HSE Students Win Russia’s National Formation Dance Competition

Perm hosted the Russian Championship for formation dance, a special type of team competition in which several pairs of dancers synchronously perform a number that typically consists of a series of Latin American dances. The Duet Ensemble, which is made up of three female students from HSE Perm, was the winner.

This was the second time Perm has hosted the Russian formation championship. This year's competition saw the participation of the strongest teams from 30 Russian cities. The Duet Ensemble’s members are Anastasia Kulbeda, a second-year management student, Veronika Lisser, a third-year economics student, and Marina Malinina, a fourth-year economics student. Their trainers are Svetlana Kulbeda and Natalia Ivanova.

‘I think that dancing doesn't get in the way of your studies, but actually helps. Of course it’s sometimes hard when you have to stay up all night or when, for example, a championship falls during exam time. But the majority of our instructors understand our situation, and they meet us halfway and let us make up work,’ Veronika Lisser comments. ‘It’s sometimes really hard to combine school, training, and competitions. But we manage. The main thing is to allocate your time properly. Winning the Russian championship was a new step in our athletic career, and it gives us the opportunity to defend the honour of our country at the world championship,’ Marina Milinina adds.

The 'Duet' Ensemble will represent Russia at the World Formation Championship, which will take place in Austria on December 12.

April 13, 2015