About 700 drummers and majorettes took part in the festival-competition in Vitebsk
Due to the pandemic, the festival-competition was not held last year, so the participants missed the colorful event and eagerly awaited the anniversary "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk". This year, the festival brought together about 700 drum majorettes and majorettes from different parts of Belarus and Russia.
– Every year, the number of collectives and ensembles wishing to participate in the festival grows, and the professionalism of the participants also increases, – said Ekaterina Labuko, director of the Vitebsk Regional Methodological Center for Folk Art.
Indeed, some of the drummers and majorettes have repeatedly received awards and titles at competitions, not only at the festival in Vitebsk but also beyond. For example, the Novolukoml majorette ensemble of the "Divo-dance" School of Dance from the Chashniki district became the winner of the International Grand Prix for Majorette Sport and Twirling in St. Petersburg in 2019, and was also a laureate and won a silver medal at the "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk".
– We try to participate in the festival at the "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk" every year; it is a very prestigious competition, and here we not only showcase our professional skills but, first and foremost, meet new people and make friends, – said the ensemble leader Natalia Tomasheva.
By the way, Natalia Tomasheva is 70 years old, and she holds classes with her trainees 3 times a week to hone their skills and show their "class". The group shares Natalia Nikolaevna's opinion and also wishes for more such age-diverse ensembles to emerge.
– People of any age can participate in the festival-competition; for example, this year the age of the drummers and majorettes ranges from 5 to 75 years, – noted Olga Pane, chief ballet master of the Vitebsk Regional Methodological Center for Folk Art.
Ninth-grader Daria Minakova from the Liozno district came to the competition for the first time and was most worried about how the flag would behave in her hands, as it is not easy to control it and dance at the same time.
– I'm afraid my flag will get tangled due to the wind, and I worry about the youngest participants in the group, – Daria shared her fears. – We started preparing for the festival-competition a month before the performance; first, we learned the complex choreography, and then the staging. And although we have already performed in Liozno with our act on Independence Day, this event is more exciting for me.
Following the results of the IV International Festival-Competition of Drum Majorettes and Majorettes, the Grand Prix was won by the folk amateur ensemble of the Republic of Belarus, the majorette ensemble "Holiday" of the Baranovichi City House of Culture. Also, each ensemble received prizes from the festival-competition jury, and 20 laureates of the I degree were also awarded cups.
