No tickets from Moscow to St. Petersburg. None and never.

Bought myself a place in the conductor’s compartment.

In Tver two young-and-wonderful boarded.

They were sleeping with their heads against the glass in the corridor. I invited them to join me and waited outside while they prepared a bunk.

The girl came out and asked, laughing:
“Do we disturb you?”
“No”, I said.
“Who are you, actually?” – she asked.
I said, “I’m one of the train security,” (bald, black jacket – so she couldn’t doubt it).
“Excuse us, if we get noisy.”
“No worries,” said I, “sing, laugh… should I wait in the corridor?”
“Well, you’ll probably have to wait a long time. He’s like a Roman law, you know, indistinct and very slow.”

We laughed very loud… The guy peeked out.

“I’m coming. I’m running. I’m already there!” she said to him.

I slept quite honest-minded and dreamed of a bi-directional flow of people.

In the morning she catches me up on the platform, laughing again:

“But you’re not from the security.”
“Security?”
“I know you.”
“I know.”
“Do you have echolalia?”
“Echolalia.”

She’s laughing again. Now the chap is here: “Baby, leave him alone!”

Just outside of the train station she turns to me again:
“Did you sleep well?”
“Fine. Rome, Sparta, a kid falling down the abyss; he was too lightweight, not warrior-like.”

Her eyes narrow.
“Anton, right?”
“Yes.”
“Good. So what do you guard there?”
“The secret of Caipirinha.”

And I head for a taxi. I want to dance.

On June 11 and 12 I was on stage with a guitar in my hands and a microphone at my throat. Friendly musicians around me. We called the concert “Vsyo Khorosho!” – “Everything is fine!”

Text: Anton Adasinsky
English text editor: Jennifer Williams
Photo: Anna Bogodist, Olga Arefieva, Alexandra Krivolutskaya
Photo design: Elena Yarovaya

How good it is to sit on a perch under the table and look at the leaves and insects flowing in streams below!

A big creature is stirring beside me, Maxim Isaev.

“and the hormones…”

“oh yes, a harmony of the world…” answers Pasha Semchenko.

Innumerable feet rushing along. There are lots of people, but I can’t see them through the tiny hole in the tablecloth.

I can’t see the Great Northern Bear either, but I know it’s above us. Somewhere.

A “WINDROSE” project.

See all photos »

See also WINDROSE Video »

Text: Elena Yarovaya
English text editor: Jennifer Williams
Photos: Carola Fritzsche, Julia Steinfartz
Photo design: Elena Yarovaya

10 days in April

It turned out to be possible in ten days to play “THE GOSPEL OF ANTON” in Florence, fly to St. Petersburg the same night and dance in the “Nutcracker”, meet the participants of the concert “Vsyo Khorosho!” there, go to Moscow and look at the future performance location in “WinZavod”, come back to Italy, get in the car and drive to France to Mikhail Chemiakin, to find there Slava Polunin and to discuss their participation in the “VERTICAL 2008″ project under the working title “One Sky”, then drive to Dresden and start the rigging for WindRose, then move to Berlin and fly to Kiev at the “GogolFest”, meet our entire company gathered there from three countries, dance the “Wolve’s Tango” and return to Dresden together with AKHE to start the rehearsals for “WindRose”… whew, all in ten days..

Text by Anton Adasinsky
Photo by Elena Yarovaya, Jana Svyatkina, P. Datskovsky and others.
Photo design by Elena Yarovaya

See more photos of “Wolves’ Tango project” in Kiev

See also a video preview of the “WindRose”project in Hellerau, Dresden.

In March at the „Entresol“ I performed a series of improvisations. I was happy and I am still happy now.

From those six days
There’s a new work was born
“The Gospel of Anton”
Which we show in Italy now
And in August we’ll bring it to Edinburgh.

Photo by Anna Bogodist
Photo design: Elena Yarovaya

 
All photos »

 
 

So we’ve been to Samara, St. Petersburg, Moscow…

Something happened to us or to the people who are here for us.
Now they all really-really want us to be and to live,
Although I’ve had some other plans recently.
And the black cloud is covering the birthmarks and the stubble…
And suddenly, as expected, there’s so much Love!
Not simply, “D’you have any tickets still?”
But crying, “I need it! I flew from Siberia…”

White snow. The colour of the morning alley in a sanatorium just as you’re going out of breath after the nurses’ words:
“There’s a visitor for you.”
“Who?” – you’re pleading – “Who?”
She smiles.
“You’ll see for yourself.”

