Ksenia Malinina

Graduated from the Aerospace faculty, department of Mechanics of composites of the Perm National Research Polytechnic University; faculty of Humanities, department of Foreign languages, linguistics and translation of the PNRPU; choreography department of the Perm College of Arts and Culture. Currently receives Master degree at Drama Directing in the Institute of Modern Art (Moscow). Art director of the Free Theatre of Contemporary Dance and Youth dance theatre «Shake Dance Group», creator of the National festival of choreography Dance Semester.

Quotes

• I need some move to appear, the rest comes easily.
• My son is also dancing; it took me a while to explain him that when we rehearse together I'm not his mother.
• You really want to take blinds off people so that the audience starts learning things about contemporary dance.»
• Even if I leave Perm, I will always come back.

My story

I was born in Perm and I have always lived here. After graduating from Perm Polytechnic University, I decided to take on what I really desired, so I entered choreography course at the College of Arts and Culture. Disregarding the fact that when I was about 5-6 years old, my mom was told, «The girl is no go and hopeless, she'll never be dancing.» But I wanted it so much! When I was 13, I studied dance by films Dirty Dancing and Strictly Ballroom — two VHS I watched to the core. I had friends doing ballroom dancing. I watched them dancing, remembered the moves and repeated them.
Arnold Sergeevich Rainik brought up choreographer in me; I danced at his theatre. Still don't get it, how at the age of 19 I got so bold to build my own ensemble, but I needed to decide, whether to stay, or to do something of my own. That was the starting point for Shake Dance Group, 13 years ago. Free Theatre of Contemporary Dance was born 4 years ago out of the graduates of Shake Dance Group. Its peculiar feature is interpretations of classical literature or some author's creative work by means of body mobility and contemporary original choreography. To this point, we've done six choreographic and plastic performances, international projects in Duisburg and Oxford, received Grand Prix of the International Theatre Festival and numerous awards at the contemporary choreography festivals. We started tutoring our own teachers who are acquainted with our methods of teaching contemporary dance. Currently there is a Studio and Children Dance Theatre Shake Dance Group for all those who want to dance. We do not only teach kids how to move, but also — how to think, listen, analyze, and discuss — it is important for us.

I try to use every opportunity to study. In the way of composition and concepts «Russian» contemporary dance is different from the European one, we think differently. But if we are talking movement technics, modern trends safe for health and discovering new options of the body, then you can find it only at European teachers. It is very important to use them in your work — it may sound strange but we study right ways to walk and run.

When I only started working at the Student's Club of the Perm State University, there was a chance to make workshops for students so we invited dancer and choreographer Ashot Nazaretyan from Yekaterinburg, and he said, «Ksusha, stop acting stupid, do a festival, you have every means for it.» It got to me and motivated me so that last year we hold our 5th anniversary festival Dance Semester, which is international already. PSU is the founder of the festival, and Shake Dance Group and Free Theatre are its organizers. The main idea is to preserve traditions and follow new trends. And it is important to create good atmosphere for the participants, to show them that we are not competing, we are doing the same thing. Indeed, ensembles became friends. It is essential; it means we have dance community forming on the level of the country.

Our audience is yet not educated enough to perceive contemporary choreography. Percentage of those ready to think is less than those who just want a pretty picture. Yet, thanks to initiative people, there are sparkles of different amazing projects in Perm here and there, so the wish to continue never stops.