October 31st is All-Russian Gymnastics Day.This celebration brings together everyone who loves our sport, those who demonstrate their dedication to it every single day, whether in training sessions or competitions, in the stands or while watching from home.We extend our congratulations to the gymnasts, coaches, choreographers, judges, fans, and everyone who has a passion for gymnastics. May every training session be a step toward your dreams, and every performance a success story! We wish you good health, inspiration, and the joy of victory!

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Academy Life

This celebration brings together everyone who loves our sport, those who demonstrate their dedication to it every single day, whether in training sessions or competitions, in the stands or while watching from home.

Happy All-Russian Gymnastics Day!

Alexander Mogilev, the choreographer and stage director of the Alina festival, spoke about the main theme of the production:<blockquote>"Deep down, I think it’s about love. Because you can immediately feel that everything here is completely infused with love. Everyone here has truly become an artist here. Everyone is filled with love for creativity and for one another. They are understanding about the rehearsals being long and maybe sometimes challenging. There are nuances to handle in every aspect, but somehow, everything happens with love. To me, this is one of the most exciting challenges of my life — to combine things that seemingly can't be combined. It’s about bringing together incredible human capabilities with a touch of art and creativity to weave them into a story, while still remaining human and clear. As a person rooted in theater, I always want to focus exactly on inner state, on the performer's stage presence."</blockquote>He shared how it unfolded on stage at The Grand Theatre in Mumbai:<blockquote>"Speaking of a new language, a new language to communicate with the audience — that the story will be delivered and a kind of a ‘Russian code’ will be brought absolutely without any words, using a completely different language, the language of ballet, the language of movement, and the language of dance —&nbsp;that is for sure. At some point, you just need to let yourself go, listen closely to the music, watch the performers, and realize that they are speaking to you."</blockquote>

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The Alina Festival

He told how it unfolded on stage at The Grand Theatre in Mumbai.

Alexander Mogilev, the choreographer and stage director of the Alina Festival, spoke about the main theme of the production

Diana Sobyanina from St. Petersburg and Alisa Shunina from Volgograd won gold medals at the Step to the Dream international tournament in Yerevan.Diana became the best in the clubs routine. Her coaches are Alina and Irina Gusarova, and her choreographer is Ekaterina Belova. Meanwhile, Alisa won her medal for the hoop routine. Her coaches are Elizaveta Chernova and Elizaveta Zorkina, and her choreographer is Elena Egorova.The gymnasts live and train at the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

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Competitions

Diana became the best in the clubs routine. Meanwhile, Alisa won her medal for the hoop routine.

Diana Sobyanina and Alisa Shunina won gold medals at the international Step to the Dream tournament

Lala Kramarenko played the lead role at the 2026 Alina festival. The world and European champion spoke about the image of the Firebird:<blockquote>"She is commanding. She is the Firebird, a bird of freedom. And since Ivan captures her but eventually sets her free, it offers a wonderful opportunity to express everything through dance. It truly is art. In these shows, rhythmic gymnastics manifests as an art form, much like ballet. It’s not just a sequence of technical elements; it’s movement, dance, fluidity, emotion and, above all, the embodiment of a character. In essence, it’s one grand theatrical performance. I have the privilege of performing alongside both Ildar Gaynutdinov and Daniil Potaptsev."</blockquote>She shared her impressions of participating in the show:<blockquote>"I’m going out with positive emotions, and it’s a huge honor for me to perform here. I want to say a big thank you to Alina Maratovna for bringing everyone together in India. Performing to the magnificent music of Igor Stravinsky’s The Firebird is an honor. The venue is wonderful, we have a luxurious hall. It seems to me that it rarely happens that you can perform on a carpet on stage, because usually it is a floor without a platform, and for us this is always an inconvenience. And here everything is for us, everything for rhythmic gymnastics. And this is truly an opportunity to perform and show everything we can do. My expectations, first and foremost, is to connect with the audience, because we dance for them. And I believe that all the emotions and nerves I’m feeling before the performance will fade away once we step onto the stage."</blockquote>Lala also noted that performing in duets with Daniil Potaptsev and Ildar Gaynutdinov is a new experience:<blockquote>"This is new to me too. And new support is always something interesting. Danya is generally a professional in his field, and it is also a great pleasure for me to perform with him and also with Eldar Gainutdinov, because their plasticity in general is something unimaginable, indescribable. Everyone wants to watch and learn something."</blockquote>The athlete also revealed the details of the complex trick she had to perform during the show:<blockquote>"There are some difficulties, because I’m not just performing as a gymnast here, I also have an aerial sequence. We spent a long time rehearsing it, when I’m hoisted up, I have to make sure I’m completely out of sight. I have to throw my legs over a beam—I’m hanging from a strap, and my legs end up positioned behind the beam. Then, I have to come back down and continue with the dance."</blockquote>

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Lala played the lead role in the production.

