Russian Dancing in Alaska

 “Yip! Yip!”  some of the energetic dancers call out as they swirl around the stage.

The rhythm of the music is infectious, the brilliant scarlet, emerald and azure of the skirts as they flare out is mesmerising.  Then the ladies stop to sway in time with the music and encourage the young men in their black trousers, white tunics and black Cossack hats as they perform, crouching down and bouncing on their toes, kicking out, then rising to leap high in the air touching their toes with their hands in typical Russian dance fashion.

Except that they aren’t young men, but women.  Very fit ones.

These are the New Archangel Dancers of Sitka in Alaska.  As Sitka was the capital of Russian America, it isn’t surprising to see Russian dancing here. 

In 1969 a group of young women got together to learn the dances of the town’s heritage.  They did it for fun and to preserve Sitka’s history, even though none of them are of Russian descent.

During a break in the dancing one of the ladies tells the story of their formation including the fact that the men had been invited to join them.  The men refused feeling that it was beneath the dignity of strong fishermen and hunters to do something so ‘sissy’.

The women went ahead without them and have been having fun ever since.  Now, during the bitterly cold winters the Dancers often leave Alaska to tour, not only in the United States, but around the world.

And, yes, the men have now changed their minds but the women prefer to play all of the roles themselves.

The dances are authentic Russian folk dances including the energetic ones that most people recognise.  Then there are the romantic boy and girl flirtatious ones, sailor tap, dances with handkerchief or ribbons, the Cossack Horsemen (this one is a great favourite with the children in the audience) and the elegant Beryozka Gliding Dance.  In this dance the ladies wear long dresses and move smoothly around the floor giving the impression that they are on wheels.

The nearest I got to a bear in Alaska!

As well as touring in the winter, the Dancers perform throughout the summer mostly for tourists from the cruise ships that call at Sitka.  They also showcase Alaska’s Russian heritage with performances on Alaska Day and at special events such as conventions, banquets, fund raisers and other celebrations.

Havana Cuba

As we drove towards Havana I was amused to see that buses driving away from the city had destination boards saying 'Havana Cuba'. Presumably the people catching them know where they are going.

I fell in love with Cuba's capital from the Old Town to the more modern sector. The Old Town is a mix of cleaned up buildings and some that look as if a gust of wind will blow them down. (What a good job hurricanes usually arrive from the east and south and lose power once they make landfall - Havana is on the Northwest coast). The atmosphere is great probably for the history that has permeated those buildings and the happy and friendly Cubans who people it.



Cigar Sellers in national costume



As the Old Town is now a World Heritage Site monies have become available to help restore some of the lovely old buildings. One of those buildings having work done to it while we were there was the imposing Capitol which is neo-classical and has a flight of steps up to the front door. I wandered around the area to get a feel for the City and in a nearby square found men debating - not sure whether it was football, baseball but I doubt it was politics. There were plenty of people about - tourists and friendly Cubans - but it is a bit of a gamble crossing the roads!

We were then driven to Revolution Square with its 109m. high obelisk. This is where Fidel Castro made his speeches to thousands. We were told that people filled the huge square and surrounding streets just to listen to their leader giving speeches that ranged from two to nine hours. Two of the buildings in the square have 'sculptures' by Enrique Avila of Che Guevara and Commander Camilo - the other two of the triumvirate (Fidel being the third). There isn't one of Fidel as the policy is no statues or images until after the Leader has died.

Something which catches the eye traffic-wise are the old cars. Colourful vintage American cars such as Chevrolets (Chevies) and Packards. Mostly they are now taxis and the drivers expect you to pay them if you want to take a photograph. The reason they are still around is that when the USSR broke up Cuba lost its 'mother-lode' and they could no longer get Russian cars. Many people had either put their old American cars into garages or sheds (or even just left them to rot) and found that in order to have a working car they would have to renovate the old ones. Now some of them are, on the outside, American cars but under the bonnets/hoods they have Russian engines.

Following a super lunch at the Pina de Plata (Silver Pineapple) restaurant we strolled through the old town before having some free time. Me? I chose to sit in Cathedral Square sipping a Cuba Libre, listening to Cuban music and thinking about some of the famous people who have either lived or visited Havana.

Graham Greene stayed there and got his idea for 'Our Man in Havana', Alec Guinness and Noel Coward were there for the making of the film, Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald had a short holiday there and, of course, Ernest Hemingway lived there at the Hotel Ambos Mundo. (I have written about his stay which is on my other blog: www.barbarabothwell.blogspot.com).