MacCulloch Rae and Dancers

Article by Kathleen Hay
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19 September 2007

Thirteen years later Rae MacCulloch still remembers an enthusiastic Russian performer who carne barreling down a hallway towards them yelling, Canada! It was 1994 and the location was the Beijing Hotel in, of course, Beijing, China. The year before, her self-titled MacCulloch Dancers had been invited by the artistic director of the Chinese troupe, who were performing at Cornwall's Worldfest, to return the favour by performing
at a festival in his homeland.

"I think from then on it was my ambition to take our dancers to Russia," remarked MacCulloch. "When Worldfest was active, we got to know the Russian groups quite well. "I knew in my heart traveling to Russia would be on a par with China."

They got their chance late this summer to find that out when the troupe not only performed in Montrejeau, France, but headed to Moscow, Russia, with nary a 10-day break between the two. And both directly on the heels of Maxville's Glengarry Highland Games.

For several years now, the dancers under the direction of Rae, and her daughters, Heather Forbes and Deborah Wheeler, have journeyed the globe to places like France once before, Belgium, Spain, Bulgaria, Mexico, Disneyworld and, last year, even a Command Performance for Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle.

For MacCulloch, a lifelong fan of the Queen, that was a dream-come true, but Russia was running a very close second, particularly with the warmth of the people she encountered. "I think I was in awe of the people and friendships we made with them," she said. "In both our hearts, with all the unrest in the world, we were happy to be in each other's company.

"There's not always peace in the world, and here are our two countries, so far apart, yet so close." Planning for the Russian excursion began in April. Although a much more exotic-sounding location than France, it didn't really require any additional hoops to be jumped through for travel arrangements, said the dance teacher.
Although two completely different experiences, the connecting flight in Paris to Moscow went without a hitch. "We only had one hour to get from one terminal to the other, but there weren't any problems," she said, noting it was a different traffic situation, however, to get through Moscow.

"It was a long, long drive and the traffic was so heavy," she said, talking about the drive from Moscow's airport, around the city, then out into the country where the 22 dancers were staying at an army barracks.

"We arrived there at midnight and then we had to unload luggage. But then they had a hot meal ready for us. The hospitality was incredible."

The next day, the four-day festival began with a performance at the Red Square Folklore Festival Stage, near the Kremlin. The enthusiasm of the Russian people and their marvel at the kilt clad dancers soon gave the troupe a celebrity status, complete with autograph seekers.

Everywhere the dancers performed, boxes of chocolates were there for them to enjoy. Side trips to the Kremlin for a tour were a huge highlight, but it was the people that really touched the hearts of their guests. There was a conference with the organizers and directors we had," recalled MacCulloch. "Everyone took a turn standing up and toasting us with vodka - there was lots of vodka - and it was so, so incredible. "We're sitting there with these people who were so kind, and who opened their hearts to us."

Visited Yakovlevskoe

The last two days of the MacCulloch Dancers' Russian adventure saw them travel to Yakovlevskoe. Here, the ensemble stayed with Russian billets, a departure from the norm for the troupe which usually makes it a priority to stay together in a residence.

"We were billeted with families, and it was wonderful," she said. There was always someone there who could speak English, and the people were so warm." Local Russian dancers and singers of similar ages to the MacCulloch troupe presented a combined performance for the community one evening, and the next day, the Canadians gave a master step to their new friends in step-dancing. In return, the Russians trained them in traditional song and dance.

What was particularly remarkable about this final portion of the troupe had the honour of being the first international group to perform for President
Vladimir Putin's secret service officers at their barracks.

"It was announced right there, that we were the first ones," said MacCulloch with pride. "Everyone was there, from the little recruits up to the officers. We were treated royally by them." MacCulloch is hard pressed to say what's been her favourite trip, thus far.

Probably, because Russia was the most recent, it slightly eclipsed the China trek of 1994. Of one thing she is certain, however. "No one will take me away from the Games."