BKLYN Center Presents RED STAR/RED ARMY CHORUS AND DANCE ENSEMBLE

Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College continues its 2011-2012 World Stages series with the Red Star / Red Army Chorus and Dance Ensemble on Saturday, March 31, 2012 at 8pm. Returning to Brooklyn for the first time since 1998, this spectacular company of 70 singers, dancers and musicians has thrilled audiences worldwide for decades with its dazzlingly athletic folk dances and traditional Russian anthems, showcasing the culture and pride of its homeland.

About Red Star / Red Army Chorus and Dance Ensemble
Red Star / Red Army Chorus and Dance Ensemble was founded in January 1977 in Moscow as part of the Strategic Rocket Forces of USSR. Initially, the ensemble was formed for purposes of leisure, performing exclusively for the troops, cultivating homeland pride, and raising the cultural status of soldiers.

Beginning in 1989, the ensemble expanded its artistic horizons to include participation in arts festivals throughout Russia, followed by performances in some of the most prestigious concert halls in Moscow, and eventually international tours to Europe, North America, and the Far East. They have performed at Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center, as well as in concert halls in Philadelphia, Chicago, Dallas, Seattle, St. Louis, Brooklyn, and more than three dozen other U.S. cities. This is the ensemble's fifth trip to the United States, commemorating the 20th Anniversary of their first tour in 1992.

The ensemble's current tour will feature musical selections from their repertoire of more than 200 compositions for chorus, vocal soloists and orchestra, including patriotic anthems, traditional folk tunes, and classical compositions by Russian and international composers. Featured dances will include the Cossacks' Dance, the Ukrainian Hopak Dance, and other traditional folkloric and military pieces.

About Colonel Nikolai N. Rabovsky (Artistic Director & Conductor)
Colonel Rabovsky was born in 1947 in Baku, Azerbadjian. His father was an active officer of the Soviet Army at the time. At the age of eight, he was accepted into the Choral School in Moscow, Russia. Upon graduation, he went on to study conducting at the prestigious Gnesin Conservatory, studying under Gennadi Chernov and Vladimir Sukhanov. Rabovsky entered the Soviet Army in 1971, where he served as a choral conductor of a Local Army Division Ensemble of Song & Dance. Upon leaving the military in 1981, he was invited to be an assistant conductor of the Red Star / Red Army Chorus & Dance Ensemble. When the leader of the Ensemble retired in 2009, Rabovsky was awarded the position of Chief Conductor and promoted to the rank of Colonel.

Brooklyn Center's presentation of the Red Star / Red Army Chorus and Dance Ensemble is made possible, in part, through the generous support of the Macy's Foundation; the Mertz Gilmore Foundation; and The Harkness Foundation for Dance.

About Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts
Founded in 1954, the mission of Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts is to present outstanding performing arts and arts education programs, reflective of Brooklyn's diverse communities, at affordable prices. Brooklyn Center's presentations explore both the classical traditions and the boldest contemporary performances, embracing the world culture that defines Brooklyn. Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts welcomes over 70,000 people to the 2,400-seat Walt Whitman Theatre each season, and boasts one of the largest arts education programs in the borough, serving 46,000 schoolchildren from over 300 schools annually with its SchoolTime series. In recognition of its commitment to quality family programming, Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts has been voted Brooklyn's Best Theater or Theater Group for Kids as part of Nickelodeon's 2009 Parents Connect Parents' Picks Awards. This award follows Brooklyn Center's selection as Brooklyn's Best Place for Family Bonding in 2008.

Red Star / Red Army Chorus and Dance Ensemble
Saturday, March 31, 2012 at 8pm
Tickets: $40/$30

Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts
Walt Whitman Theatre at Brooklyn College
2/5 trains to Brooklyn College/Flatbush Avenue
On-site paid parking available

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Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts' programs are supported, in part, by public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Additional support for the 2011-2012 season is provided by: Brooklyn College; Con Edison; Macy's Foundation; Mertz Gilmore Foundation; National Grid; TD Charitable Foundation; the Herman Goldman Foundation; Kings Plaza Shopping Center; and The Harkness Foundation for Dance. Additional support provided by CNG Publications and The Brooklyn Eagle. The Sheraton Brooklyn New York Hotel is the official hotel of Brooklyn Center's 2011-2012 season. Backstage catering is graciously provided by Applebee's.

Brooklyn Center gratefully acknowledges generous support from New York City Councilman Albert Vann and the Department of Youth & Community Development; New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn; and Commissioner of Cultural Affairs Kate Levin.