It has become a good tradition for Barynya dancers to introduce a new numbers of the program before the Russian Nobility Association in New York City during annual Spring Ball. Our version of Hopak - Ukraininan folk dance - was introduced for the first time during Russian Nobility
Ball 2005. Tsyganskiy (Russian Gypsy Roma) folk dance and song Kai Yone was
first seen during RNB-2007.
In 2008 we brought our brand new number: English inspired dance of Russian Nobility "Danila Cooper" also sometimes spelled as "Danila Kuper", "Daniel Cooper" (in Russian "Danila Kupor")
Danila Cooper dance video recorded during Russian Nobility Ball 2008 in New York City
It seems that dance "Daniel Cooper" (in Russian
version, "Danilo Kupor") was an actual dance - to be more precise,
contradance, an old English dance characterized by quick and
easy movements.
F. F. Wiegel in his "Memoirs" (part 1, M., 1864, p.
62, first published in "Russky Vestnik", 1856) wrote that "one of
these contradances was named a Danilo Kupor, probably after its
composer, a certain Englishman Cooper".
Danila Cooper dance ladies dresses
Beautiful historical gowns for female dancers were made by famous New York based Russian couture Yana Brink www.yanabrink.com.
"War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy: Daniel Cooper dance scene
"Look at Papa!" shouted Natasha to the whole company, and quite
forgetting that she was dancing with a grown-up partner she bent her
curly head to her knees and made the whole room ring with her
laughter.
And indeed everybody in the room looked with a smile of pleasure at
the jovial old gentleman, who standing beside his tall and stout
partner, Marya Dmitrievna, curved his arms, beat time, straightened
his shoulders, turned out his toes, tapped gently with his foot, and,
by a smile that broadened his round face more and more, prepared the
onlookers for what was to follow. As soon as the provocatively gay
strains of Daniel Cooper (somewhat resembling those of a merry peasant
dance) began to sound, all the doorways of the ballroom were suddenly
filled by the domestic serfs- the men on one side and the women on the
other- who with beaming faces had come to see their master making
merry.
"Just look at the master! A regular eagle he is!" loudly remarked the
nurse, as she stood in one of the doorways.
The count danced well and knew it. But his partner could not and did
not want to dance well. Her enormous figure stood erect, her powerful
arms hanging down (she had handed her reticule to the countess), and
only her stern but handsome face really joined in the dance. What was
expressed by the whole of the count's plump figure, in Marya
Dmitrievna found expression only in her more and more beaming face and
quivering nose. But if the count, getting more and more into the swing
of it, charmed the spectators by the unexpectedness of his adroit
maneuvers and the agility with which he capered about on his light
feet, Marya Dmitrievna produced no less impression by slight
exertions- the least effort to move her shoulders or bend her arms
when turning, or stamp her foot- which everyone appreciated in view of
her size and habitual severity.
The dance grew livelier and livelier. The other couples could not
attract a moment's attention to their own evolutions and did not even
try to do so. All were watching the count and Marya Dmitrievna.
Natasha kept pulling everyone by sleeve or dress, urging them to "look
at Papa!" though as it was they never took their eyes off the couple.
In the intervals of the dance the count, breathing deeply, waved and
shouted to the musicians to play faster. Faster, faster, and faster;
lightly, more lightly, and yet more lightly whirled the count, flying
round Marya Dmitrievna, now on his toes, now on his heels; until,
turning his partner round to her seat, he executed the final pas,
raising his soft foot backwards, bowing his perspiring head, smiling
and making a wide sweep with his arm, amid a thunder of applause and
laughter led by Natasha. Both partners stood still, breathing heavily
and wiping their faces with their cambric handkerchiefs.
"That's how we used to dance in our time, ma chere," said the count.
"That was a Daniel Cooper!" exclaimed Marya Dmitrievna, tucking up her
sleeves and puffing heavily.
First official record of Russian dancing is related to year 907 when Great Russian Prince Oleg (Vechshiy Oleg) celebrated his victory over Greeks in Kiev. During the Gala Dinner 16 male dancers
dressed as bears and four bears dressed as Russian dancers performed for the guests. After the dinner was over Great Prince commanded to release the bears into the wild and to execute all the
dancers.
As it became clear later on, Vechshiy Oleg, who was purblind, has mistaken the dancers for the ambassadors from the Northern Tribes (Severyane) who owned him a few hundred skins of marten -
Russian tiger-cat...
