About us

Leaders

Leaders of collective

Anastasia Borovskaya

Anastasia Borovskaya (before marriage – Usacheva) is one of the leaders of “Zabava” and the main assistaint of the director.

She’s been a member of the ensemble since 1993, when her mother brought her younger sister to “Zabava” and Asya came as well, just in order to see what it was all about. Asya liked singing and dancing and then became an important member of “Zabava”, enjoying the warm atmosphere of folklore friendship. When Asya was a graduate of the department of History of Saratov State University, she devoted her diploma to the folklore movement in Russia. Nowadays she is working on this topic as a magister of Saratov Politechnic University.

Asya has got nature-born musical abilities, which she inherited from her grandmother who was Ukrainian, she has also always been interested in traditional culture, so it is quite logical that she became an effective researcher. Asya makes a lot for “Zabava”, for instance: deciphering expeditional materials, developing methodical recomendations in the sphere of Russian traditional clothing, costumes and dolls making, weaving etc. She is always ready to share the experience with youngsters. To say in one word, she is an irreplaceable member of our group!

Anjelika Glumova

Anjelika Glumova – the founder and the irremovable leader of Zabava. She graduated from the State University of Saratov in 1988. As a student, she used to be a member of several Saratov folk groups. In 1987 she founded Zabava – the group of her own, nowadays known as a profound folk ethnographic studio.

Angeliкa regards her major objectives as follows:

organizing activities of all the branches of Zabava,
carrying out ethnographic expeditions, festivals of traditional culture, calendar festal days,
involving talented young people into the group,
deciphering and systematizing the folklore samples acquired during the expeditions over the Saratov and the Volgograd regions,
preparing and recording radio and TV programs, CDs and DVDs of folk songs and dances, and much more in the same strain.

Semen Glinin

Semen
Glinin – became a member of “Zabava” in the fall of 2008. He is a great singer
and harmony-balalayka etc.-player. Semion is interested in different types of
Russian traditional culture and always helps us in organizing folklore parties
and “evenings”. Now Semen - the accompanist of our ensemble.

Vadim Kovalskiy

Vadim Kovalskiy graduated from the Theatre Faculty of the Saratov State Conservatoire. He has been engaged with Zabava since 1993. Ethnical choreography being the subject of his study, he masters most of Russian dancing styles and has been teaching dancing in Zabava for 10 years. He holds seminar-cum-workshops and master classes on traditional dancing all over Russia and abroad (Poland, Germany, Netherlands).

Since 2003, Vadim Kovalskiy has been teaching and directing ethnical dancing at the Chair of folk chorus leaders at the Saratov State Conservatoire. He is often invited to judge diverse folk contests and festivals.

Members

Members of our collective

Alena Veretennikova

Alena Veretennikova is a student of Saratov Medical University. Despite she is still very young, we consider her to be one of Zabava’s “elders” due to the fact that she came to our group when she was 6 years old. However being a teenager she gave up folklore and took up yacht-sport (she even became the champion of Russia), but in the year of 2007 she came back to our ensemble.

Alexandra Derevenskova

Alexandra Derevenskova is our nice novice. She’s got many talents. At first we found out she was a good photographer, then we discovered her artist’s talent and at last, when she became a member of our group, we realized how good she is in the sphere of music. We consider her to be very promising that’s why her photo is here among the photos of other members of Zabava.

Anastasia Katusheva

Anastasia Katusheva came to our ensemble 4 years ago and nowadays she is the leader of Zabava’s youth group. She’s got brilliant natural musical abilities so no wonder that she is able to learn and perform difficult folklore material.

Anna Knyaseva

Anna Knyaseva just like Evgenia Karpova (her classmate) she became a member of our group when she was 7 years old. She is good at weaving, doesn’t miss a single folklore event, likes to participate in different conferences devoted to ethnography.

Daria Saveleva and Viktoria Vasileva

Daria Saveleva and Viktoria Vasileva are students of Saratov Medical University. They came to our group not so long ago, in the year of 2009, but nonetheless they’ve already become important members of so-called “youth group”. They’ve learned very fast, so they soon became almost as well prepared as other members of Zabava. Another interesting thing is that Dasha could have become a member of our ensemble many years ago, when she was 4 years old, but being a child she gave up, so now we hope that she and Vika are with us for a long time!

Elena Samsonova

Elena Samsonova – she came to “Zabava” in the year of 2001, being a student of Saratov State University (graduated in 2005). Then she got a degree in sociology and humanities at the University of Edinburgh. To say in one word, she is one of the best-educated people in our group. Also she is one of the most beautiful models of our group and the main proof for it is her photos in traditional clothing. She is especially interested in South Russian folklore and in communicating with foreigners. Got married in the summer of 2010. Her marriage was held according to traditional Russian Ceremony.

Evgenia Karpova

Evgenia Karpova actually took up folklore even before she was born, due to the fact that her mother, Galina Karpova, was a folklore-singer as well. When Evgenia was 7 years old she took up folklore consciously. Nowadays she is a student of Saratov Politechnical University and there is no wonder that despite her young age she is one of the musical leaders of “Zabava”.

Julia Novozhenina

Julia Novozhenina – graduated from the Department of philology of Saratov State University. She’s been a member of our group for more than 5 years. Being a very attractive and smart girl, she helps us in recruiting new fellows. She also actively promotes traditional culture among youngsters and we appreciate it very much. Got married in 2010.