"Rhythmic gymnastics manifests as an art in the show." Lala Kramarenko talks about the Alina festival in Mumbai

Alisa Medvedeva talks about preparing for the Alina festival, working on her role and studying the libretto:<blockquote>"We play the roles of captive maidens, a truly fascinating part. We have several appearances, each with a different look, requiring a distinct expression and approach every time. To help us get into these characters, we were provided with a libretto that describes our characters in great detail and clarity. Naturally, we’ve read it, and with every rehearsal, we’re gaining a deeper understanding of our roles. We’re also being assisted by the dancers from Alla Dukhova’s TODES dance theater. They perform lifts with us, acting as our "Princes" and when you’re up in those lifts, you truly feel like a maiden. They share a lot of insights with us, and we’re learning a great deal from them; in that sense, they’re a huge help, too."</blockquote>She shared the details of the costume selection process:<blockquote>"The sleeves are very large, look at these beautiful, voluminous "lantern" sleeves! There are so many intricate patterns, all sorts of sequins, and more. The entire leotard is covered in rhinestones, it’s incredibly beautiful. Naturally, we feel very proud to perform in costumes like these. We are very happy that we get to perform at such a festival, and in such beautiful dresses."</blockquote>The gymnast noted that this was her first time participating in the festival and shared her emotions:<blockquote>"After one of my competitions, my coach called me over and told me that I had been invited to the Alina festival, and that it would be taking place in India. I was honestly in shock; for one thing, I’d never been to India, and for another, I’d never attended this festival before. I realized right away that it would be a grand-scale event, and that a great deal of responsibility would be involved. That’s why I’m so happy to be here. This is my first time participating in the festival. The scale is simply incredible. Honestly, considering all the rehearsals, all the preparation, all the time spent reading the libretto and delving into the role. We’ve often talked about past festivals, and so much effort has been poured into this one that it’s naturally quite sad, truly sad, to realize that you’ll never again step out onto that stage to perform the work you’ve spent so much time preparing."</blockquote>Alisa highlighted what she particularly remembered from the preparation for the show:<blockquote>"Alexander Mogilev, our choreographer, explained that while in gymnastics the focus is primarily on the element itself and the handling of the apparatus, in a festival setting, or in any show or dance performance, the approach to that element is just as crucial. It’s the dance itself that matters, not just the element. Everything that happens before and after the element,&nbsp;how you present yourself and set the stage, might actually be more significant than the element itself. That really resonated with me, and it’s something we’re currently working on. I also plan to incorporate this into my own routine; I hope it will be a big help."</blockquote>The athlete thanked Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva and acknowledged the team that worked on the production:<blockquote>"I want to thank Alina Maratovna for this opportunity and for the festival. The scale here is incredible, and I am overjoyed to be a part of it. We have an amazing team, incredible teachers, coaches, directors, and choreographers. I am so happy to be here, and I’m trying to learn something from everyone I meet, things I can incorporate into my own routines and carry forward into my life."</blockquote>

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Alisa Medvedeva talks about preparing for the Alina festival, working on her role, studying the libretto, selecting costumes, and much more.

"I try to take something from everyone I meet, to incorporate into my own routines and my life moving forward." Alisa Medvedeva talks about preparing for the 2026 Alina festival

In the new stage interpretation of the The Firebird ballet, the dancer Ildar Gaynutdinov plays the role of Koschei.He shared his impressions of the production process and The Grand Theatre:<blockquote>"I play Koshchei. It’s my usual thing again. I’m not straying too far from my usual typecast of villain characters. Honestly, I don’t mind because they are vibrant, memorable, and very spectacular roles. But every time, you have to try and bring something new to it, to look for some new shades and nuances for your characters."</blockquote>Ildar said that what helps him get into character and prepare for a performance is:<blockquote>"The makeup and costumes really help me get into character. I actually prefer doing my own makeup. For me, it's part to get into the right mindset. But the makeup artists here are wonderful and can do everything perfectly themselves. And I really like my costume; it’s very comfortable. We’ve been rehearsing all of this for a very long time, for many months. So right now, I just want to go out there and deliver what we’ve been preparing for so long."</blockquote>

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In the new stage interpretation of the ballet The Firebird, Ildar Gaynutdinov plays the role of Koschei.

Dancer Ildar Gaynutdinov shares his impressions of the process of staging the 2026 Alina festival

People’s Artist of Russia Valery Gergiev is the conductor of the orchestra for the new stage interpretation of The Firebird ballet. The General Director and Artistic Director of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia has arrived in India to take part in creating the musical accompaniment for this large-scale production.He explained what the main goal is for the show’s participants and what significance it has for India:<blockquote>"Right now, the most important thing is for the capabilities of these wonderful artists on stage — who are both performers and athletes, these young and emerging talents — to align with Igor Stravinsky’s brilliant idea of composing The Firebird over a century ago. Back then, The Firebird made a truly triumphant entry into world theatrical history. I believe this is another step forward for India. In a way, it is highly innovative, because every country has its own perception of what theater is. So, I hope we will become more familiar with the Indian style of theatrical performance, a kind of theatrical magic. As for us today, drawing inspiration from the work of the great Russian musician Igor Stravinsky, we need also to do our best to bring joy to the audience."</blockquote>Valery Abisalovich noted that, thanks to some amazing coincidences, he managed to take part in the festival:<blockquote>"We are currently running a massive project in China. Sometimes, amazing coincidences happen in life. The only day I don't have any performances in China is today. That is why I am here with you in India. But tonight, I will already be in China."</blockquote>

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The General Director and Artistic Director of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia has arrived in India to take part in creating the musical accompaniment for this large-scale production.

