The international LOTUS FEST festival was held in Astrakhan for the first time. Almost one and a half thousand dancers from forty cities of Russia and five cities of Kazakhstan became its participants: Atyrau, Aktobe, Aktau, Alma-Ata and Uralsk.
The event was initiated by the founder of the YAFUNK dance house, Georgy Zakharyan, who received the support of the Governor of the Astrakhan region, Igor Babushkin. The event was organized jointly by YAFUNK and the regional youth Agency with the support of the regional Government.
For three days, the festival participants competed in various dance styles. On the first day, dancers from Kazakhstan passed the qualifying stage in various nominations. On the second day, the best of them became participants in a large-scale battle among adult dancers with a prize fund of one million rubles. The final of the festival took place last Sunday at the main arena of the Astrakhan sports and entertainment complex "Zvezdny", where selected teams and soloists competed for the championship belt and another million rubles.
Following the results of the festival, representatives of Kazakhstan Meiram Berekishev (Atyrau), Alexander Kartsov (Alma-Ata) and Aslan Zhangareev (Uralsk) entered the TOP 16 best dancers. Upon returning to their homeland, they shared their impressions of the event, which they happened to participate in in Astrakhan.
Alexander Kartsov from Alma-Ata said that he and his colleagues from other Kazakh cities gladly accepted the invitation to participate in the LOTUS FEST festival.
"All our expectations were fully met: Astrakhan was warmly and hospitably welcomed," he shared his impressions of the competition. "A calm, friendly atmosphere prevailed at all the venues of the festival, the scale and impeccable organization of all stages of the event were amazing."
Dancer Meiram Berekishev from Atyrau noted that he, a participant in many competitions, has something to compare what happened on the first weekend of April in Astrakhan.
"Everything down to the smallest detail was organized at the highest level," he said. – We felt like stars, we were not deprived of the attention of the Astrakhan public. And the judging was at a decent level."
Artist Aslan Zhangareev from Uralsk emphasized the importance of the Astrakhan LOTUS FEST festival.
"I am grateful to the organizers for the opportunity to take part in such a prestigious competition," he said. "It was very convenient and comfortable for all of us."
Serik Kenzhebekov from Atyrau, who is fond of break dancing, specially came with his family to Astrakhan to attend a dance festival.
"Astrakhan is a wonderful city, hospitable people live here," he shared his impressions of the trip. – The festival days flew by like a flash. I wish LOTUS FEST to become an annual event!"
Photo: Department of the press service and information of the Administration of the Governor of the Astrakhan region and Alexander Kartsov.