Monika Jorde
News Reporter
The Russian Cultural Society held its first major event, a celebration of Russian culture, in the University Center Wednesday night.
Even though the vodka, an essential part of any Russian festivity, was missing, the participants in the first annual Russian Festival enjoyed a program of native folk dances, music and traditional Russian food.
Over the past few years, attempts to launch a Russian interest group on campus failed, said Jennifer LeBlanc, a senior RTV major and one of the society's board members.
"There hasn't been really anything going on for people interested in Russian culture," she said.
"We felt that there was a need (at the university) to promote Russian culture and to give students the possibility to practice their skills in the Russian language."
The organization, which meets every Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in the University Center Underground Caspian Room, offers a variety of activities to members, including visits to Russian concerts and movies, the opportunity to practice Russian folk dances and, of course, the chance to engage in Russian conversation.
Anatoly Shaykevich, a Russian professor at UH who took a major role in forming the society, said the main reason for establishing such a group was to enhance Russian culture and bring those interested in it closer together.
"For many years, the American image of the Russians has not been the best, partly as a consequence of the Civil War," he said.
"However, there has been an increasing interest in the Russian culture over the last years," he added.
As a result of that increased interest, Shaykevich said the Russian language program at the University of Houston now has more than 100 students enrolled in a program of language courses for every level as well as a number of special-interest courses dealing with Russian literature and Russian works in translation.
"We also receive great support from the Russian speakers' community in Houston," Shaykevich said. "There are over 35,000 Russian native speakers in Houston."
Olga Mechtchanskaia, a Russian senior mathematics student, took the opportunity to fill out an application for membership in the society at Wednesday's festival.
"It is important to narrow the gap between Russians and Americans," she said. "Introducing the Russian culture to others, as well as participating together in cultural activities, is an important part of it."
The festival gave guests the chance to try a variety of delicacies like kvass, a Russian bread soup, and blintzes, thin rolled pastries with meat fillings.
The entertainment portion of the festival was organized by the American Russian Cultural Exchange Society, a group from outside the university.
Highlights included dances by the folk dance ensemble Uzori, including a Ukranian polka and the "scarf dance."