Pyjamas, a hospital-gown; and sliding down into the park, throwing off a cast of myself on each step of the stairs, a cast of sinful, blabbing and unique me. Then an excuse for the prepared joke: “I love me, me of my own making…”*

Cold hands, a discomfort, where to put those oranges? And then – slantwise into the snowdrift. An incantation.

Original text by Anton Adasinsky
English text editor: Jennifer Williams
Photos & photo design: Elena Yarovaya

So it’s over, our three year long odyssey entitled “DEREVO’s soldiers”.
They were wonderful years.

The group gathered in 2004 has brought lots of joy and wonder to the world simply by its existence, as well as with its actions, performances and improvisations.

Maxim Kuznetsov – “MAX”
Anna Budanova – “BUDA”
Galina Samoilova – “GALA”
Alisa Oleinik – “ALISA”
Roman Gabria – “GA”
Maxim Didenko – “DI”
Alexey Finogenov – “FIGA”
Elena Khlebnikova – “HLENA”
Elena Shtykova – “STYK”

And two more wonderful people appeared a little later:

Tatiana Luzai – “LU”
Darya Barabanova – “Darrrrya”

Many saw and will remember for a long time “The Wolves’ Tango” in Kronstadt, “Mad in Japan” / “Mad in Russia” in Tokyo and St Petersburg, “Second Sun”, “KETZAL”, “ROBERT’S DREAM”, “10 Words of Love” in Dresden, “ARKAN”, “WHEEL of POWER” in Mannheim, “Midnight Balance” in Dublin and “Death of Pierrot…” and… and…

Everyone knew from the very first day that we would go our own ways sooner or later. And maybe two or three people will stay with DEREVO (Anton, Lena Yarovaya, Tanya Khabarova).

I’m happy to have an opportunity to wish them all a New & Unique Year, to with good Health and lots of Love, to wish always to go the Path of the Heart, shining brightly in the darkness.

Thanks for inhaling and thanks for exhaling, for scratches on the back can be both from cane or fingernails.

Anton Adasinsky.

English text editor: Jennifer Williams

DEREVO wishes you merry & happy holidays in the past, presence and future. Have a wonderful year 2008!

See the photos from the rehearsals:

Photo by N. Andreeva, A. Gladkih, E. Yarovaya
Photo design by E. Yarovaya

October…

I was walking through the night in Prague with Robert. He was
absent-minded… was hurrying somewhere.
At the reception in the hotel he left me a note “…I’ll see you later.

You know how to find me…”
Then it was St.P. I’ve met my friends, but not all, whom I’d like to thank. I’ve sung three songs to the children,
I’ve shot the black-eyed beginning of the film “Diagnosis”,
I’ve seen the girl Loozai -
I gave her an iron umbrella and the left-hand glove… and October didn’t want to end.

Styk performed in Dresden her first solo “Tula”, Roman Gabria
performed “Gioconda’s Smile”, and there were “Totentanz” and
“Barbuzons”, and the KETZAL flew to Spain, and my last workshop – so
cruel and so funny…………………………………………. Yes, Anton?……………………
….. Yes……………………………………………………………… and Pierrot’s black buttons like three gun-shots in a nightmare.

Text by Anton Adasinsky
English text editor - Jennifer Williams
Photos by Elena Yarovaya, Carola Fritzsche
Photo design by Elena Yarovaya

And we gladly finish the long promised “news” about the great days in Mannheim. Nothing to add actually. Maybe I wasn’t in time to say one loud THANK YOU to everyone.

THANK YOU, guys! Great job. Fantastic project.

Hurry up, see the photos »

And in the end of October a film about the project must be ready. Wheel of Power, Will Power, Weal Power, Weel Power… whatsoever our participants: dancers, technicians, artists, managers from Italy, Russia, Holland, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Poland and one man from the North have tried to call or write it.

In November two weddings should tinkle in the world. Mannheim.

Text by Anton Adasinsky
English text editor: Jennifer Williams
Photo design: Elena Yarovaya based on the photos by Nicole von Hasselt

After uneasy and sleepless days in Mannheim (girls, tractors & night elegy) we found ourselves in Dublin. We were going to open the big Fringe festival. We couldn’t realize it at the start.

We really really wanted to sleep. Really.

What we could dance was maybe the sirtaki. And most likely only the first male part – slow and circumstantial.

And so we started. A dream on black waters at Hanon’s music. “Her Midst”. Hanon – is a pseudonym. I don’t think he would allow Skryabin to leave a wonderful greenhouse in the Pushkarskaya street in St. Petersburg without asking for permission.

