Graduates are being prohibited from performing their traditional waltz to foreign songs.
Students from a school in the Ryazan region chose Sting’s “Shape of My Heart” back in January for their dance. They paid a choreographer (5,000 rubles per person ($66), 50,000 in total ($660)) and spent several months preparing. However, the school administration shut down the idea and banned the track.
Despite tears and disappointment, the song was replaced with the composition “Last Waltz” from the “Lillies of the Valley”. The students continued rehearsals — now in a more “patriotic” tone.
Russian Schools Ban Foreign Songs for Graduation Waltz Under Language Law. Image credit: McElspeth (Source: Pixabay.com)
Similar situations have occurred in the Yaroslavl and Tambov regions, where waltzes set to songs by Toni Braxton and Whitney Houston were also prohibited.
The Ministry of Education of the Ryazan region told Mash Telegram channel that schools have the right to establish additional requirements for content at their events based on federal laws on the state language and education, as well as internal regulations.
In addition, songs must comply with age guidelines and align with traditional values.
Students in Russia’s republics have slightly more flexibility — waltzes performed in native languages such as Tatar, Mari, or Buryat are permitted.
By Pavel Morozov
*Source: PRAVDA.Ru