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RUSSIAN DANCE DIRECTORY
Russian dance ensembles and dancers, Russian, Cossack, Ukrainian, Klezmer and Gypsy traditional dance descriptions, videos, photos, Russian dancers and dance troups wanted... to directory
RUSSIAN COSTUMES
Russian, Russian Gypsy, Russian Cossack, Ukrainian, Russian Siberian stage costumes for professional performances made by Russian costumes designer Svetlana Gavrilova.... see pictures
RUSSIAN DANCE GROUPS FOR HIRE
Barynya - Russian music, song and dance ensemble from New York is a unique group of top soloists: musicians, singers and dancers who were trained and performed with
Don Cossacks of Rostov, Andreev State symphonic balalaika orchestra, Moscow State center of "Russian Song"
The Russian Collection Dance Ensemble from San Francisco, California provides a selection of thrilling and colorful Russian folk dancing, enchanting
Russian folk music, and Russian magical illusions. Group was founded in 1945 and has performed in Europe, Asia, North and South America
Revival - Russian dance ensemble from Toronto Canada is available in Canada and the United States of America to provide live entertainment for
corporate events, parties, weddings, and all other events. Artistic Director Ekaterina Kornienkova
Legendary Russian Gypsy
singer Zhenia Shevchenko and ensemble Barynya DVD. Concert was recorded in New York City on January 26, 2008. Fifteen performers: six dancers, three singers, six musicians.
Performers: Sergey Ryabtsev - violin, Mikhail Smirnov - garmoshka, vocal, guitar, Alex Siniavski - Gypsy guitar, balalaika, Alexander Menshikov - Russian Gypsy singer, tambourine, Leonid Bruk -
balalaika-contrabass, Gennady Gutkin - bayan, Lev Zabeginsky - balalaika, Andrij Cybyk - dancer, choreographer, Ganna Makarova - dancer, Olga Chpitalnaia - dancer, Vitaliy Verterich - dancer,
choreographer, Valentina Kvasova - dancer, singer, Mikhail Nesterenko - dancer, Victoria Pichurova - singer, Gabriel Yakubov - Gypsy dancer. Musical instruments: Balalaika, garmoshka, bayan,
violin, balalaika-contrabass, Gypsy guitar, Russian 7 string guitar. Program of Russian Gypsy songs, music, Russian, Gypsy, Cossack and Ukrainian folk dancing... more info, video samples, order
This DVD was recorded at live performance of Russian music and
dance ensemble Barynya (Artistic Director/Founder Mikhail Smirnov) in Lakeside, Ohio at the Hoover Auditorium in July 2007. List of performers: Mikhail Smirnov - vocal, garmoshka,
guitar , Alex Siniavski - balalaika, Gypsy guitar, musical director, Andrij Cybyk - dancer, choreographer, Valentina Kvasova - dance captain, dancer, Leonid Bruk - balalaika contrabass , Alexander
Menshikov - singer, tambourine, Victoria Pichurova - singer, Natalia Ejova - dancer, Natia Rtveliashvili - dancer, Stefan Kuziw - dancer, Alex Sizov - dancer.... more info, videoclips, order
This DVD is from live performance of Russian dance, song and music ensemble
Barynya from the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, Wisconsin in October 2006. PROGRAM: Russian, Gypsy, Cossack, Ukrainian traditional dances, folk and popular songs,
virtuoso performances on musical instruments with explanation of the program in English. INSTRUMENTS: balalaika, garmoshka, contrabass, buben, Gypsy and classic guitars... more info, videoclips, order
New York based Russian folk dance and music ensemble Barynya, 2004. Russian folk dances,
songs, virtuoso performances on balalaika, bass-balalaika and garmoshka. Runtime: 1 hour, cover art: Anna Nagorskaya
more info, videoclips, order
Ensemble Barynya, 1998. Live performance
in cabaret "Moscow", Lexington Ave/54 street, New York City. Russian, Cossack, Ukrainian, Klezmer music and dances. Runtime: about 35 minutes. more
info, videoclips, order
Runtime: 60 minutes. On this DVD
ensemble Barynya dancers are performing Russian, Cossack, Gypsy and Ukranian folk dances including "Kalinka", "Katyusha", "Barynya", "Two Guitars" and others. more info, videoclips, order
