertissement.
The dramatized program "Belarusians", which with music and dancing managed to reflect people’s life, belongs to one of the best achievements of our choreography.
Igor Kuznetsov