Tantsib Sergei Upkin. Rahvusvaheline tantsupäeva gala

TRIBUTE TO SERGEI UPKIN

International Dance Day Gala

April 25 and 27, 2025 in the Estonian National Opera

This year’s International Dance Day Gala is dedicated to one of the most outstanding principal dancers of the Estonian National Ballet, Sergei Upkin for whom this season will be the last of his career.

Conductors: Arvo Volmer, Lauri Sirp
Choreographers: Sergei Upkin, Triinu Upkin

Composers: Pjotr Tšaikovski, Igor Stravinski

Set Designer: Kristel Linnutaja
Costume Designer: Laura Oolma

Estonian National Ballet and Estonian National Opera Orchestra 

This year’s International Dance Day Gala is dedicated to one of the most outstanding principal dancers of the Estonian National Ballet, Sergei Upkin for whom this season will be the last of his career. Within 25 years, Upkin has created more than 30 roles in Estonia and abroad that have brought him much acknowledgement.

“Sergei Upkin is an amazing prince whose dance lines and jumps are magnificent”, (Auli Räsänen, Nutcracker from Tallinn, Helsingin Sanomat, 19. XII 2004)

“Sergei Upkin’s intense dancing keeps the audience constantly attentive, just like the dancer himself is taut like a bowstring.” (Jürgen Rooste, How to dance Raskolnikov?, Eesti Päevaleht, 12. XII 2011)

“Sergei Upkin dances with a self-explanatory fluidity and grace.” (Heili Einasto, Snow White with fireworks, Postimees, 4. II 2008)

“Sergei Upkin earned an incontestable 1^st Prize with his superb technical showing in Grand Pas Classique”. (Dance Europe, august/september 2003).

The first half of the gala features two exciting new short ballets: “Conductor”, staged by Triinu Upkin to Tchaikovsky’s overture-fantasy “Romeo and Juliet”, starring Sergei Upkin and Stravinsky’s short ballet “Jeu de cartes”, staged by Sergei himself. Both works tell a story about playing in life and playing with life. In the first ballet, the Conductor, portrayed by Sergei Upkin, creates an orchestrated world of dancers that he leads as a God and in which he suffers as a human. Does the baton give him the right to lead fates? Is a human being able to rise above the score? In “Jeu de cartes” the trickster Joker leads the game of poker in the language of dance. His methods include intrigues and tricks. But the rules apply to everyone, even to jesters… 

The second part of the gala gives an insight to Sergei Upkin’s dashing career, featuring the favourite dance numbers of Sergei, performed by the dancers of the Estonian National Ballet, guest performers and Sergei himself. In addition there is a talk with Sergei Upkin moderated by the artistic director of the Estonian National Ballet, Linnar Looris.