RUSSIAN CULTURE NOW HONORS RUSSIAN CHOREOGRAPHER BORIS EIFMAN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 28, 2011
CONTACT: Leonard Mogul, Market Development Director
via email: kontinentmedia@gmail.com

Chicago, IL, April 28, 2011 – Russian Culture Now, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Russian arts in the United States, hosted an exclusive VIP reception for choreographer Boris Eifman on Saturday, April 23 at 5:30 p.m.

More than 150 esteemed guests attended the sparkling pre-performance reception at the Russian Pointe Dance Boutique, which included cocktails, hors d’oeuvers, and a silent auction that benefited Russian Culture Now’s Scholarship Awards program.

Mr. Eifman ― head of the Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg who is known for his highly stylized, modern interpretations of classic tales ― spoke to the crowd about the privilege of bringing his company back to Chicago to perform.

Mr. Eifman personally presented $500 scholarships and plaques to five of the student winners of the 2011 Russian Culture Now Scholarship Awards, and all of the students were special guests at his company’s performance of Don Quixote or the Fantasies of a Madman at the Auditorium Theatre.
Kimberlee Kafana, whose daughter, Kalista, was one of the ten students selected for the Russian Culture Now Awards, said her daughter was truly honored to be chosen for the award and the whole family was awe-struck by the event.

“We are so appreciative to the organization... It means more than we can say,” said Mrs. Kafana, whose daughter plans to use a portion of her money to start a fund for ballet dancers who can’t afford pointe shoes. “The arts truly do bring people together.”

Students and their families traveled from as far away as Indiana, Ohio and Mississippi to attend the event, and other guests came from as far away as Dubai.

“It was just an awesome evening for me,” said Bob Pape, a funeral director who traveled from Danville, Ill., to attend the reception. “I have fallen in love with Russian culture.”

Elena Mossina, of the law firm Baker & McKenzie, which sponsored the event, said she was impressed by both the pre-performance reception and the performance itself. “The Don Quixote ballet by Boris Eifman exceeded my already very high expectations. It was an unconventional, vibrant and esthetically pleasing performance. The pre-performance reception for the world-renowned choreographer was a seamless mix of Russian cultural heritage and Chicago’s multiculturalism.”

The reception was attended by several honored guests including Patricia Maza-Pittsford, Consul General of El Salvador and the Dean of the Consulate Corps; Brett Batterson, Executive Director of the Auditorium Theatre; Steve Robinson and and George Hisaeda, the Consul General of Japan.
Media sponsors included WFMT radio, Kontinent Media Group, Russian Life and newspaper Reklama.
Founded in 2010, Russian Culture Now aims to enrich people’s lives by increasing awareness of and appreciation for Russia’s current contributions to the fine arts and by fostering an international interchange of ideas through the arts and education.

For more information on Russian Culture Now or the event, please contact Debbie Chanel at 312-332-7200 ext. 206 or media@russianculturenow.com.

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Mr. Igor Tsesarski, publisher of Kontinent Media Group, remarked “that events of this calibar enrich our community and make a serious investment in strengheting economical and social networking relations.” He further added that “Kontinent Media having a vast experience in supporting and promoting similar events, welcomes partnership opportunities from none profit and profit organizations for community advancement and support of the arts.”

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