"This is a very good upbringing for children!" Choreographer Elena Afanasyeva - about the gala concert of the Sky Grace tournament for partners

Alina festival choreographer Elena Afanasyeva spoke about the idea of the performances of the St. Petersburg gymnasts for the gala concert dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

"I wanted to make a massive, lyrical, beautiful performance for a girl, for a soloist, to Simonov's poems. It's about how people waited for each other after the war — both husbands and wives". 

She noted that it is important to organize these events for the younger generation.

"Now our children should be grateful to those people who gave their lives for their future, for their childhood. This is a very good upbringing for children. No one should ever forget our history, because it was and will always be with us. Despite the fact that years have gone by, times it should remain in the heart of every person. Especially small children, who will also have families, have children, and each generation should pass on the most important thing that our grandfathers went through". 

She also shared what, in her opinion, makes the Alina festival unique.

"It is the most wonderful thing that can happen in rhythmic gymnastics, these spectacular, magnificent events where many children get together, where there is a lot of creativity, where there are no boundaries.This is complete freedom, this is complete brilliance, this is complete beauty". 

Alina festival choreographer Elena Afanasyeva worked with gymnasts from St. Petersburg to stage two performances for the gala concert of International Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Clubs Association partners tournament, which took place on December 1. Gymnasts from various Russian regions presented performances dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the best of which will be selected to take part in the Alina-2025 festival.