"A wampeter is the pivot of a karass. No karass is without a
wampeter, Bokonon tells us, just as no wheel is without a hub.
Anything can be a wampeter: a tree, a rock, an animal, idea, a book, a melody,
the Holy Grail. Whatever it is, the members of its karass revolve about it in
the majestic chaos of a spiral nebula."
After departure of Natalia Fixel the main load of Studio scenic affairs was
taken by one group of students and graduates. In May 1998 this group named
themselves by strange word WAMPETER.
Main members of group were:
Alexandr Andriyashkin,
Natalia Bakaeva,
Ekaterina Basalaeva,
Alexandr Ischenko,
Dmitry Kim,
Tat'iana Stupina,
Irina Telkova.
The pals were permanent participants of Summer Workshops and readily
learned and tried any new technique -
jazz, release, capoero, contact improvisation.
The last especially influenced style of the group.
WAMPETERers never bound themselves by only scenic works.
They always participated in joint improvisations with groups of
jazz and contemporary misic, presentation shows, street and club performances.
After complection of University and start of professional career,
especially in foreign countries, many group members no more could
devote enough time to rehearsals and performances.
And WAMPETER could share the fate of many and many extinct students collectives
if Katya Basalaeva and Sasha Andriyashkin didn't decide what
it is dance what will be their main profession.
They two become a permanent core of now WAMPETER Dance Theatre and
others joined freely for various actions and performances with measure of
desire and capability. Besides old friends some young Studio students
also took parts: Ilia Belenkov, Julia Kabanihina, Maria Pyatkova.
In 2003 Ilia Belenkov become a permanent artist of WAMPETER too and
with that personnel (Katya, Sasha and Ilia) the Theatre was most remembered by
audience.
After loss of Studio ballet classroom the Theatre had to search for new
rehearsal place. Now they were bound to University by nothing except
good memory. Their first home become small (28 seats) scene in
old "Culture House in name of October Revolution" building. There WAMPETER staged
and for two years successfully demonstrated amazing play "Close".
Their second home become assembly hall of School 33 where
they organized
"Pro-dance" Dance Studio.
Beside teaching, festivals, scenic plays and performances the 2004 year was
memorable by staging of new play "Want Love" and the action "In Animal's World"
- Katya, Sasha and Ilia were locked for one week in ouldoor cage of Novosibirsk ZOO.
All what time they had to communicate between selves and with audience without speech.
The creative and personal plans of dancers gradually dispersed by time and
at summer 2006 they declare closing of WAMPETER Dance Theatre.
Their last work - play "Ofelia 4x4", created in collaboration of russian ans swedish
choreographers, will continue to exist as independent project.
Plays of WAMPETER Dance Theatre
WAMPETER Dance Theatre went road from amateur student group to professional dance collective. If their early works were interesting mainly by unusual technique and plastic of dancers then last ones - "Wake up being happy", "Close", "Want love" - were filled by real dramatic tension. WAMPETER is over, but all WAMPETERers continue a road, sometimes joining with pleasure for improvisation jams and surprising actions.
Look for other photos and perfomance pictures in Shots gallery!