The water wasn’t warm or clear. But it was happy that we gave our bodies to it. Just touch the water and some high-speed shimmering wonder connects you through all the brooks, rivers, seas and oceans to that peaceful creek where Krapp is hearing the sedge rustling against the bottom of his boat.

And then we performed in Samuel Beckett’s Theatre. A “happy days”…

Text: Anton Adasinsky
English text editor: Jennifer Williams
Photo: Elena Yarovaya, Andrey Bobylev
Photo design: Elena Yarovaya

See also the video shot by visual designers from Mercury Boy Inc. and originally posted at TheBubble.

Several ways of living for those who want to devote their life to the arts.

1. A person pursues his favourite occupation. In the remaining time he makes his living by simple physical labor that does not employ his art and skills.
2. A person limits his social requirements as much as possible and pursues his favourite occupation while living on alms.
3. A person divides his time between the favourite occupation and additional earning in the “art field” such as mass-media, TV, cinema, parties, bad productions, etc., understanding clearly that all those are just “hack work”.
4. A person pursues only his favourite occupation and, after spending years to achieve perfection in it, he reaches the time when his stage work allows him to survive in society ensuring him creative, financial and geographical independence.
5. A person understands that he won’t have enough time and energy to obtain independence through his favourite occupation, so in order not to sell himself he makes the decision not to pursue it or anything related to it, but instead to make money and pave the way for the creative independence and happiness of another person: Husband, Wife,
   Children, Friend.
6. A person finds a social structure or another person, which (or who) supports him, making it possible to be occupied only by his favourite art and not requiring “loafing”.
7. A person decides not to do anything at all and leaves for the monastery. He relies upon maintenance from a certain prosperous organization or person.
8. A person puts an end to his life.

It is necessary to assign names of people who you know well or of celebrities to each point of the list. For example: Bashlachev, Faulkner, Moguchiy, Nikitin, Makarevich, Modigliani, Maximov, Jodorowsky, before starting to tear your ass with a pike crankbait. The ways and methods of transition between the listed models are intriguing. Propose and try.

* Methodological blunders are commited in this text on purpose.

Original text: Anton Adasinsky.
Translation: Niki
English text editor: Jennifer Williams
Photos: Elena Yarovaya

I see my hands. They are stained with oil. Old cars are around me. Apparently I’m working in a garage. Alone.

There’s some annoyance in my sleep: should I change jobs? But there are obscure liabilities. This is not my dream. A sort of a junk movie.

I’m sure I’m handsome and manly. I search for a mirror and whistle something.

Powerful blows at the gates which open upwards slowly. Red-hot stripe of the sun-tide crawls the floor.

The customers are from the 30s. The blonde man remains in the car. The miniature girl comes out. She smokes a cigarette squinting in the sun.

Seems like I’m hearing jazz and realize – if the music stops I will be shot down. I know this pair. The girl is Bonnie Parker.

I know how they will die. She will turn 23.

One of my friends in St. Petersburg bought herself an old soviet government limousine. ZIM or something like that. Every little gap is filled with sand. Sort of bullet-proof doors.

It is possible to die in sleep. So I answer in good English that I recognize their faces; that I have no money in the garage but I point out the idea of car doors filled with sand. I’m showing them where I can put the sand in.

“Not bad”, says Bonnie (I will never be able to forget her voice),”but where would we get so much sand, my boy?”

“In a fire-protection bin” – I smile and want the blond guy to see that.

I’m going to the bin. Car’s door slammed. Maybe he’s got out. It’s hot in the car.

At last it’s summer.

Text: Anton Adasinsky
English text editor: Jennifer Williams
Photo: Elena YarovaYa, Roman Dubinnikov
Photo design: Elena Yarovaya

Dimmer is his name.

He just appeared before us as a common coordinator.

However, he could be anyone: scout, drug dealer, president, dancer,
seller of oranges, singer or ship’s captain. First encounter at the
airport – we see the proud silouette next to the car resembling
Tovstonogov’s profile. Scared a bit we approach him but the figure
instantly transforms itself to Louis de Funes. A light tumble and we
are heading toward the hotel already, laughing and crying.

A boy grown up in the streets of the Brazil Carnival. A jester and an
acrobat. In the old days – the star of Brazilian circus, and now – a
grayish bird, Dimmer. He plunged us into the night life of Brasilia.

None of us have seen him in all his height. Just in details. The
eyes, hands, flexible spine, flying eyebrows. He is everywhere and
nowhere. Roma apprehended him as a giant, Max saw a decrepit old
man….

