The Russian Embassy in Kenya hosted a performance of Russian ballet masterpieces at the Kenya National Theatre on Monday, bringing together invited dignitaries, diplomats, embassy friends, and members of the Kenyan public.
The event formed part of the embassy’s festive activities during the Christmas season, taking place just ahead of the year-end holiday period when many businesses close until the new year.
The ballet performance was the second cultural event hosted by the embassy this season, following an earlier screening of the Russian Christmas film “The Silver Skates”. Both events are part of the embassy’s broader efforts to strengthen cultural relations between Russia and Kenya through cultural diplomacy, using the arts as a platform for engagement and exchange.
Monday’s performance featured dancers from the Moscow Regional State Academic Theatre who are visiting the country for the first time.
The troupe presented a selection of classical Russian ballet pieces during the evening performance.
Speaking to the press, the theatre’s First Deputy Artistic Director, Viktor Davydov, said the dancers had travelled to Kenya at the invitation of the Russian Ambassador to Kenya. Davydov noted that he had long wished to visit Africa and expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to bring Russian ballet to Kenyan audiences.
Members of the troupe also shared their admiration for Kenya, its culture and traditions. During their stay, the dancers visited Lamu, where they interacted with Kenyan ballet dancers and artists. The exchange offered opportunities for learning and dialogue between performers from the two countries.
Speaking to KBC Digital, dancer Ekaterina Nechaeva said that they were thankful they had had the opportunity to meet a dance troupe in Kenya.
“It was very special for us as a ballet company to get to interact with a dance company here as well as students in Nairobi and Lamu,” she said. “The students shared a class, and they took part in a performance with us, which was special. They opened our show and did a beautiful piece, and we would love to collaborate with them in the future.”
Ms Ekaterina also added that there was interest in eventually coming back to the country and further collaborating artistically.
“We would love to come back with a full-length ballet and have the dancers here in Kenya participate in this production with us and intermix that ballet culture and the arts between Russia and Kenya.”x
Guests were treated to renditions from ‘Swan Lake’, ‘The Nutcracker’, ‘Giselle’ and the ‘Cachucha Andalusian Dance’.
In addition to the ballet, the evening programme included orchestral performances featuring both Russian and Kenyan musical pieces. The Kenyan orchestra performed several well-known compositions, including a rendition of the popular Kenyan song “Bwana Nipe Pesa,” which was received warmly by the audience.
