If you choose to stay in Beijing during the National Holiday vacation and if you are interested in the Russian folk arts, Ditan Park where the Russian Cultural Carnival will be held from September 29 to October 3 is the place to go.

A major event in the framework of the Year of Russia in China, the five-day carnival will gather Russian folk performances, circus, games, photography exhibition and crafts demonstration.

The large open-air stage will feature the ensemble of Russian traditional instruments "Skomorohi," the Russian Folk Dance Ensemble, Balalaika soloist Alexey Archipovski, folk-ensemble "Veretence," "Va-Ta-Ga" ethno-rock band and "Volkov, Starostin, Kotov" ethno-jazz trio.

Alexey Arkhipovsky, the laureate of All-Russian Competition of folk instrument soloists, began to play the traditional Russian instrument balalaika when he was 12 and is very good at improvisations at live shows. "Veretentse," means a small spindle, is a folk ensemble founded by Elena Krasnopevtseva in 1981. The group performs folk music of southern regions of Russia. The ensemble has about 100 members in several age groups: from 4-5 years old children to graduates of music colleges. For this Beijing tour, Krasnopevtseva herself will take a group of seven artists to perform their trademark songs and dances.

"Va-Ta-Ga" is a five-member band composed of the vocalist and multi-instruments player Alexandre Leonov, vocal and violin player Olga Gaidamak, acoustic guitarist Alexey Derevlyov, percussionist Arkady Sokolov and the double bass Sergey Shelyapin. The leader Leonov collects and creates folk music. "Va-Ta-Ga" is a music style based on the Northern folk songs. The press refers to their music as either "ethno-ambient" or "folk jazz".

"Va-Ta-Ga" players use acoustic instruments as well as modern digital and analogue sound treatment. Besides a classical guitar and a double bass, the band has a great variety of traditional wind, strings and percussion instruments.

In addition to the folk music and dance, "Surper-Skok" circus will display their stunts including skipping rope, juggling, hula-hoop, unicycle and balancing. The magicians and clowns will invite you to have fun with them.

Aside from the performances, dozens of craftsmen from Russia will present, demonstrate and teach visitors to make traditional Russian crafts such as the handmade dolls, wood carving and painting, weaving of belts, scrappy sewing, making clay toys, embroidery and knitting. You can buy souvenirs created in front of your eyes. The warm folk artists will not hesitate to paint a portrait or make a mask for you.

There are also exhibitions featuring photographs of Russian villages, the products made of the white birch and the women's dresses in the 19th and early 20th century. The visitors will have the opportunity to try the dress and have their picture taken wearing it.

(China Daily September 28, 2006)