On June 17, an enchanting opening performance by artists from The Moscow State Academic Theatre of Dance “Gzhel” was staged in the Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center. This event, featuring the renowned “Gzhel” Folk Dance Ensemble, kicked off the “Moscow Day” series with a display of vibrant Russian cultural flair.

The “Gzhel” Folk Dance Ensemble, named after Russia’s national gift and famous porcelain Gzhel (blue and white porcelain), is acclaimed as the “name card of Moscow” and “folk dance ensemble deemed as Russian national treasure”. The artistic performance began with the lively rhythms of Russia’s festival dance Winter, followed by the refined and serene northern dance Lantse, the cheerful tunes of the folk dance Barynya, and the fusion of Russian folk and classical dance in Brook. These pieces showcased the diversity of Russian folk arts and culture, symbolizing the deep friendship and good wishes between the people of the two cities. The performance concluded with the dynamic and passionate dance Master. The dancers received continuous applause from the audience for their graceful movements and exquisite skills.

The audience was highly impressed with the exquisite dance performances. “The performance brought together various styles of Russian dance, with the vibrant and diverse choreography leaving us dazzled.” “The dancers’ passionate performance was so appealing that we were all swept up into a lively and cheerful atmosphere.” “The dances vividly portrayed Russian folklore, traditional crafts, and cultural customs, allowing us to gain a deeper understanding of Russia’s long history and rich culture.”

The art performance marked the official launch of the “Moscow Day” series of events in Beijing, which also includes cultural and sports exchanges such as the Beijing-Moscow Girls’ Basketball Friendship Match and Beijing-Moscow Artistic Swimming Performance. Moscow hosted this series in Beijing to further promote its city image, enhance cultural, economic, trade, and sports exchanges, and deepen pragmatic cooperation between the two sister cities. In the second half of this year, Moscow will send educational delegations to Beijing and host economic and trade cooperation forums, in an effort to elevate the practical cooperation between the two sides to new heights.

Further Reading

Since establishing sister-city relations in May 1995, Moscow and Beijing have engaged in extensive exchanges across diverse fields including economy and trade, science and technology, urban planning, transportation, and culture. The collaboration has flourished thanks to strong support from both governments and joint efforts from various sectors. In 2018, Beijing hosted the “Beijing Day” series of events in Moscow, which garnered widespread attention and was well received by Moscow citizens.

(Edited based on relevant reports from Beijing Daily)