On July 28 and 29, as part of the Russia-Africa Summit the III Summer Festival of the Innopraktika School Global Values was be held on the main stage of the Alexandrinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg and it truly became one of the most outstanding events in the life of the city.
Following the tradition, the key aspect of the festival was the cultural exchange between students from Russia and other countries, taking place in the form of joint creative work on choreographic projects. An exciting program of original productions by the best choreographers from Russia and abroad, the world premiere of Boris Eifman's ballet “My Jerusalem”, as well as special guests awaited the audience.
During the first section of the festival concert, the audience enjoyed new works by domestic and international choreographers created during the Choreography Session of Innopraktika School. The language of dance was used to convey the significance of a crucial moment in every person's life - choosing between true values that unite us all and serve as a point of reference amidst the rapidly changing flow of life and false values that are imposed by the consumerist culture, which only seek quick pleasures. The performances were created by such brilliant choreographers as Peng Ge (China), Bojan Micev (North Macedonia), Xiang Xu (USA/China), Balazs Baranyai (Hungary), Victoria Archaya (Russia), Olga Pona (Russia), Konstantin Keykhel (Russia), Daria Vergizova (Russia) and Sofya Gaydukova (Russia).
A real treat for lovers of choreographic art was the second part of the concert, featuring the world premiere of Boris Eifman's one-act ballet “My Jerusalem”. Soloists of the St. Petersburg Eifman Ballet and Boris Eifman Dance Academy students performed on stage. A visit to the Eternal City inspired the idea for this production. Specific events or circumstances were not a fundamental focus of the play. Eifman used plasticity and choreographic skills to show the audience the spiritual image of Jerusalem and reflect on eternal philosophical themes. Through suffering and mistakes, the ballet's characters understood the great universal Love reflected in the world's major religions. The core concept of the play is to convey that universal values, relatable to people worldwide, can aid in overcoming any challenges or disagreements. The “My Jerusalem” ballet is set to works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Philip Glass, as well as Christian, Muslim, Jewish religious and ethnic music and techno compositions. As the performance neared its end, the various musical pieces harmonized, representing the characters' spiritual awakening.
Special guests of the festival were members of Russian National Acrobatic Rock'n'Roll team, two-time world champions Alexander Mashkov and Anna Orekhova and members of Russian National DanceSport team, winners and medalists of international tournaments Alexey Dolgushin and Kseniya Pyatakhina.