Youth from Belarus, Russia gather in Mogilev for Union State festival

As noted by Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives, Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union State of Belarus and Russia Vadim Ipatov, the festival is unique because it brings together young people. In addition to its artistic program, it has also taken on an academic dimension, with participants discussing topics related to the modern world order and challenges that could affect traditional values and historical memory. “Mogilev is hearing calls from young people to preserve and protect historical memory - not only from young people who study history, but also from those who express themselves through song and dance,” he said.

The Mogilev festival helps build cultural dialogue through emotion and color. As Vadim Ipatov stressed, despite its competitive element, there will be no losers here. “The festival gives people an opportunity to make new friends, get to know one another better and learn about different cultural values. When we first started, eight or nine regions of the Russian Federation took part, while today there are already 17 among the participants. This shows that interest is growing, and supporting that interest is our main task,” he added.

The opening ceremony continued with the competition program, with the jury beginning to assess performances by choreographic groups. According to Mikhail Kolegov, chairman of the choreography competition jury and a director at the Bolshoi Theater (Russia), it is always interesting to watch the younger generation: what issues they address and what level of professionalism they have reached. “We must bring young people from different countries together through creativity. It does not matter how a person moves - what matters is what drives them. Of course, besides the technical skills that we will assess - how well a person controls their body and what physical shape they are in - the inner emotional component is important. Sometimes it can outweigh certain professional skills: how sincere and beautiful a person is on the inside. I believe that if the feeling is truly genuine and deep, it can even outweigh certain technical shortcomings,” he said.

The jury chairman also noted that young dancers are increasingly turning to folklore, which remains relevant. “There is so much we can draw from it for contemporary dance and contemporary art, and for cinema, theater, and music. I am very interested to see what we will be presented with: what styles and genres they will choose and what topics they will explore in their choreographic performances. A connection to folk traditions and a spiritual foundation are passed down from generation to generation - these are timeless constants that unite generations,” Mikhail Kolegov added.

Among the festival participants is Yekaterina Skorokhod from Slavyanochka, an exemplary children's ensemble of contemporary and pop dance from Lugansk. The ensemble arrived with a large group of 15 people. For the major competition, they prepared a choreographic piece titled The Tale of the lonely rowan. It is a contemporary stylization based on folk dances.“We came to this festival in 2025, so we already know how everything works,” she said. “The competition is always strong here, with everyone having different styles and approaches. It is always interesting to watch the other young performers. I think competitions and festivals like this are very important because they bring people together. There is a lot of communication, new acquaintances and inspiration here.”

She admitted that she had wanted to dance since childhood. “Dance is an amazing art form. Through it, you express your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. When you cannot express them in words, you can show them through dance,” she said. “Dance knows how to speak.”

The vocal competition features Svyatki, an exemplary folk-song ensemble from Minsk. Today, its members are enjoying the performances by the other contestants. Among them is Nadezhda Dolzhenkova. The young performers have a strong connection to traditional culture, performing folk songs and wearing handmade traditional costumes.

“For our generation, folk art and traditional culture are something very unusual and authentic. It is fascinating to discover all of this, and we want to preserve it and pass it on. Through this kind of creativity and our careful attitude toward it, we reconnect with our roots and learn more about ourselves and the world around us,” she said.