American Seasons Introduce American Traditional Music to the Russian Audiences

2012/03/07

Christine Balfa and Jeffery Broussard (photo by the US Department of State)

The concerts of the Traditional American Music Festival, which took place in Nizhniy Tagil and Yekaterinburg on March 5 and 6, 2012 destroyed the opinion that public don’t dance at theaters .  Christine Balfa and Balfa Toujours fired up the audiences with two-step melodies, while Jeffrey Broussard and Ses Amis touched hearts with their magnificent blues.  The Festival organized by the CEC ArtsLink and the U.S. Embassy in Moscow is part of the American Seasons in Russia program and supported by the Bilateral Presidential Commission.  Thanks to the project, the Urals citizens were exposed to the sounds of authentic zydeco folk music, and learned about Louisiana’s Cajun heritage.  The throngs of enthusiastic people dancing in the aisles and on stage proved that Russians and Americans share an appreciation for traditional culture.  The Festival will continue on April 24 when the leading Native American flute player Carlos Nakai and his trio will come to Yekaterinburg.