ST.PETERSBURG-SAVONLINNA BALLET DAYS 2014: Master classes for students of ballet schools in Russia and Finland and a gala concert of DANCE OPEN ballet stars 
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By tradition, the International Ballet Festival DANCE OPEN will present outstanding dancers to the public, and students of ballet schools in Russia and Eastern Finland will have the opportunity to learn from the experience of teachers of the legendary Russian ballet school.
The Russian-Finnish project has been going on for the third year, but for the first time the famous Opera Festival in Savonlinna, the largest in northern Europe, will act as its official partner. Created on the initiative of singer Aino Akte at the beginning of the 20th century, today the festival submits to the public the masterpieces of world classics and premiere performances of selected contemporary directors. The powerful energy and excellent acoustics of the medieval (1475) castle of St. Olav make the performances unique, therefore it is a great honor for the St. Petersburg ballet forum DANCE OPEN to present a specially created program here.
As before, the DANCE OPEN ballet star gala is designed for the widest audience - both for aesthetes who can’t imagine ballet without Petipa’s masterpieces, and for lovers of modern choreography who prefer the work of innovative choreographers. One thing is certain: July 20 will be a real holiday for all lovers of the art of ballet.
This year, Denis and Anastasia Matvienko, Alexander Sergeyev and Philip Stepin, representing the Mariinsky Theater, will appear on the stage of Olavinlinna Castle; Irina Perren and Marat Shemiunov, premieres of the Mikhailovsky Theater; Remy Wortmeyer, DANCE OPEN Award Winner and Premier of the Netherlands National Ballet; Oksana Kucheruk, star of the famous Bordeaux ballet troupe and many others.
Ekaterina Galanova, Director of the DANCE OPEN International Ballet Festival: “The most amazing thing about this project is, of course, the castle. Its special atmosphere emphasizes the fragility and grace of the dance. These feelings are hard to convey! ”
The Stars Gala is part of the St. Petersburg - Savonlinna Ballet Days project with the support of the Southeast Finland-Russia ENPI CBC Program.
An integral part of the project is a series of master classes designed for students of ballet schools in Eastern Finland and Russia. Traditionally, as part of the master classes, participants give their own reporting concert, which this year will take place on July 17 at the Savonlinna Hall stage.
For many years, the DANCE OPEN educational program has been a special mission of the project: Russian educators pass on truly invaluable experience to the younger generation. Thanks to the support of the European Program, students can attend master classes for free, approaching another step towards the realization of their professional dreams. So, very recently, the young participant of the master classes Ksenia Zhiganshina danced at a student concert, and this year she, already in the status of an artist of the Bolshoi Theater, performs in Olavinlinna along with recognized ballet masters.
The St. Petersburg - Savonlinna Ballet Days project is designed for several years and was created with the aim of developing cultural ties between St. Petersburg and Southeast Finland. The organizer is the International Dance Festival DANCE OPEN in partnership with the Savonlinna Opera Festival (Finland).