Julia Sarana

Julia Sarana – has been a member of “Zabava” since the year of 1996. She took up folklore when she was 11 years old, participating in a school folk group. Julia has got brilliant music abilities. She graduated from Saratov State Economics University, then got married and now working as a manager, that’s why, unfortunately, she doesn’t visit us very often.

Larisa Zhizhina and Julia Sergienko

Larisa Zhizhina and Julia Sergienko (Nariadkina) are our charming tweens, some years ago they graduated from the Department of Mathematics & Mechanics of Saratov State University. When they were even younger than they are now they raised a sheep and made a shirt of its wool. It’s interesting that they both married members of “Zabava” – Roman Zhizhin and Stanislav Sergienko, then Larisa gave born to Alexander and Maria and Julia in turn gave born to Gregory and Egor. They are very successful in life, have already made a good career substituting each other when it was needed.

Maria Medvedeva

Maria Medvedeva – has been a member of our group since the year of 2001 and due to her excellent musical abilities she soon became one of the leaders of the ensemble. She graduated from Saratov State University in the year of 2005. She is especially good at South Russian folklore. Maria works as a top-manager in a Russian-American company, simultaneously working at her alma mater. Her fine manners and beautiful appearance attracted many fellows, but she got married some years ago and gave birth to her son Ivan (September 2010)

New participants of "Zabava"

Remarkable young men and two charming girls have come
to "Zabava" in september/october, 2010. This event became a new mark
in the history of our group: they dance, sing and they are also engaged in "slavic
struggle" and learn to play accordion-hromkа and balalaika.

But the most important advantages of our young growth
- sense of humour, intelligence and good education. The majority of new
participants - students or graduates of the Saratov state university. We will hope for
their long and productive stay in "Zabava"!

Photo (from left to right): Ivan Ivanov, Anna Zhiromskaya, Nikita Udovenya, Andrey Subochev, Andrey Odintsov, Oksana Belousova, Anton Galishnikov, Alexandr Haritonov, Nikolay Starichkov, Denis Maiorov, Sergey Neverov.

Anton Galishnikov Sergey Neverov

Andrey Odintsov Nikita Udovenya Ivan Ivanov Nikolay Starichkov

Andrey Subochev Anna Zhiromskaya Denis and Oksana

Roman Vinokurov

Roman Vinokurov – is a descendant of Terek and Cuban Cossacks and he’s also got brilliant nature-born musical skills. He’s been a fan of “Zabava” since 1997, when he saw the performance of our group. Soon after that he became a member of the ensemble. He graduated from Saratov University of Economics and nowadays he’s a successful businessman that allows him helping his favorite ensemble. Roman is always quiet, well-wishing and friendly, that’s why everybody loves him, especially girls.

Roman Zhizhin

Roman Zhizhin (a successful businessman, hunter, fisherman-sportsman) - has been a member of “Zabava” since the year of 1997. At first he wished to take up fisticuffs only, but then he realized that traditional culture is interesting as well! He is also very well-read and well-educated person that’s why we consider him to be “our own Wikipedia” and always turn to Roman for help.

Sergey Pushkin

Sergey
Pushkin – is an ethnic Cossack. He was born and grew up in Volgograd region. Sergey came to “Zabava” in
2007, as he became a student of the department of Folklore Choirmasters of
Saratov State Conservatory. That was a year of the 20^th anniversary
of “Zabava”, so since the first day in the ensemble he was involved in many
concerts devoted to this event. It also means that Sergey became an
irreplaceable member of “Zabava” very soon after his first appearance. It’s
important to mention that he is not a typical student of his department, he
really loves folklore and Cossack culture in particular. Another good thing
about him is that he is a brilliant accordion player. Unfortunately, Sergey has left our collective and has returned on the native land. Now he lives and works in the Volgograd area.

Stanislav Sergienko

Stanislav Sergienko – has been a member of our group since the year of 1996. He came to “Zabava” because he was initially interested in traditional Russian “kulachka” fighting, but then got interested in other types of ethnography as well. Since that time we have enjoyed communicating with this witty, smart and fascinating person.

Vera Golova

Vera Golova became a member of Zabava together with her friends in the fall of 2005. She graduated from the Department of Journalism of Saratov State University. She is very shy and well-brought up girl. Being a brilliant singer Vera is also good at teaching; she helps elders working at a musical school.

Viktor Lysikov

Viktor Lysikov has been a member of “Zabava” since the fall of 2007. As well as many other members of our group, he’s got great musical abilities and learns new songs easily. Last year he served in the Russian Army, but he got back and now he is with us.

Vsevolod Lapin

Vsevolod Lapin – is one of the most experienced members of “Zabava”, now studying in Moscow College of International Civilizations, therefore we don’t see him very often. He is a true gentleman, that’s why he’s never had problems with girls, he also likes to participate in different festivals and folklore parties.

Yelena Raygorodskaya

One of the most charming women of the ensemble, Yelena Raygorodskaya used to be a big fan of «Zabava», and did not come to the rehearsals. But after the festive gathering in the City Park, she finally joined «Zabava» (2001).

Yelena graduated from Saratov State University in the English Philology Department. She worked as a teacher, interpreter, and translator. She also participated in different international projects. Studying and working abroad, Yelena contributed much to popularizing Russian traditional culture. Thanks to her friendly disposition, she established close relations and links with participants of folklore groups from all over the world.

Yelena is deeply fond of the arts, especially theatre; one of her hobbies is acting in amateur performances. As for traditional folk theatre, Yelena has played the leading part in the performance «Kostroma», her moment of triumph.

Yelena is inimitable in the traditional dance, especially in Siberian Quadrille and Terskie solo dances.