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.