The birth anniversary of the great poet Alexander Pushkin is a monumental occasion for the entirety of Russian culture. This year’s celebration on 6 June is particularly special, as the legendary Pushkin was born exactly 225 years ago. It may not be a round date, but it just means the festivities will be full of warmth rather than stiff pomp and overblown speeches. You cannot help but recall how playwright Alexander Ostrovsky referred to Pushkin’s birthday as a grand holiday in our streets.

We are starting our summer with a tour. The Leonid Yacobson Ballet Theatre has been invited to Minsk, where the Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre of the Republic of Belarus is currently hosting the Ballet Summer Festival. This is the 10th iteration of the event, which has become a tradition by now. This year, the Festival celebrates four choreographers, representing a variety of styles and historical eras. They are: Marius Petipa, Leonid Yacobson, Boris Eifman, and Valentin Elizariev.

The Leonid Yacobson Ballet Theatre will be performing in Kazan on 28 and 29 May. During this time, the capital of Tatarstan will be hosting its traditional festival honouring the memory of Rudolf Nureyev. The 2024 iteration of the festival is the 37th since its inception: it got its name all the way back in 1993, with the world-renowned escapee’s personal blessing. There is also another Nureyev Festival in Ufa, which took place in March this year; the difference between the two events is the Cyrillic spelling of the legendary danseur’s last name. Нуриев (Nuriev) vs Нуреев (Nureyev) is an endless debate between Russian-speaking ballet experts, but this time it was settled peacefully: Ufa chose the latter version, and Kazan, the former.

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.