People’s Artist of Russia Valery Gergiev speaks about his participation in the Alina festival in Mumbai

We continue to introduce the characters of the production and the performers who bring them to life.<h4>The Maidens are captives of an Enchanted Garden. At the festival, they were portrayed by Arina Kovshova, Yana Zaikina, Alisa Medvedeva, Anastasia Vlasenko, Alexandra Borisova, Vladislava Nikolaenko, Ulyana Janus, Vladislava Sharonova, Milena Shchenyatskaya, Viktoria Bespalova, Arina Tkachuk, Angelina Ipatova, Varvara Toporova, and Nicole Rimarachin Dias:</h4><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/a32/e02/a32e02455aac1448b8620cea718209b1.jpg"><figcaption>The Maidens Freedom‑loving, kind, and cheerful captives of the enchanted garden. They dance in circles, play with golden apples, and support the Princess. Even in captivity, they retain hope for freedom and do not lose touch with their former life.</figcaption></figure><h4>The Enchanted Garden serves as the silent narrator of our production. The roles are performed by gymnasts from the Russian National team and athletes from India:</h4><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/0a8/9fd/0a89fd729278bc0fdf17db42797a56e9.jpg"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/361/1a8/3611a83f8adbc095ff1a99eae240dbcd.jpg"><figcaption>The Enchanted Garden A living participant in the story and a silent narrator, created by the movement of the gymnasts and the multimedia space. Its branches, leaves, and fruits come to life, and the light, color, and movement change along with the development of the action. But during an eclipse, its beautiful appearance disappears: the garden turns into a Castle — Koschei’s lair. After the villain’s death, the garden also disappears.</figcaption></figure><h4>Koshchei’s Guard is a terrifying force subordinate to the villain, performed by artists of Alla Dukhova’s TODES dance theater and the Flying People aerial theater. The dancers also perform the roles of enchanted princes:</h4><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/2c4/2dc/2c42dcfdebc8206483d1fb018389a748.jpg"><figcaption>Koshchei’s Guard A submissive force, completely subordinate to Koschei, that guards the captives, prevents them from escaping, and stops Ivan and the Princess from meeting. Under the influence of the Firebird, it loses control over its body, and after Koschei’s death, it disappears along with him.</figcaption></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/419/f37/419f37a5b1706c806de166e17df4571f.jpg"><figcaption>Enchanted Princes The captives of Koschei. They found themselves in a space where time seemed to have stopped, and they are trying to break free from it. After his death, the spell is broken, and the princes return to life.</figcaption></figure><h4>Sofia Ilteryakova, Alesya Naifonova, Ksenia Savinova, Veronika Malinina, and Evelina Tandalova are the birds of dawn in our interpretation of The Firebird ballet. They symbolize hope:</h4><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/91b/fb4/91bfb4fe1aec4294b5db2baca2a5e1c2.jpg"><figcaption>The Birds of Dawn Mysterious and sensitive. They appear at the boundary between day and night and foreshadow changes. At the beginning, their dance heralds the sunset and the eclipse, and at the end — the arrival of a new morning. They symbolize the return of light, hope, and the beginning of a new life.</figcaption></figure>

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We continue to introduce the characters of the production and the performers who bring them to life.

The characters of the production at the 2026 Alina festival

<div data-component="video" data-props="{&quot;materialId&quot;:10405,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;россия сюжет.индия&quot;,&quot;externalCdnLink&quot;:null,&quot;video&quot;:{&quot;subDir&quot;:&quot;81d/a5b&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;81da5b71cf07e4811d7b89.mp4&quot;}}"></div>The emotions of the participants and spectators of the Alina 2026 Festival — featured in a report by the Vesti news program on the Rossiya 1 TV channel.

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The emotions of the participants and spectators at the 2026 Alina festival.

The Vesti Nedeli program on the Rossiya 1 TV channel about the 2026 Alina festival

<div data-component="video" data-props="{&quot;materialId&quot;:10401,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;первый сюжет индия&quot;,&quot;externalCdnLink&quot;:null,&quot;video&quot;:{&quot;subDir&quot;:&quot;145/b43&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;145b43f0db0c96fb1f2717.mp4&quot;}}"></div>Find out more about the 2026 Alina Festival in this Channel One news segment.

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Channel One's news segment about the Alina Festival

<div data-component="video" data-props="{&quot;materialId&quot;:10382,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;рен индия&quot;,&quot;externalCdnLink&quot;:null,&quot;video&quot;:{&quot;subDir&quot;:&quot;446/e16&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;446e161da30fa89fa8a8e3.mp4&quot;}}"></div>The REN TV channel story features how the Alina Festival was held in India.