Middle of the night. Knock on the door…

“Anton! Antonio!”
“Who is there?”
“It’s me – Dimmer”
“What’s happened?”
“Anton, thank you for the beautiful show, I’m so happy you are here…
and the public is so happy, and please come again and more… and so on…
but this is my last job here at the festival. My Voice is calling me.
I have to confess to the world, I need to record my LP “Penetrations”.
This is a musical where I play the lead and actually the only
role. It’s a large show. Whole Brasilia must be involved.

I will sit in a box and starve. There is a hole. The box is upholstered with fur.
Every resident of my beloved city must put his head in and look me in
my eyes. Every one! And if even one will not come to my box, I
will die. I’ve calculated. I can last about a month, 3 seconds per
person. The music will be written by Syd Barret. It doesn’t really
matter that he’s dead. Since I was a kid I rolled the “Dolly Rocker,
Dolly Rrrrrrrr…” under my tongue.” (He showed me how exactly he did
it).

“I would be very pleased if you would shout tomorrow – Hey, hey!
Goodbye, Dolly Rocker!”

In the morning Dimmer wasn’t the Night Guest anymore. We said goodbye
to each other, chilly.

Farewell Brazil. Goodbye Carnival. Goodbye the “red” Dimmer, even if
there was no you at all…

Text by Roman Gabria, Max Didenko, Anton Adasinsky
English text editor: Jennifer Williams
Photos by Elena Yarovaya, Maxim Didenko, Alisa Oleynik, Elena Shtykova
Photo design by Elena Yarovaya

“KOREA SONG”

ANTON–BUDA

Original text: Anton Adasinsky, Buda
English text editor: Jennifer Williams
Photos: Elena Iarovaia, Alisa
Photo design: Elena Iarovaia

There’s no chance to avoid the questions.

“Anton, what is your new performance “DIAGNOSE” about?”

I will search for the words again, not to offend someone and not to burst into tears because of the nonsense I’m talking.

OK. Apparently I’m a prosperous person. (Slava, give me back a million!). I don’t buy things. However I stare in the shops’ windows just like the Korean women stare at Dima Abramov.

DEREVO already has everything that may be necessary for the realization of creative ideas.

There’s a photo of Bonnie Parker in my purse next to the driving license, since she’s looking like Lena Iarovaia and Shtyk in their birthday suits.

I can’t eat. All the last ten years I have wanted to. My weight must be 59 kilograms. Between rehearsals and performances I go mad and shout at the partners. I’ve learned to sleep in the day and visit the places I need while sleeping.

So now to the “DIAGNOSE”.

April 2006 they found hepatitis C in some final form in me. We took the camera to the hospital.

In a shadeless voice the doctors said that I have three years more, the last of which definitely would not be pleasant. Alisa gave a silent hem and made a close-up of me. I was looking very angry.

Or there’s intensive therapy. Six months. According to the last statistics, positive chances for a cure are 37 percent against 63 percent negative. The medicine is new, its effects aren’t studied and well-tested yet. I wouldn’t be allowed to stay among people because of the side effects – depression, weakness, fiber, claustrophobia and more. It would be possible under the constant supervision of a doctor. It would be a chance.

I agreed to try the therapy and expended a lot of energy and paper to avoid the hospital. 672 pills, 96 pricks. In Edinburgh I weighed 55 kilograms already and was convinced that the consequences of this chemistry are really unknown and thought that they should analyze me.

Various things happened to me. I hardly remember the performances. The guys knew the story and were bearing up well. However they say I wasn’t completely myself.

After the sixth medical examination right before the “Totentanz” action in the Dreikönigskirche in Dresden in March 2007 my dear doctoress said that I had won. Alisa photographed her hands. We were hugging a little bit longer than usual.

I told the guys about it. As I heard my voice I realized that it was another Anton. The old one disappeared some time that summer. All my performances after Edinburgh: “Mad in Japan”, “Wolve’s Tango” in Kronstadt, “x0” and all the actions and dances, and “ROBERT’S DREAM” and the “DIAGNOSE”, and interviews, and the white contact lenses – they all are creatures of another human being.

So we are living with it so far.

A form of the performance: reconsideration of the Great Love that covered the sky in March 2006. A task of the performance: to meet the old Anton.

I will wear clothes in the performance.

Original text: Anton Adasinsky
English text editor: Jennifer Williams
Photo: Anton Adasinsky, Maxim Didenko, Elena Iarovaia
Photo design: Elena Iarovaia