FOLKLORE PERFORMANCE AT NIKOLAEVSKY PALACE.

If you meet a real Russian in the crowd of people in the main street of a big city, whether it is Moscow or New York, London or Paris, you won`t be able to tell him from the others. What really distinguishes a Russian lies deep inside, near his heart. His soul is seeking for festivity when a stirring song is struggling to get free and a frantic dance is ready to carry everything before it like a hurricane. Would you like to find youself in the very centre of the original Russian folk festivities? To get carried away by the colourful footstamping performance? To feel Russian at least for a while? If no hesitation appears in your mind, then accept a warm welcome of the Nikolayevsky Art-Centre to see the enchanting festival of Russian spirit "Feel yourself Russian"! The show is performed by the professional folk companies.

THE SOUVENIR

It`s a Russian folk ensemble. The three musicians brilliantly perform folk compositions. Besides the accordion and balalaika, which are traditional for Russia, some rare and even exotic musical instruments are used by this group. You will be astonished to hear lyrical or stirring tunes performed by means of objects which are never known to be used for music-making. These extraordinary performances are full of humour and stress the efficiency of the instruments players, their ability to turn the ordinary into the beautiful and remarkable.
The "Souvenir" was formed in 1990. It successfully toured in many European countries, the USA, Canada. The group is a prize-winner of the World Folk Festival in Seattle (the USA).

PETERSBURG STARS

It is a dance company. The dancers are graduates of leading schools of choreography in Russia. Its repertoire comprises lyrical dances of the Russian North, stirring dances of the Cossacks from the Don and Voronezh, dancing miniatures of the Urals and Siberia with their subtle humour. The group owes its success not only to the fantasy and skill of its dances but also to the dresses made in the best dressmakers` of the city.
Picturesque dresses help to perceive each dancing piece more vividly and add to the atmosphere of national dances . Spectators of all ages and tastes will be able to appreciate not only the ability of the performers to convey Russian national colour on the stage, but also their highest skill, complexity of acrobatic feats and breath-taking leaps. The group has had successful tours in France, Germany, Switzerland, Finland, China, Italy, Spain.

MAIDAN

It is a Cossack song and dance company formed in 1992 by the Honoured Artist V. Drachev. The name of the group takes its origin from the place where all Cossacks used to assemble in olden times and decisions were made "by the whole world". The group skilfully reproduces on stage Cossack songs and dances in their original form. There are twenty-two graduates of St. Petersburg Academy of the Culture in this group.

NAIGRYSH

It is a folk instruments quartet. The skilful musicians perform versions of the well-known Russian tunes and the folk music of different nationalities.

The show lasts for about two hours. It consists of two parts. In the intermission the refreshments are served. Guests are treated to fruit, canapes with caviar red and black, ham, smoked sausage, cheese; also, strong and soft drinks: Russian vodka, champagne, mineral water, juice. During the interval, classical music known world-wide is performed by a string quartette. The show takes place on the stage of the Concert Hall with a seating capacity of 340 seats.