Artek counselors dressed as black and white mime artists opened the Palmyra Children’s Arts Festival with a street theater performance. It was attended by 2,000 children from the Artek camps and 300 children from Yalta schools.
“We were offered the opportunity to stage a street theater performance to tell the children about the arts festival, which is beginning at the Artek International Children’s Center, because the format of a street theater is understandable to a very many spectators,” said Lyudmila Denisova, who is responsible for theater arts at the center.
“We wanted to stage an unusual show that would not leave anyone indifferent. This is why I chose black and white mime artists, because they can be both merry and sad and can easily express and convey their emotions to the audience. Mimes can make the audience believe in the existence of the world they present. Our short performance has impressed the children, which means that our talented counselors have done it,” Lyudmila Denisova said.
The Palmyra arts festival began with meetings with workers of arts and culture, performances by children’s groups, exhibitions, performance shows and installations. During the current session, the children will be able to see performances by professional theaters as well as attend workshops in different performing arts, including choreography, instrumental and vocal arts, spoken word, performance art, theater as well as recitation. The winners will perform at the closing concert on the grand stage of Artek Arena. Here elimination rounds are underway at the Artek camps for the upcoming contests organized by Artek’s department of social and cultural activities.
“The mime performance is the best story possible about the arts festival. As I looked at the mimes performing to accordion music on this warm spring day, I could imagine myself in France,” said Vladislav Zakharyan from Maikop, Adygea. “One of the female mimes was our counselor. She took part in the Wall scene. I also like the mime with a rose,” he said. “We have won the Grand Prix at the elimination round in the Khrustalny Camp. We presented a show of verses. We want to prepare a group dance with water for our performance at the arts festival. This event is very interesting because everyone at Artek can show his or her worth. I look forward to seeing the best pieces from all Artek camps.”
“I will perform a special dance to the Katyusha song at the Suuk-Su Palace tomorrow,” said Ksenia Chumakova from the Krasnodar Territory. “It will be a short solo performance. I have opted for the Katyusha because it is a patriotic song that tells us about our history, and its music is merry and so easily adapted to a dance performance. I love to dance, and I want to see whether the audience likes my performance. I am proud that I have been chosen for this competition at my camp, and now the whole of Artek will judge my dancing.”
The Palmyra Children’s Arts Festival has been launched at the Artek International Children’s Center to support the initiatives on preserving the global cultural and historical heritage advanced by Russia, UNESCO and many other countries as well. The organizers believe that the festival will introduce the children to the best elements of Russian and global culture and arts. It can also encourage them to think about global human values as well as personal responsibility for the consequences of one’s decisions.